AYURVEDIC COOLING BODY MASSAGE OIL
Pinda Thailam
Pinda Thailam, a classical cooling oil of Ayurveda, prepared with Manjishta and Sariva in a sesame oil base.
Pinda Thailam is a classical cooling oil of Ayurveda, recorded in the Sahasrayogam. Art of Vedas keeps its composition in the original form: the root extracts of Manjishta (Rubia cordifolia) and Sariva (Hemidesmus indicus) in a sesame oil base, gently bodied with beeswax, prepared by the classical Sneha Paka method and made for Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic full-body self-massage. This page sets out what the oil is, the classical tradition it belongs to, and the heavy-metal and microbiological test results recorded for every batch.
What Pinda Thailam is
Pinda Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic herbal oil, prepared by Art of Vedas as a cooling body massage oil. It is anhydrous, meaning it contains no added water: a sesame oil base carrying the root extracts of Manjishta and Sariva, gently bodied with a small amount of beeswax, with no preservative needed. It is made in India under Good Manufacturing Practice, following ISO 22716 principles, and is not tested on animals. It carries a period after opening of 12 months and is offered in 200 ml and 450 ml sizes.
The full INCI list is short: sesame seed oil, the root extracts of Rubia cordifolia (Manjishta) and Hemidesmus indicus (Sariva), and beeswax (Cera Alba). There are no aromatic or fragrance ingredients, so the oil carries no declared fragrance allergens. Because it contains beeswax, it is not vegan. The complete ordered ingredient list is given further down this page.
Pinda Thailam in classical Ayurveda
Pinda Thailam takes its name from the Sanskrit Pinda, meaning a mass or bolus, a reference to the way the oil is gently bodied with beeswax. It is recorded in the Sahasrayogam, one of the classical compendia of Kerala Ayurveda, and belongs to the family of cooling oils traditionally associated with the Pitta dosha.
Its classical herbs are among the best loved cooling botanicals of the classical texts: Manjishta (Rubia cordifolia) and Sariva (Hemidesmus indicus), both prepared here as root extracts and cooked slowly into a sesame oil base by the classical Sneha Paka method. In the tradition the finished oil is associated with Abhyanga, the daily practice of full-body self-massage with warmed oil that the classical texts count among the practices of Dinacharya, the daily routine.
Art of Vedas presents the oil within that classical frame, describing the practice rather than any outcome. The oil itself is offered as the classical Pinda Thailam, kept in its original composition and tested with every batch.
Quality and testing
Tested with every batch
Every production batch of Pinda Thailam is tested before it is released for sale. Two things are checked: heavy metals, by a laboratory method called ICP-MS, and microbiological safety, against the international standard ISO 17516:2014. The figures below are representative results; every batch is retested before release.
Heavy metals
Five heavy metals were tested by ICP-MS. Each one was within the permitted limit for products left on the skin. The right-hand column shows the maximum level allowed under German BfR guidance, so you can see the limit each result sits within.
| Metal | Result | Permitted maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | Within the permitted limit | max 2 mg/kg |
| Cadmium (Cd) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.1 mg/kg |
| Mercury (Hg) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.1 mg/kg |
| Arsenic (As) | Within the permitted limit | max 0.5 mg/kg |
| Nickel (Ni) | Within the permitted limit | max 5 mg/kg |
ICP-MS stands for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, a standard laboratory method for detecting metals. The limits shown are the German BfR guidance values for products left on the skin, in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
Microbiological safety
Microbiological safety is tested against ISO 17516:2014. The overall counts of microbes stay within the limits set for products left on the skin, and the specific organisms that must not be present were each absent.
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Total Aerobic Microbial Count | Within the EU limit |
| Total Yeast and Mould Count | Within the EU limit |
| Escherichia coli (E. coli) | Absent (not found) |
| Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Absent (not found) |
| Staphylococcus aureus (Staph) | Absent (not found) |
| Candida albicans | Absent (not found) |
ISO 17516:2014 sets the microbiological limits; the thresholds for products left on the skin apply to this oil.
