A nourishing face pack of Navara rice cooked in milk and herbal decoction — a traditional Kerala facial for dry, tired skin.
Navara Mukha Lepam is a face pack made from Navara, a medicinal red rice grown in Kerala. Mukha means face and lepam a paste spread on the skin: the rice is cooked soft in milk and a herbal decoction and applied warm to the face and neck. It belongs to the head and face therapies and is the facial counterpart of Navara Kizhi, which uses the same rice over the body.
A session runs about 30–45 minutes. Navara Mukha Lepam is carried out at Sri Vinayaga Ayurvibe, a doctor-led Ayurveda hospital at Nookampalayam, Perumbakkam, Chennai 600131 — within reach of Medavakkam, Sholinganallur, OMR, Pallikaranai, Velachery and Tambaram.
What Navara Mukha Lepam is traditionally used for
Navara Mukha Lepam is traditionally used for dry, tired skin, dull complexion, skin nourishment and facial skin care.
Navara Mukha Lepam is traditionally used to support dry, rough or tired skin, a dull complexion, and skin that feels tight after long hours in air-conditioning or sun. It appears in the clinic’s plans for Psoriasis, eczema & skin and Hair fall & dandruff as a supporting therapy, where the skin needs nourishing rather than drying.
It is typically planned for naturally dry, Vata-type skin, for skin depleted after an illness or a stressful stretch, and for anyone on a body therapy course who wants the face looked after too. Women are treated by a female therapist.
What happens in a session
The face is cleaned and given a few minutes of light oil massage, the hair is covered, and the eyes are protected with cotton pads.
Navara rice cooked with milk and a decoction of Bala, the herb classically used with it, is cooled to a comfortable warmth and spread over the face and neck, leaving the eyes, nostrils and lips clear.
It feels warm and soft at first and tightens slightly as it cools; you lie still while the therapist checks it is not drying hard or feeling too warm.
The pack is lifted off before it sets stiff and the face is wiped with warm water; the session takes 30 to 45 minutes.
Who should not have Navara Mukha Lepam
An allergy to milk or to a herb in the decoction; another therapy may be chosen.
Active, inflamed acne or very oily skin, where a rich, milky pack can make things worse.
Broken skin, a skin infection, a cold sore or a rash on the face.
A peel, laser, microneedling or injections in recent weeks — wait until your dermatologist says the skin has settled.
A flaring patch of eczema or psoriasis on the face; the doctor examines it first and may wait until it is calmer.
How many sessions?
A single session can be booked on its own, and some people choose one before a family occasion. For dry or depleted skin the doctor is more likely to plan a series, alongside advice on food, water and sleep.
Dr.V.Vaitheeshwari B.A.M.S., looks at your skin type, any skin condition and your digestion before deciding. If you are already having Navara Kizhi or a head therapy, the face pack can often be added on the same visit.
Before you come
Do not use scrubs, peels, retinoid creams or bleach on the face for a few days before; they make skin likelier to sting under a warm pack.
Avoid threading, waxing or shaving the face on the day itself.
Tell us if heat on the face bothers you; the pack can be applied cooler.
Afterwards
Your skin may feel soft and slightly tight; a light, plain moisturiser is fine if it feels dry by evening.
If you need to wash, use lukewarm water and pat dry, and keep heavy creams, serums and make-up off until the next day.
Call us on +91 81229 39197 if redness, itching or small bumps appear in the next day or two, and seek emergency care for swelling of the lips, eyes or throat.
Cost
Cost depends on the duration and whether the doctor plans a single session or a course. Call +91 81229 39197 and we will tell you before you book — there are no surprises at the counter.
What is Navara rice, and is ordinary rice the same?
Ayurvedic texts describe a rice that ripens in sixty days, Shashtika, as especially nourishing, and Navara is the Kerala rice used for it. Ordinary white rice is not a substitute in the classical preparation.
Will it make my skin fairer?
No, and it is not offered for that. The aim is skin that is nourished and comfortable. Skin colour is set by your genes and by the sun, and no face pack can honestly promise to change it.
How long before a wedding or function should I book it?
A few days before rather than the same morning, in case your skin reacts to something new. Do not try it for the first time just before a big day; if you want a series, start it well ahead.
What does Navara Mukha Lepam cost in Chennai?
Cost depends on the duration and whether the doctor plans a single session or a course. Call +91 81229 39197 and we will tell you before you book — there are no surprises at the counter.
Sri Vinayaga Ayurvibe — 12/597, Main Road, Nethaji Nagar Main Rd,
Nookampalayam, Perumbakkam, Chennai 600131. Phone:
+91 81229 39197.
