Let us start with 8 quick tips to yoga your way to good skin health.
1. Asanas to get the blood flowing
The appearance and health of your skin rely significantly on a continuous supply of blood rich in oxygen and other nutrients. This is why good blood circulation is a must. Pick asanas that improve your blood circulation in the head and face region. Good blood circulation is key to good skin. Some asanas you can do are cobra pose, fish pose, shoulder stands, triangle pose, child pose, plow pose, inverted postures and forward bends can all help to deliver more oxygen into the system and lends a glow to your skin.
2. Cool down to beat acne
People, especially women, with oily skin struggle with acne, more so in summer. So you can add cooling breathing practices including Sheetkari and Sheetali breaths to cool down pitta dosha in the body. You can also practice the jalneti cleanses to manage pitta. The Art of Living’s yoga programs all over the world help you learn all these asanas, breathwork and cleansing techniques in just 5 days, 2 hours each day.
3. Skincare through digestion
Our digestion also has a role to play in the quality of our skin. A poor digestive system can lead to the formation of toxins in the body and sluggish metabolism. These toxins in the blood can then show up as acne breakouts, poor immunity and dull skin. So a robust digestive system is non-negotiable for good skin. Some postures and breathing tools that can help with improving digestion are wind-relieving asanas or pavanmuktasana; kneeling poses or vajrasana, kapalbhati or skull shining technique, and bow pose or boat pose.
4. Meditate after yoga
To get the most out of your yoga practice, it is very important to make meditation a part of your daily routine. All the yogic postures and Pranayamas discussed above are good preparation for a deep dive within. Here's how meditation can help you have glowing skin.
5. Facial yoga
Try 20 minutes of facial yoga exercises for tighter facial muscles, more relaxation, and de-stressing your jaw lines. Here you gently massage the jaws and eyebrows before going into the 'kiss and smile' technique to give your facial muscles the perfect exercise. Exercising these muscles also ensures better lymphatic function, which is the natural detoxification mechanism in our body.
6. Surya Namaskar or sun salutations
Speed it up with powerful cardiovascular exercises like faster rounds of Surya namaskars or sun salutations for a full sweat. This helps get all the dirt and toxins out of your system.
7. Hydration to the rescue
Again, hydration is of supreme importance to keep your skin soft and glowing. This you can attain by drinking water and other fluids and using natural blends of hydration-supporting moisturizers and face masks, instead of using mass-produced chemical-doused commercial creams and facewashes that steal moisture over time instead of re-hydrating the skin.
8. Vitamin E to stay eternally young
Make sure your skincare products have enough vitamin E to compensate for the loss of antioxidants in the body that happens over time due to pollution, aging and poor regenerative capabilities. While yoga practices can keep you feeling young and eternal, a boost of antioxidants in the body can really do the trick. Vitamin E pushes more antioxidants in the body to fight off the skin damaging rogue radicals. Experts recommend, that you should moisturize the face at least twice a day and give your face a deep wash twice a day, especially after coming home or when the skin has been exposed to sun and pollutants. It is also important to give yourself a nice long abhyanga massage atleast twice a week, if not every day with an oil that suits your prakruti or dosha constitution. Find out here the right body oil for abhyanga for you.
]]>If you are anything like me, you would know how heavenly it feels to bite into a piece of almond in your bowl of fruit salad or a dessert, or just pop it whole first thing in the morning. I am not going to drone on about its cognitive powers and ability to boost your memory and attention. We know that well by now. But did you know almond and almond-based oils can work miracles for your skin?! Did you know they can exfoliate your skin too? Read on to know more.
1. Loaded with nutrients
Almonds come packed with nutrients, monosaturated good fats, fiber, plant-based proteins, and antioxidants that do not let your brain and skin age quickly, reduce inflammation, and regulate cholesterol levels. They are rich in niacin, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin E, calcium, potassium, omega-3, and zinc.
2. Remove the dead skin
Believe it or not, it works very well as an exfoliating agent. It helps remove the dead skin cells, dirt, and goop from the skin which allows for healthy regeneration of skin cells. Some almond powder, drops of lemon juice, honey, and some milk can be a good exfoliation recipe. (Also read: 7 natural and painless ways to remove blackheads)
3. No more dark circles
Almonds come loaded with vitamin E, an essential nutrient to fight dark circles and puffy eyes. This is due to its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. You also need vitamin E in your skincare regime to deal with the skin damage caused by exposure to UV rays. The good thing about almond oil is, along with Vitamin E it is also rich in Vitamin K and retinal-and all these combined help in the healthy appearance of the delicate skin under the eyes.
