Absolute Beauty: Radiant Skin and Inner Harmony Through the Ancient Secrets of Ayurveda

by Pratima Raichur, Mariam Cohn

We all know absolute beauty when we see it--skin that glows with health and an outer bearing that projects inner tranquillity. Yet, despite our every effort and expense, few of us know how to achieve it. In Absolute Beauty, Pratima Raichur, a chemist and internationally recognized expert on Ayurvedic skin care, explains how the external skin tissue is the physical reflection of everything that happens within the body: the way we eat and breathe, as well as the thoughts and emotions that fill our mind and color our spirit. Here, in the first beauty and skin care guide to reveal the secret to lasting radiance through the principles of Ayurveda, Pratima Raichur offers readers:


a detailed self-test to determine their exact skin type


customized skin care plans for each skin type


proven-effective advice for addressing the most troubling skin problems


essential nutritional information


instructions for detoxifying the body

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Alternative Medicine, Reference

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second read of this book. Recommend to anyone interested in Ayurveda. Quite inspiring--a real motivation for the new year

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book takes a lot of time to say what it wants to say. If you've never read anything (even a Cosmo article) about skincare, then the super basic stuff may be useful, but I felt it was too rudimentary. It also seems to repeat itself quite a bit, which was disappointing. I skimmed most of the book because I kept coming across a lot of the same advice over and over again. The information on Ayurvedic self massage (Abhyanga) was pretty robust and useful, and I can see myself referring to it in the future. One thing this book did make me realize is that, currently at least, I don't have any real skin problems. Yay for that.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this should be on every women's bookshelf. I refer back to it time and time again.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book as there was a lot of theory and words without much handy hints and recipes.
The information was very basic

It could be a nice gift for the very beginner who wanted to learn a bit more about Ayurveda but for me it wasn’t a practical book that I would really-refer to

[Selene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about self-care and the ancient tradition of Ayurveda. The approach to beauty is an inside-out approach, which is always going to have the best results. It has pretty dense sections on the theory of Ayurveda and how it can be used to inform beauty, as well as detail care routines based on the doshas. I think this is a great introduction to those who want to take a more wholistic approach to beauty and self-care.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great surprise. The explanations about the Ayurveda philosophy and how life is seen went beyond what I expected from this book. Very well done. A favourite.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book with a comprehensive atlas to all your beauty needs. I first picked this up from my library a few years ago and began slowly implementing the skin care recipes and routines, as making the jump to being completely all-natural (no more commercially-bought cleansers/soaps, moisturizers, etc.) seemed daunting. I started with the simple 3-step face routine and found it brightening and clearing my complexion remarkably within a few months. I've since added the full-body routine, and in addition to the ingredients being cheaper, my skin has never been healthier. I've seen problems which have plagued me since middle school - extremely dry hands and feet; ruddy, sensitive facial skin; and small bumps on my upper arms and thighs from keratosis pilaris - finally clear up and improve. I reference this text again and again, playing with the ingredients to fit my seasonal beauty needs. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to adopt a more conscientious self-care routine.

[teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian "science of life". They break down body and constitution types (doshas) and explain the physical and mental/emotional characteristics of each. I find it fascinatingly accurate for myself. Then they explain how to bring balance to each type by the kinds of foods you eat and the way you care for your body. This author does an excellent job of explaining the philisophical basis of Ayurveda, and the book offers easy (for the most part), natural recipes for skin-care products that you can make at home, as well as covering stuff like self-massage and yoga. It discusses in detail the kind of foods you should eat or avoid for each type. You really need to buy a copy if you want to use it though, because there is just so much information contained in the book. I borrowed mine from the library so now I need to buy a copy.

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

It can be difficult to find some of the products recommended (there's lots of "recipes" for skin care), but this book has forever altered how I see beauty products.

Your skin eats what you put on it. It goes directly into your blood stream. So if you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your face! We strip our skins and hair of it's natural oils and then use lotion and conditioner to synthetically replace it!

Take the test to find out your skin dosha and then get to the skin care tips and recipes in Chapter 5 (page 115). This alone is worth the price of the book.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the reviews that this book re-states and over-states information. There is plenty of wonderful information in this book, but it may be a bit too in-depth for some. The science and Ayurvedic background information are incredibly intense and dense.

I cannot lie... I rushed through a fair amount of the book, and I skimmed some chapters: glossing over the "heavy" and repetitive information and focusing on the relevant information. I think I would have focused more if the book was more condensed and more straightforward in its presentation of the skin care information.

[Rush2ady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book for years. It's one of the few books I keep each time I relocate.
It's a great intro to Ayurvedic principles with a practical application of good skin care and beauty. Some people may be put off by the lack of a "quick fix". Rather, it teaches fundamental life habits which will bring about an inner healthy glow. For do-it-yourselfers, there are great skin care recipes which will intoxicate you with their luscious scents and textures.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that you should just buy and keep for a reference. It's pretty dense to read from start to finish especially if you're not familiar with ayurveda at all. But it makes sense to have this book and take the skin type quizzes and then refer your skin type's needs over time instead of doing what I did and reading it straight through. There's a lot of valuable information in here that can benefit anyone.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not your typical beauty book. The author, a practitioner of Ayurveda, shows how to care for your body naturally. I must admit that I've followed many of the suggestions and my skin no longer feels irritated. She teaches that the skin eats; if you wouldn't put it in your mouth, then you shouldn't slather it on your face. Now I just need to start eating better...

[Janina · Rating 5 out of 5]

un ouvrage incroyablement complet sur la science ayurvédique, comparée à juste titre à la physique quantique, par une experte dans les soins de la peau. Le livre fourmille d'informations sur les huiles essentielles, les herbes et les produits typiquement ayurvédiques, et se lit d'une seule traite. Passionnant de bout en bout !

[pri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good overview of Ayurveda and discussion of how - if you want to improve your skin - you really need to improve your eating, your stress level, and other vital factors. I'm a fan of Pratima skincare and picked this book up as a sidekick. Definitely not a 'buy our products' book. Much more about the science and study of ayurveda.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

The earlier parts were good, the second half was more boring and very text booked. Some sections of the books had this "India is better, west has got it all wrong" ton.

I have read plenty of Ayurveda books and feel that there are plenty of other books that cover the same information in a more easy to absorb, more fun to read fashion.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've got to re-read this book. Especially as I'm starting to get back into my whole natural beauty thing.

But it's fantastic. I learned so much from it, and keep it on hand as a reference.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. A good intro to Ayurveda. It was worth a read if you are into this sort of thing. Not a light and quick read.

[Danielle Rowe murata · Rating 5 out of 5]

I`m really into Ayuveda and Holistic care. This book was very informative and practical.

[Hollykinz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book about an amazing science.

[SV Quotes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved!

[Chanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indispensable for Ayurvedic practitioners. I refer to this text often.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent intro to Ayurveda