“Dear Vaidya Mishra: A couple of months ago, a friend gifted me your SVA Face-lift DVD along with all related products, including your most divine Lalita’s Celestial Radiance cream. I watched the DVD and have been doing the facial self-marma protocol since then along with your products and I must say I am pleased with the results! Friends are asking me what I have done, whether I got a surgical face-lift, or what creams I am using… You have to understand that I am a 50+ professional woman and my years show, or used to show should I say, on my face! But ever since I started to do the SVA Facial Marma with the Celestial Radiance cream, not only has my skin improved with firmness and glow, but something more than skin-deep seems to have shifted. I am calmer, more confident, and I feel I communicate and convey my thoughts better. This is why I am writing: I want to know if it is actually possible, and if so, how is it that your Celestial Radiance cream seems to work not only on the physical level of my skin but has also helped increase my levels of confidence during my workshops and speeches – I am a motivational life-coach. I really feel that an abundance of wisdom is flowing through me much more readily, and being imparted to my audience with greater ease. I tested things on my own and noticed that on days I did not use the marma protocol and the Celestial Radiance cream, things were ok, but on days when I did, things went with greater ease. What’s in your Celestial Radiance cream that might have this kind of effect? Vaidya Mishra please enlighten me!

Elisabeth P.”

Dear Elisabeth: in our SVA tradition, whether it is skin care, body care, organ care, or any other level that needs attention, we make sure that 4 aspects of health are always addressed. These 4 aspects are: 1) physical, 2) mental, 3) emotional, and 4) spiritual.

In the context of beauty, this translates more specifically into a verse that says:In other terms: beauty is considered complete when all the molecules or parts of the body are made to be auspicious. What does this mean and what does auspiciousness have to do with beauty?

The answer lies in the first part of the verse that talks about 3 pillars:

• rupam – or the physical aspect of beauty that we gather through the use of our senses, this concerns the structure, and physical properties of one’s skin and other physical attributes;
• gunam – this is the interal property or “guna” of the soul, or the “light of the soul” that is not visible through the senses but radiates through the skin and thus becomes visible to the eye. This happens, as the SVA lineage explains, when body, mind, heart, and spirit/soul are all connected and working together in harmony, not fighting each other.
• Vyastyag – this pillar lists the knowledge of herbs, of a balanced lifestyle and diet, and other factors that can arrest chronological aging, that can defy aging, so an individual can be beautiful inside and out – beyond their age.

So when I formulate a skin care product, I keep this structure in my mind. For example, I use specific herbs that address  the specific function and structure of the skin – the skin on your cheeks is unlike  the skin on your elbows, each has different  levels of exposure to light and other factors, and hence distinct needs. By taking these points into consideration, I address the first pillar, or the “rup” of the skin.

Then to address the second pillar, or “gun,” I always use specific herbs that enhance the communication between mind, heart, and soul. When there is blissful coordination between mind and the light of your soul, as well as your heart, you will will experience it as an inner sense of power and confidence. Any words you utter will come from that level, and will have great impact on your audience.

Rest assured that you are not the only one who has testified to experiencing similar growth of inner peace and confidence after using the Celestial Radiance cream, and this is because, in addition to the synergy of herbs that I use in the cream, and the fact that you are applying them on marma points, you are harnessing the power of the 9 planets.

As you know, the Lalita’s Celestial Radiance cream in infused with the vibrational intelligence of the 9 gems that represent the 9 planets. Jyotish, or the ancience vedic science of light, explains that our individualities are the result of our past karmic actions, and the map that shows the benefits and set-backs dictated by our karmic past is found in the alignment of the planets at our birth. Lalita’s Celestial Radiance cream is formulated to give you a balanced tonic that can support the weaker planets that you may have in your chart, while it pacifies the malefic planets that may be aggravated in your chart. In this way, through the use of the Celestial Radiance cream, you can boost the “guna” pillar of beauty by strengthening or neutralizing things from within. The Veda-s clearly state that while we have freedom of choice as human individuals to make the right ethical decisions, the planets can sometimes cast their shadows on our mind to distract and divert us from the right decisions. Shielding ourselves from vibrational negativity through the use of gems and other remedial measures is an ancient science, and Lalita’s Celestial Radiancemakes that science available for all those who want to apply the cream, especially on the marma points, to make for a more powerful delivery.

