Vetiver :: A super herb for skin and health

Vetiver is a grass that grows prolifically in warm climates. It is particularly well known in India - the name Vetiver is derived from the Tamil word “vetriver” which means cut roots.
​Vetiver is well known for its environmental benefits - the roots grow long and deep and hence it is cultivated to moderate soil erosion. Vetiver is also grown in farms to enrich soil and help with pest control.
The roots are very pleasingly aromatic and are steam distilled to produce Vetiver essential oil. This oil is highly prized in the perfume industry - it is used in perfumes such as Guerlain’s Vetiver, Chanel’s Coco, Dior’s Miss Dior, Yvette St. Laurent’s Opium, and Givenchy’s Ysatis.

Vetiver in Ayurveda

Known as Usheera, Vetiver is a super herb in Ayurveda. Aromatherapeutically, Vetiver is considered to be calming and grounding. The first sniff of Vetiver roots took me by surprise. The aroma is mild but delightful. It brought back memories of burning incense in the temples of South India.
Vetiver is cooling and is used to calm pitta dosha. It is also pacifying for Vata dosha because of the calming quality of its aroma. Vetiver is mentioned in the Vedas and according to the Ayurvedic scholarly work of Bhavprakash Niganthu, has the following benefits;

• ​nerve relaxant - eases stress and anxiety; helps ease insomnia
• calms fever
• regulates acid production in the stomach - good to treat acidity
• Is a diuretic - flushes out toxins
• pain relief for muscular aches - Vetiver increases blood circulation thereby providing relief from pain due to muscle soreness
• Improves skin texture and disorders

​http://www.planetayurveda.com/library/ushira-vetiveria-zizanioides

Benefits of Vetiver

The chemical composition of volatiles from Vetiver root as analyzed in the extracted oil are mainly a class of hydrocarbons called sesquiterpenes. These compounds along with their alcohol derivatives account for the biological properties of Vetiver:

• ​Pesticide
• Antibacterial
• Antifungal 
• Antioxidant

Benefits for skin follow from the above biological activity:

• ​Reduces inflammation caused by acne
• Aids in the healing of wounds and cuts
• Good for oily skin
• Beneficial for aging skin - likely due to antioxidant activity
• Beneficial in treating dandruff - likely due to antifungal activity

​There are some other interesting uses for Vetiver. The essential oil of Vetiver has been used to alleviate symptoms of jet lag. The recipe calls for 5 drops of Vetiver essential oil, 5 drops of geranium essential oil, and 2 drops of juniper or grapefruit essential oil in 2 Fl Oz of a carrier oil. This oil is to be liberally applied on the body when traveling. I travel a lot for work and definitely plan on giving this a try! 
Vetiver has also been used to help with painful symptoms of menstruation and to aid in fertility in women. However it should be avoided by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Another property of Vetiver that needs to be kept in mind when taking it internally is that it has the tendency to harden stool . So if you are prone to constipation, limit taking vetiver internally. It could help with diarrhea though.

How to use Vetiver

Vetiver is available as roots and as essential oil derived from the roots. Below are some methods to incorporate this herb in your beauty and health routine.

• ​The safest way to consume vetiver internally is to steep a few roots in water and drink it. This is a common practice in South India. Traditionally, the roots are steeped in a mud pot in boiled water. Vetiver roots have a great capacity to absorb a variety of chemicals and may have an effect of purifying the water. The roots also imbibe a fragrance to the water which I personally find quite pleasing. You can add a slice of lemon as well to the water. 
• For skin issues like acne, make a tea with vetiver root. It is easiest to chop the roots into small pieces in a blender and add teaspoon or two of the finely chopped root to about 3 tablespoons of hot water. Let the roots steep for several minutes. Filter the tea and use it to make a paste of red sandalwood and Haritaki powder (more on this super herb in a different post). Mask face with this paste. This is a really good remedy for painful pimples and helps dry them out. 
• My favorite way to use Vetiver for my somewhat mature skin is as a hydrosol. I make a hydrosol at home using vetiver roots and use it to mist my face after cleansing in the morning and at night. The aroma of vetiver hydrosol is very mild but extremely calming. I then apply a facial oil or a vitamin C serum after. 
• I have used the remaining roots after making the hydrosol to make a tea and used the tea as hair rinse. Not sure if this helps or not but again the aroma is most calming and wonderful and it's a way to get the most of my vetiver roots :).
• You can also incorporate Vetiver essential oils in your beauty routine. I have not experimented with this as yet and thus don't have much to say. 

So that's that on Vetiver. The main reason I love it is because of it's aroma. There is a quality to the aroma that is hard to describe - unlike many natural aromas, there is no known synthetic substitute for vetiver aroma. I encourage you to try it - maybe serve an interesting drink of Vetiver steeped water at a summer party to add a touch of the exotic!