4. Keeps skin dryness at bay
Almonds are rich in linoleic acid, an essential nutrient that helps prevent dryness of the skin. Linoleic acid also strengthens the skin barrier. A strong skin barrier means higher moisture retention, more elasticity, and softness. It also prevents your skin from getting tanned or de-pigmented. Linoleic acid offers a host of other benefits for the skin including reducing irritation; brightening effect; managing acne and good hydration. (Also read: Dealing with skin dryness? Six indicators you have a Vata skin)
5. Brightens your skin
Like we said earlier, almonds, particularly, almond oil is your go-to for brighter, healthier, and well-moisturized skin. It is rare to find a nut that is rich in both vitamin K and Vitamin E-an ideal combination for treating skin tan and depigmentation problems. The multiple antioxidants present in almond gives them the much-coveted skin brightening prowess. You can add two spoons of raw almond powder to milk, oatmeal, and drops of lemon juice to make a fine brightening mask. Let it stay for 20 minutes before you wash it off thoroughly. Or you can do something way better. Use a natural brightening serum that has the fortified benefits of not just almond oil but many other exotic carefully crafted blends of essential oils like Shankara’s Brightening Serum.
Counter the effects of pollution and the environment with just a few drops of this luxurious serum. Reduce ruddiness and discoloration, even lighten your skin tone, and uncover a more beautiful, radiant you with Shankara’s Brightening Serum. The serum is made using the best of east and west, as it combines special Ayurvedic herbs and essential oils and actives from the west to bolster the skin brightening effect that you rightly deserve in your skin products.
The serum uses as its ingredients structured energized water; healthy peptides; glycerin; coconut oil; amino acids; essential oils of lemon, almond, sandalwood, extracts of thyme, olive leaf, golden seal root, turmeric, licorice, wheat germ, rosemary, green tea, amla, aloe vera, among others.
This is the year of an intense Texan summer. The heat wave coursing through the Southland has us all reaching out for a copious number of tissues, sunscreens, and infusion water. A couple of days back, over 110 million people received heat alerts across the country with a record-setting rise in temperatures. With a heat wave like that, comes a slew of skin problems-the itchy and painful heat rashes, bumps, burnouts, and depigmentation. But thanks to the science of Ayurveda, there is an ample number of ways to protect your skin, mind, and body from the excesses of the heat wave. Let’s see what they are!
A heat rash occurs when excessive sweating cause blockages in the sweat glands and moisture gets trapped within, along with dirt, pollutants, and friction from body-hugging clothes. Heat rashes can be itchy, irritating, and appear in the form of red bumps on the skin. Sometimes climate and at other times too much physical activity or tight clothes or poorly developed sweat glands or even certain types of medications can cause ugly rashes to come up.
So anything you do to cool off the body temperature or temperatures outside or reduce excessive sweating or unclog the sweat glands and reduce inflammations will help you heal the rashes. Here is a quick look at some of the natural remedies you can use to deal with the bad guys.
1. Aloe vera and coconut oil
Aloe vera is the ideal combination of an antimicrobial and soothing or hydrating herb that can quicken the healing of rashes, lesions, and psoriasis patches. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is an excellent natural moisturizer source and has antifungal properties.
2. Turmeric and sandalwood
The bioactive component called curcumin present in turmeric reduces inflammation and fights oxidation well and sandalwood comes with exceptional antiseptic and cooling properties that heal wounds and rashes quickly. Turmeric is also good for treating psoriasis conditions as it helps control flare-ups.
3. Chamomile
Even the name of this flowering beauty produces a calming effect in the mind. That apart, this is a known remedy for mild skin irritations, inflammations of the eye, treating heat rashes due to its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and soothing properties.
4. White camphor oil
This is an ingredient often found in Asian homes for various purposes, including religious and spiritual reasons. But it also has incredible healing benefits. It can help relieve the pain, inflammation, and irritations caused by heat rashes. It is also mild and antibacterial which helps reduce infections around the affected area.
But white camphor can be too intense to use directly on the skin. It often helps to use a safe blend of the right essential oils and herbs to heal the skin and restore its natural healthy glow.
For example, Shankara’s Calming Body Wash is an effective and trendy choice for a body wash these days as the climates get a bit unruly, hot, and humid. Infused with herbs and rich in nutrients, this hydrating body wash both soothes and calms the entire body, while the mind relaxes and the senses drink in the pleasant aroma. It also comes with aromas that pacify pitta dosha which is responsible for more body heat.
The lavender present in Shankara’s Calming Body Wash is rich in antioxidants with deep calming and cleansing properties; chamomile is rejuvenating with gentle and soothing properties and geranium purifies and rejuvenates the skin and is balancing all the doshas. Some of the other herbal extracts present as ingredients in the wash are neem, basil, yucca root, lemon balm, calendula, olive leaves, amla, ashwagandha, gotu kola, chamae rose, and everlasting extract.
5. Have a pitta pacifying diet
Another aspect of healing heat rashes includes having a pitta-pacifying diet that reduces the heating element in the body and calms the inflammation.