The third pillar of beauty is “vayastyag” as noted. It is my duty, as a SVA formulator, to include in all my formulations, an herbal synergy as well as blend of aromatic molecules that will carry age-defying properties and result in visible changes with regular long-term use. Not only the ancient ayurvedic texts, but modern science also confirms the age-defying properties of hundreds of herbs and plants. When put together, as long as they are pranically preserved, and used on a regular daily basis, one can only reap benefits.

For example, many flowers, including jasmine, are reputed for carrying the property that helps keep all the layers of the skin snugly attached to each other resulting in beautiful firm skin. Other plants, such as Sensitive Plant, nurture the tactile nerves. Yet others support the lubricants in our skin to maintain optimal levels if hydration. While others ensure the flow of pranic energy, that connects our external organs and the skin to our inner spirit and soul.

Last but not least, when you apply this cream, on the marma points, you are applying and touching the “gateway of the light of the soul,” because marmas are junction points for all 3 cosmic pranic energies, Soma, Agni, and Marut. Each marma point converses with the “light of the soul” or “satwa.” By gently re-awakening each marma point to enhance the flow and circulation of pranic energy, you are enhancing the communication between your mind, senses, and their connection to the light of your soul. You are infusing more prana into your physiology, and grounding yourself. This inevitably improves the mental properties of Dhi, Dritti, and Smritti (power to gather, store, and recall), which has a direct impact on speech, hearing, and all the sense, including intuition…

Daily and Weekly Lalita Facial Protocols

Enhance beauty from the inside out with daily Lalita protocols.

4 Easy morning steps:

• In the mornings, do a quick cleanse with Lalita’s Prebiotic (you may also use the regular) facial cleanser
• Then apply the CreamClay, leave it on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse off with warm water and dry your face
• Apply Lalita’s Skin Toner, spread with the finger tips and gently massage, wipe off any residual drops
• Apply Lalita’s Age-Defying cream, or Celestial Radiance cream – if you have allotted time then it is best to do a facial marma massage with your cream, then spread out the cream from the points onto the rest of your face.

3 Easy Step for Night Protocol:

• At night before bed, clean your face from the residue of the day with Lalita’s Facial cleanser (use the Prebiotic cleanser to replenish your skin).
• Apply the toner, gently massage and spread and dry.
• Apply Lalita’s cream – a) if your skin is dry and tender, use Lalita’s Facial oil – do a marma massage if you have time for calming your mind at the end of your day; b) if your skin is not too dry, use Lalita’s Probiotic Facial Cream to replenish the friendly bacteria and ready your skin for another morning.

Lalita’s daily protocol helps clean, nourish, and replenish your skin so it can stand the test of daily stressors – climate, mental and emotional stress, imbalanced diet, etc. The Lalita’s CreamClays are designed specially to cleanse the  dead skin, pulling out and absorbing the toxins into the clay base, but without drying your skin. The CreamClays will not deplete your skin of their essential nutrients and essential fats. They will, instead, nourish it and replenish it with herbs and essential oils, as well as coral calcium.

When you spray the toner on, it will help restore the pores to their original size naturally, hydrating them along the way.

The cream of your choice for daily application, whether it is Lalita’s Age-defying cream, or Lalita’s Face-Lift Cream, or Lalita’s Probiotic Cream, or Lalita’s Celestial Radiance cream will nourish either the aqueous or lipid areas of your skin’s cells. If you skin is extremely dry and you live in high altitude and very cold climate, it is best to use the lipid-based Face-Lift cream, otherwise any of the other water-soluble creams are great.

At night, you may find that after a long day of having your face exposed to environmental toxins, EMF as well as other stressors, it may feel unusually dry. That’s why Vaidya Mishra recommends that at night, after cleaning your face with the cleanser, you apply either the Lalita’s Facial Oil or the Face­‐lift cream. This will address your skin’s daily need in its totality.

Lalita’s Weekend Deeper Detox and Rejuvenation Protocol

Whether you follow a daily skin care regimen or not, it is nice to pamper yourself at least once a week for a deeper detox and deeper nourishment session.