Further assurances
- An anhydrous, water-free oil, so it needs no added preservatives.
- A short classical formula, with no fragrance and no fragrance allergens.
- Made in India under Good Manufacturing Practice, following ISO 22716 principles; not tested on animals.
Full ingredients
The complete INCI list, given in order. The base is sesame oil, carrying the root extracts of Manjishta and Sariva, with beeswax:
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Rubia Cordifolia (Manjistha) Root Extract, Hemidesmus Indicus (Sariva) Root Extract, Cera Alba (Beeswax)
Pinda Thailam contains no aromatic or fragrance ingredients, so no fragrance allergens are present or declared. It contains beeswax (Cera Alba) as a traditional bodying ingredient, so the oil is not vegan. It is, however, not tested on animals.
Product details
- Net content: 200 ml and 450 ml.
- Period after opening: 12 months.
- Made in India.
Precautions
- For external use only. Do not use internally.
- Avoid contact with the eyes. If contact occurs, rinse with water.
- Keep out of reach of children.
- If irritation occurs, discontinue use.
- Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Pinda Thailam: questions on quality, testing and use
- What is Pinda Thailam?
- Pinda Thailam is a classical Ayurvedic herbal oil recorded in the Sahasrayogam, traditionally one of the cooling oils of Ayurveda. Art of Vedas prepares it as an anhydrous body massage oil, a sesame oil base carrying the root extracts of Manjishta (Rubia cordifolia) and Sariva (Hemidesmus indicus), gently bodied with beeswax, in 200 ml and 450 ml sizes. It contains no added water and no preservative, and is made for Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic full-body self-massage.
- Is Pinda Thailam tested for heavy metals?
- Yes. Every batch is tested for five heavy metals by ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Nickel were each within the permitted limit for products left on the skin, benchmarked against German BfR guidance: Lead max 2, Cadmium max 0.1, Mercury max 0.1, Arsenic max 0.5 and Nickel max 5 mg/kg.
- Is Pinda Thailam tested for microbiological safety?
- Yes. Microbiological safety is tested to ISO 17516:2014. Total Aerobic Microbial Count and Total Yeast and Mould Count stay within the limits for products left on the skin, and Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans are each absent. The product is also made under ISO 22716 Good Manufacturing Practice principles.
- What are the ingredients in Pinda Thailam?
- Four: Sesamum Indicum (sesame) seed oil as the base, the root extracts of Rubia cordifolia (Manjishta) and Hemidesmus indicus (Sariva), and Cera Alba (beeswax) as a traditional bodying ingredient. There are no aromatic or fragrance ingredients, so no fragrance allergens are declared.
- Is Pinda Thailam vegan?
- No. Pinda Thailam contains beeswax (Cera Alba), an ingredient of animal origin used in the classical formula to give the oil its body, so it is not vegan. It is, however, not tested on animals.
- How is Pinda Thailam used in Abhyanga?
- In Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic full-body self-massage, a small amount of the oil is warmed and worked into the skin with slow, even strokes until absorbed. In the traditional ritual the oil is left to rest on the skin for a time before bathing. It is for external use only; avoid contact with the eyes.
- Does Pinda Thailam contain a preservative?
- No. The oil is anhydrous, meaning it contains no added water, so no preservative is needed or added. The formulation is simply sesame oil, the root extracts of Manjishta and Sariva, and beeswax.
- Is Pinda Thailam tested on animals?
- No. Pinda Thailam is not tested on animals.
ART OF VEDAS
Bring Pinda Thailam into your ritual
The classical cooling oil of Ayurveda, kept in its original composition and tested with every batch. See the sizes, the full details and availability.
Shop Pinda ThailamResponsible Person and distribution
Responsible Person (EU): Svedica B.V., Herengracht 449A, 1017BR Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
EU Distributor: Authentic Ayurveda d.o.o., Slavka Krautzeka 51, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia.
Pinda Thailam by Art of Vedas: the classical cooling oil of Ayurveda, kept in its original composition and tested for heavy metals and microbiological safety with every batch.
