Ayurveda: for the Uninitiated

The 3,000-year-old science is new” again, and it’s got some very modern surprises.

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Let's start with what Ayurveda is not. Despite what your feed may tell you, it's not a trend, it's not a fad, and it's definitely not a novel idea. What it actually is: an ancient science, specifically the science of life (in Sanskrit, "ayur" means life or vital power and "veda" means science or knowledge), that's been studied and practiced in Indian culture for millennia. "Ayurveda is a holistic way of looking at life that is now being more widely recognized and practiced in the Western world, especially in the beauty space," says dermatologist Kiran Mian, DO. Some tenets: Your outer beauty is a mirror for what's going on internally, encouraging you to look deeper and treat an issue like a breakout or a rash not just at the surface but also at the root, where triggers like seasonal changes, diet, or just the constant stress of today's world can create imbalances in your system. "When someone comes to me with acne, I'll write them a prescription, but I'll also help them adjust their daily habits to help reduce inflammation too," Dr. Mian says.