Start on Friday night

• Clean your face with Lalita’s Prebiotic CreamClay, leave on for 5-10 minutes, then wash off. Make sure you add more CreamClay on and around the nostrils, between the eyebrows, and the chin area, as these areas secrete more lipids and more lipid soluble toxins.
• Apply a thin layer of either Lalita’s Facial oil, or Face-Lift cream. We are using the lipid-based products to oleate the skin so that the lipid molecules can bind the toxic molecules of the facial skin.
• In the morning, use the SVA Facial steaming pack – directions are included on the label. Be careful not to burn your skin, keep a distance from the steaming bowl. Steam for 8-10 minutes with a cover around your head. The steam process will help you totally eliminate any toxins that were mobilized the the night before.
• Apply a little thicker layer of toner and gently massage in.
• Apply Lalita’s Pro-biotic cream which will replenish the friendly bacteria of your skin, along with all the benefits of herbs and essential oils that it carries – just like the Age-defying cream.

On Saturday night, do a quick cleanse with the Prebiotic Cleanser, wash off and apply the Pro-biotic cream.

Once a week

On Sundays, or any day of your choice when you feel you can “let your hair down,” give total rest to your skin – this means: no cleansing. Just apply the cream of your choice, Lalita’s Age-defying cream, or Celestial Radiance, or Probiotic Cream, or

Face-Lift Cream. Massage gently in, with or without marma points, and let it seep in.

The Lalita’s products are free from any synthetic preservatives, scents, colors, fixatives, to make sure that they do not cause any short or long term toxicity, and do not disturb the vibrational communication between the body and the light of the soul.

For more information on any of the creams – ingredient-wise, please visit: www.chandika.com.

Toners play a major role in facial skin management. Vaidya Mishra has been conducting extensive research and trials over the past couple of years to bring us the perfect skin toner, full of herbal intelligence and effective, as well as free from any synthetic preservatives, scents, or colors.

Why use a facial toner at all?

After any deep, or even a mild facial cleanse, the pores of your skin get dilated. Why? Simply because after a cleanse or a scrub, the pores release built-up toxins and a vacuum is created there where there used to be toxins (you should be careful in your choice of facial cleansers in general, as some facial products cause more dilation of the pores, rather than less).

Vaidya Mishra’s line of Lalita cleansers, such as the Lalita’s CreamClay – either regular CreamClay or the Lalita’s Prebiotic CreamClay – are formulated to dilate the pores minimally, and to scrub your facial skin clean without depleting your skin’s natural oil content or lubrication. In addition, the Lalita’s Facial Cleanser Lotion for mild daily cleaning at the end of the day, will clean off any accumulated physical particles without drying your skin.

This is why, after a cleanse, a toner is needed to re-set your skin pores into their optimal state: to hydrate, nourish, and firm up your skin again. How does Lalita’s Facial Toner do this? Here is an ingredient-wise explanation of the toner’s effect:

• Guava leaves: the acqueous extract of tender guava leaves carry an astringent yet nurturing ayurvedic effect for the skin. Specifically, the astringent property has the special effect of “sankochan” or “shrinking.” Guava leaf extract helps reset the pores to their original size by tightening them.
• Jasmine leaves: in Ayurveda, Jasmine leaves are renowned for their “sandhania” effect: they help keep the skin layers snugly attached to each other. When our skin ages, the layers de-attach resulting in sagging. Aging results from ongoing toxic accumulation as well as the inevitable passage of time – keep in mind that good maintenance of the skin with regular proper detox cleanses can slow down aging resulting from the passage of time. Jasmine leaves are very good for helping with the cohesion of the skin layers.
• Jasmine flowers: the Jasmine flower carries the aromatic principle of “somanasya janana” which also acts as a “sandhanya.” The “somanasya janana” property means that which enhances bliss.
• Rose buds: the aromatic principle of Rose enhances the coordination between heart and mind. More specifically, it strengthens the connection between the “light of the soul” or “satwa” and the mind. Vaidya Mishra speaks about this at length in his many lectures, explaining that when the “light of the soul” is “on,” it reflects and reverberates through the face directly. When mind and heart are connected, the face glows, and rose is a good medium for achieving this, as it pacifies sadhak pitta, paving the way for a strong connection.
• Saffron is the #1 “varniya” dravya or plant of Ayurveda. “Varniya” means that which enhances the overall complexion of the skin by nurturing the layers. Scientists have long been interested in the active chemical ingredient “crocin” contained in Saffron, and studies have confirmed its anti-aging and nurturing effects for the skin. In India, as well as in other ancient cultures, Saffron has been used as a proven skin tonic since forever!

How and when to use Lalita’s Facial Toner?

You can use Lalita’s Facial Toner daily! Whenever you clean your face with a gentle soap or a gentle cleanser – Lalita’s Facial Cleanser or CreamClay – Vaidya recommends that you apply this toner to rehydrate your skin and tighten your pores.

