Ayurvedic Oils

How to read a thailam label before you buy

Thailam is the Kerala word for a medicated oil, and the word does real work: the oil is the vehicle, the herbs cooked into it are the medicine. Twenty-nine of these are classical thailams made to a named textual formula. The remainder are Kairali's own oils, which follow the same method without claiming a classical source.

The label is where the useful information sits, and it varies more than people expect. Some of these are warmed and massaged in; some are left on for half an hour before a bath; one or two are dressings for a specific site and are not massage oils at all. A few classical thailams have internal or nasal preparations under the same name — those are different products at different strengths, not this bottle.

Three things the label will tell you

1. The route — External unless it says otherwise. Where a classical text also permits internal or nasal use, that is a physician's call and a different preparation.
2. Leave on or wash off — Most are applied before a bath and rinsed. A few are meant to stay. Assume nothing — the difference changes the whole routine.
3. The base — Sesame is the classical default and warming. Kera thailams use coconut and sit lighter, which matters in a hot climate and on the scalp.

See also Herbal Oils & Balms, Joint & Muscle and Hair & Scalp.

Always read the label and directions on the pack you receive, and speak with your physician before starting anything new — particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition or taking prescription medicine.