Mukha Lepa (Ayurvedic Facial Paste)
Mukha-lepa is the application of a herbal paste to the face, left on and then washed off. Vāgbhaṭa's Gaṇḍūṣādi-vidhi chapter describes three kinds, the thickness to spread, and the rule that the paste be moistened before removal. Common pastes use mañjiṣṭhā, sārivā, candana and yaṣṭīmadhu.
Self-care. This is a practice a person can do for themselves. Read the cautions before starting.
What it is
Mukha-lepa is a herbal paste spread over the face, held there while it sets, and then taken off. It is classed as a kriyā-bāhya, an external procedure, and is something a person can do for themselves.
Where it comes from in the classical literature
The dedicated classical treatment is in Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya, Sūtrasthāna 22, the Gaṇḍūṣādi-vidhi chapter, which after gaṇḍūṣa and kavala goes on to mukhalepa and head-oiling.
Verse 14 distinguishes three kinds of lepa: those that act on doṣa, those used against viṣa, and those applied for complexion. Verse 15 gives the thickness at which each type should be spread, a quarter, a third or half an aṅgula. Verse 16 says the paste should stay on until it dries, and should then be moistened before being removed, so that the skin is not damaged; oil application follows removal. Verse 17 lists conditions in which mukhalepa should not be done.
What it involves
The method recorded here is a mañjiṣṭhādi or triphalā paste applied to the face, retained for 20 to 30 minutes, then washed off with rose water or warm water.
That differs from Vāgbhaṭa on one point worth knowing: the classical instruction is not a fixed clock time but “until dry”, followed by moistening the paste before lifting it off rather than peeling or scrubbing at a dry layer.
What is used
Mañjiṣṭhā, sārivā, candana and yaṣṭīmadhu are the dravyas named, generally as a mañjiṣṭhādi combination or as triphalā. No oil is part of the paste itself, though the classical text has an oil application after the lepa is removed.
Who should avoid it
Vāgbhaṭa contraindicates mukhalepa in rhinitis, in indigestion, immediately after nasal medication (nasya), in lockjaw, in anorexia, and in sleep deprivation.
Cautions
- Vāgbhaṭa's own list of situations in which mukhalepa is not to be done: rhinitis, indigestion, straight after nasya, lockjaw, anorexia and sleep deprivation.
- Do not peel or scrub off a dry paste. The classical instruction at AH Sū. 22.16 is to moisten it first, specifically so the skin is not damaged.
- Keep the paste away from the eyes and off broken skin.
- The record names dravyas but no quantities, no frequency and no ingredient proportions. Try a small patch of skin before covering the face with any new preparation.
- No adverse events are recorded for this procedure in the source used here, which means it has not been assessed for them rather than that none occur.
- An active rash, inflamed acne, or a skin condition under treatment is a matter for a clinician, not for a home paste.
Substances named
Mañjiṣṭhā, Sārivā, Candana, Yaṣṭimadhu, Triphalā
Classical source
Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya, Sūtrasthāna 22 (Gaṇḍūṣādi-vidhi), vv. 14-17 (corrected from the record) — checked against a published translation
The record's citation, Suśruta Sūtrasthāna 34, is wrong: Suśruta Sūtrasthāna 34 is the Yuktasenīya Adhyāya, on the physician accompanying an army on the march and precautions against poisoning, and does not deal with lepa. Corrected to Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya Sūtrasthāna 22 (Gaṇḍūṣādi-vidhi), whose coverage of mukhalepa at vv. 14-17 was confirmed against an English commentary of the chapter and against two independent chapter listings (wisdomlib Sanskrit index; a chapter index describing AH Sū. 22 as "gargles, face pack, shirodhara").
Common questions
- How long do I leave a mukha lepa on?
- The two sources differ. The method recorded here says 20 to 30 minutes, then wash off with rose water or warm water. Aṣṭāṅga Hṛdaya Sūtrasthāna 22.16 gives no clock time and says instead to leave it until it dries, then to moisten it before removing so the skin is not damaged.
- What goes into a classical mukha lepa?
- The dravyas named here are mañjiṣṭhā, sārivā, candana and yaṣṭīmadhu, usually as a mañjiṣṭhādi combination, with triphalā as the other paste listed. No proportions are recorded.
- When should I skip it?
- Vāgbhaṭa lists rhinitis, indigestion, the period straight after nasya, lockjaw, anorexia and sleep deprivation as times when mukhalepa is not done.
Reviewed by Dr. Awadesh Pratap Singh, BAMS, on 18 September 2026. What that review covered.
Consult a qualified vaidya before acting on anything here. Ayurvedic practice is prescribed to a person, not to a condition: the same procedure is given, modified or withheld depending on your constitution, your agni, the season and what else you are already doing. A page cannot know any of that.