You should definitely use Lalita’s Toner after an application of Lalita’s Prebiotic or regular CreamClay. After applying the CreamClay, rinse of thoroughly, then spray this toner over your face and neck (make sure your eyes are closed so that they don’t get irritated). You may also alternately spray the toner onto a cotton pad and gently sponge all over your face and neck. Give it 2-3 minutes and it will be absorbed right away as it is water based. You are then ready to apply the hydrating and nourishing cream of your choice. You can choose from Lalita’s Age-Defying Cream (with or without aroma); Lalita’s Face-Lift Cream (lipid based for additional nourishment); Lalita’s Facial Oil – if you prefer a more natural oil base with the same herbal synergistic ingredients; Lalita’s Pro-biotic Facial Cream – this product requires refrigeration; Lalita’s Celestial Radiance Cream – enhanced with the cosmic power of all nine planets plus the moon and sun!

Give yourself the glow you deserve, try Vaidya’s full spectrum line of Lalita’s facial products.

Get the total approach for aging skin, beyond nutrition and dosha specification. The SVA pre-biotic and pro-biotic approach was practiced in SV Ayurveda for a long time. Nowadays, scientific research recognizes synbiotic antiaging therapy as the ultimate approach for skin rejuvenation. Synbiotic means synchrony with pre and pro-biotics. In other terms: pre-biotic bacteria provide food for the friendly pro-biotic bacteria and allow them to flourish and multiply in a healthy environment. Together, in a perfectly balanced combination, Lalita’s SVA pre- and pro-biotic formulas become the perfect synbiotic approach to help the friendly bacteria of our skin do their job, sustaining and flourishing in the harsh environment of the facial and body skin.
Ayurvedically the pre-biotic and the pro-biotic bacteria enhance the pranic coordination between the skin and the environment, receiving soma from the pre-biotics and the environment, producing more ojas to support the barrier function of the skin, which, in turn, helps to protect the body from infection and the hazardous effects of xenobiotic (household chemicals) and vibrational toxins (EMFS). The scientific community is trying to prove what Ayurveda has known for thousands of years: that this symbiotic therapy improves the barrier function and supports the immune system of the skin, reversing aging inside-out.

Pre-biotic Cleanser for the face: these balanced non-drying cleansers supply food for the friendly pro-biotic bacteria to allow them to flourish in a healthy environment. Pre-biotics are necessary for healthy pro-biotic colonies in the skin. Pro-biotic health of the skin, in its turn, is necessary to reverse aging.

Pre-biotic CreamClay: experience the luxury of a non-drying deep cleansing SVA herbal facial mask, rejuvenate and refresh with Ashoka, Lodha, Triphala, Praval pista, in a base of Vegetable glycerine, Pranic clay and Coral calcium which is more suitable for body skin. Clean your skin from deep within.

Pro-biotic Cream for the face : these creams contain live lactobacillus bacteria, turmeric, guduchi, neem, manjistha, Indian sarsaparilla, aloe vera, jasmine, ylang-ylang and sweet orange in a very advanced base made mainly with vegetable glycerine and coconut with a balanced preservation system. This cream reverses aging by creating more ojas, enhances glow, supports the skin’s barrier function and minimizes wrinkle lines.

NOTE: the pro-biotic products contain live bacteria that need to be refrigerated in order to stay alive. All of Vaidya’s pro-biotic products ship out in refrigerated packs with faster delivery – express or express saver 2-3 day options only.

No matter where you may live, perfect weather conditions may not be present all the time anytime, so we have to learn to make the most out of existing conditions. And it is possible to get great benefit for the skin and physiology out of any climactic condition with the proper knowledge. Every season comes bearing its own gifts!

Out of all the seasons, cold winter weather may be the harshest for our skin, because our bodies have a hard time supporting and hydrating our skin internally due to shrunk micro and macro circulatory channels. That’s when our skin becomes dehydrated both in terms of its lipid as well as water components internally. In this situation, transdermal nutrients are the best option, since the internal pathways are already shrunk and circulation has slowed down due to the cold, so whatever is consumed orally may not reach its destination on time!