6. Other tips to beat the rash
A taut, well-moisturized, and glistening skin is not the stuff of dreams anymore. With some self-care, discipline, and help from nature, it is now well within our reach. Now you can safely bid goodbye to sagging and wrinkly skin, which is one of the first signs of aging.
There are a couple of reasons why our skin starts looking ragged, wrinkly, and dull over time. One is as we age, collagen and elastin, proteins responsible for our skin’s tightness and texture, begin to break down with a weakening of facial muscles. You can speed up this process by exposing the skin to a disproportionate amount of bad sunlight, which is nothing but the damage from UVA radiation. The radiation potentially damages the DNA of skin cells and can lead to faster cellular death, which again leads to damage to collagen and elastin. Sometimes factors like a sudden loss of weight loss can also make the skin look old and loose, as the fatty layers beneath the top epidermal layers of the skin begin to loosen and the ligaments tend to have been stretched.
But there are a few things you can do to gift yourself supple, firm, and well-hydrated skin.
1. The magic of coconut oil
Along with providing your skin the right amount of moisturization, it comes loaded with antioxidants that fight the free radicals that damage the supportive, connective tissues in skin cells responsible for how your skin looks in terms of tightness and texture. It also reduces the inflammation caused by UV radiation. It is good for people with dry skin and also for people with skin conditions like eczema or atopic dermatitis. The oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties too.
Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser is an ideal choice if you want a blend of essential oils including coconut oil that work more effectively for your skin. The cleanser leaves your skin feeling soft, tight, and supple as soothing herbs combine to give you a glowing effect. Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser comes endowed with the goodness of ultra-soothing chamomile, lavender, neem, and calendula that leaves the skin feeling soft and supple but never greasy. The other exotic ingredients include amino acids; essential oils of sandalwood, Amyris, lavender, grapefruit sweet fennel, extracts of the comfrey leaf, lemon balm, Gotu kola, chamae rose, and calendula, among others.
2. Vitamin E-rich olive oil
Rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, olive oil is a powerful way to retain moisture in the skin and fight rogue radicals all at once. The oil helps increase elastin production, reduces signs of aging, fights oxidative stress, prevents inflammation of the skin, and is a good cleansing agent. Instead of applying the oil topically, you can preferably look for products that use it as one of its ingredients like in cleansers or moisturizers.
3. Cool as a cucumber
This is yet another powerful ingredient that goes into making a usable skin toner with its skin tightening, hydrating and detoxifying benefits. Rich in folic acid and vitamin C, it helps reduce puffiness in the skin, especially around the eyes. Their mild astringency makes them an excellent ingredient for clearing up the dead cells and dirt from skin pores and for tightening the pores too. Since they clear up the clogged pores, they also help prevent acne breakouts this way. The antioxidants and vitamins present in cucumber have regenerative properties that help the growth of new cells that keeps the skin looking soft and fresh.
4. Lemon to boost collagen
Lemon again is a rich source of vitamin C that supports the production of collagen, an important protein to protect your skin’s soft and firm texture and reduce visible signs of aging. The astringent quality of lemon works on tightening your skin, detoxifying, removing dead cells, and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Again it is preferable to use Vitamin C-based products that use lemon or essential oil in regulated amounts as direct topical usage can cause irritation and other side effects.
Shankara’s Purifying Cleanser helps remove makeup, dirt, and oil before it clogs the skin pores and causes acne and breakouts. Your skin will benefit from the gentle cleansing power of witch hazel and olive leaf. Add to that the purifying properties of manjistha along with calming, soothing lavender and you have beautiful tight, soft, and glowing skin.
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It goes into your salad and spruces it up with its beautiful aroma, we agree. But did you know this magic herb is a storehouse of benefits for radiant, ageless, soft, and blemish-free skin? It is for this reason and more that you will find rosemary shows up as an important exotic ingredient in many of our Shankara offerings to provide the best nourishment and hydration for your skin.
Youthful skin: protects your skin from aging
According to research, rosemary essential oil is rich in antioxidants that provide reinforcement to your skin to fight off rogue free radicals and exhibits vigorous ‘free radical scavenging activity’ therefore preserving a youthful-looking skin. The antioxidants support reinforcement of the capillaries that help reduce fine lines, and wrinkles and reduce sagging skin. This helps firm up the skin and make it look young and ageless.
Calming for the skin
Rosemary has a compound called rosmarinic acid which gives it a calming quality for the skin, especially for conditions like acne and eczema. It also provides your skin with powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Plants rich in rosmarinic acid have been used for ages for medical as well as cooking purposes. Additionally, a 2008 study looked at the effects of topical rosmarinic acid on atopic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin disease. According to a Korean study done in 2008, on patients with atopic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin condition, it was found in people who applied the compound, significant reduction in skin dryness, itchiness, and general condition of the skin which had been inflamed.