In this sense, it becomes even more crucial to use just the right product for your face in the wintertime, because you don’t want to further “freeze” your already shrunk channels by applying heavy clogging creams. If you clog your pores and channels further, you hinder the evacuation and movement of toxins or “mala”s and bring about more toxic accumulation in your skin. For those of us who carry amavisha (reactive acidic toxic build-up) and/or garavisha (xenobiotic toxins created from too much exposure to EMF or industrial chemical fumes or the us of products with preservatives), these virulent toxins do not get evacuated through the proper detox channels and are bound to eventually come out through the skin causing rashes and other imbalances. A cream that has not been intelligently formulated to have the perfect balance of Soma, Agni, and Marut ingredients, will freeze and block your skin pores making your skin dryer, itchier, and more depleted in nutrients.

Vaidya Mishra explains that in the SVA tradition, his father taught him to focus on nourishing the skin transdermally because in the wintertime the skin is already hungry and thirsty for nutrition and hydration. It readily takes in and accepts what you apply on it externally since it cannot get nourished and balanced internally.

Re-enliven your skin

When, in the wintertime, internal nutritional delivery to the skin is cut off due to clogged channels, as well as externally depleted due to cold drying weather, there are 2 important things you need to consider.

First: you will need to use slightly thermogenic channel-opening facial products, particularly cleansers. Most cleansers on the market tend to dry out the skin. Their cleansing properties can deplete the skin of Soma – the lubricating principle of the skin. Your skin will already be craving for lubricants, bothin the lipid and water-soluble format due to cold dry weather. So the first step towards balancing your skin has to start with your skin cleanser. You cleanser should carry a channel opening effect. In SVA terms, it should be slightly thermogenic. Usually when a product is thermogenic, it is also drying, but your cleanser should be thermogenic without being drying at all…

Second: in colder weather, the friendly bacteria of your skin do not receive enough nutrition because of short supply from within, so your cleanser should also address that lack and nourish your skin. It should be a balancing factor for the friendly bacteria of your skin, supplying pre-biotic nourishment for the pro-biotic bacteria in your skin so they can thrive.

When the friendly bacteria of the skin are faced with drying cold weather and the internal supply of nourishment to the skin is cut off, they suffocate and die. Probiotic bacteria are living organisms that need the right environment and nutrition to survive. The lack of friendly bacteria in your skin causes more dryness and thinning of your skin – your skin looses it healthy luster, elasticity, and glow, and eventually becomes wrinkled. This results in the lack of tolerance from environmental stressors like allergens, environmental toxins, even mental and emotional stress, particularly in the facial area.

The SVA Daily Regimen

Here is Vaidya Mishra’s daily regimen for maintaining our facial skin’s health and glow. First off, clean your face with Lalita’s pre-biotic facial cleanser. This will take care of surface impurities that clog the pores and create a layer of toxic build-up to suffocate the friendly bacteria – dust, smog, make-up residue, etc. You can do this daily, morning and evening.

Then, once a week, give your skin a deeper cleanse, with Lalita’s Facial CreamClay: a rich thermogenic facial mask that will cleanse the deeper layers of your skin, extracting toxins that have sunk in beyond the first skin layer. This CreamClay will detox without drying, leaving your skin clean and ready to absorb nutrients and hydration.

After applying the Facial Cream Claymask, it is ideal to use the Lalita’s Facial Toner to firm, reset, and ready your skin pores to receive the Pro-biotic or other Lalita’s Facial cream or oil of your choice.

During the week, after the daily cleanser, after cleaning your face use the Lalita’s Facial Toner, and then apply the Lalita’s Pro-biotic cream or the cream of your choice. You may use, depending on your skin’s needs, any of the cream for day and night time application.

The Pro-biotic cream has been specially formulated this cream to feed and balance the friendly bacteria of the skin. In addition to the live friendly bacteria that it contains, this cream also has the synergy of all 15 herbs contained in the Lalita’s Age-Defying cream. You can use this cream at night before bed to replenish and rejuvenate your skin. Or in the morning to help shield your skin against climactic vagaries.

After using Lalita’s pre-biotic cleanser, your face will feel clean but your skin will experience no dryness!

You may notice, with the full spectrum Lalita products, that your skin is re-hydrated, smooth and silky, yet without the feeling of heaviness one usually gets from facial creams.

Most creams add a lipid or water-soluble layer to give your skin moisture and elasticity. That may actually further clog your pores. The Pro-biotic cream supplies live friendly bacteria that get to work by feeding on the pre-biotic left by the cleanser. They create a live dynamic shield that nourishes your skin by enlivening it. Many satisfied SVA patrons have written us back saying they even experience inner bliss after applying Lalita’s facial creams.