It also is one of those rare herbs that goes very well with other herbal ingredients. For example, rosemary leaf extract sits pretty with other exotic herbs like manjishta, olive leaf extract, extracts of lavender flower, and goldenseal root, among others, in the beautiful blend that is Shankara’s signature Purifying Cleanser.
Rejuvenates your skin
It has a regenerative quality and supports the regeneration of skin cells and biological activity stimulation, making your skin look ever fresh and new. When you use a facial oil that has rosemary essence, like Shankara’s very popular Timeless Kumkumadi Oil, it can be incredibly hydrating, refreshing, and rejuvenating for the skin, making it look supple and baby-soft. The oil moisturizes, brightens, and nourishes the skin.
Treats acne
Rosemary, not only reduces inflammation but it also comes with excellent anti-microbial, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties which protect your skin from acne caused by sneaky skin bacteria like P acnes.
Can help reduce puffiness
Haven’t been sleeping as much as you should off late? Overworked and under-rested? Have been having a difficult time emotionally? It is likely to show up in the form of puffiness below your eyes. Rosemary oil can help reduce this puffiness, increase blood circulation in the region and make the dark circles disappear.
Protects against damage from the sun
Are you an outdoorsy person? Do you like the beaches and the suntans? Studies show that rosemary extracts have photoprotective quality, and protect your skin against UV damage from the sun, which is a common cause of multiple skin conditions like melanoma, photo-aging or hyperpigmentation. So as long as you have a cleanser like Shankara's Purifying Cleanser in your bag, you can go out in the sun without a worry.
Now that you know about the many uses and benefits of the parts of the rosemary plant, do look out for this multifaceted herb in your skincare product, for the perfect, ageless-acne-free skin!
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Exfoliate exfoliate exfoliate
To lead a blackhead-free life, you must make overnight exfoliation a part of your daily night routine. The skin cells renew, and our skin undergoes repair in the night while we sleep. To support the process of regeneration, it is ideal to get rid of the dead cells, excess oil, and gunk that has collected in the skin. If you have oily skin, exfoliate twice. Here are five top tips to wash your face right, without damaging the skin one bit.
For a holistic, painless, nourishing, and deep cleansing of your pores, go for the Shankara Microcrystal Exfoliation Treatment. The ultra-fine natural silica crystals combine with aloe gel and five algae extract to gently snuff away dry, dead cells revealing a healthy, youthful glow that is tangibly soft. It soothes and protects new skin. It is gentle and non-damaging to capillaries and pores.
The skin needs to be cleaned properly
If you are going out every day for work or other engagements it is almost a given that the skin collects dirt in some form. This needs to be cleared off on a regular basis, so it does not settle as a blackhead. You also need to remove makeup thoroughly, so no remnants are left behind in the skin pores. Here are four quick ways to get rid of stubborn makeup thoroughly.
Frequent face washing with mild face washes is better than never washing, for healthy skin pores
If you do not wash your face as frequently as you should, sebum and dirt can get deposited, widening the skin pores in time. For the most soothing experience in cleansing your skin pores, you can try Shankara’sHydrating Cleanser which comes richly endowed with the goodness of ultra-soothing chamomile, lavender, neem, and calendula that leaves the skin feeling soft and supple but never greasy.
Look for products that use clay
Clay absorbs excess oil and grime very well. It also tightens the skin pore. So you can use it as a face mask to minimize the appearance of pores. Shankara’s Deep Pore Cleansing Mask, is made using ingredients like neem, white clay, and tea tree that draw out impurities and absorb excess oil. Grapefruit seed extract and white clay help increase the glow on the skin that is clean, healthy, and fresh. To use it, apply generously to the face avoiding the eye contour area Leave for 10-20 minutes and rinse off
You could use a steam
Always always steam your face before trying to win the battle with blackheads. Steaming helps to widen the skin pores, and soften and dislodge the dirt, so the blackheads can come off easily. Steaming simply makes it easier and less painful to work with blackheads. The sweat beads also help detoxify the skin further.
The magic of mineral salt, honey and lemon in a scrub
A simple but very useful chink in your armor for dealing with blackheads is a natural scrub that combines mineral salt, honey, and lemon peel. The lemon offers astringency to remove the grime; the salts offer intense exfoliation; while the honey offers the required moisture and hydration to soften and oleate the new layers of the skin. You find all these three, along with a dozen other herbs and active compounds in Shankara’s signature Dead Sea Salt Scrub. It has neem, a powerful purifying and soothing herb; and yucca root which tightens skin pores and provides antioxidant protection. The other gifted herbs that go into the making of this au-natural scrub include ground papaya leaves, turmeric powder, barley flour, orange and lemon peel powder, ashwagandha, and Brahmi powder and manjishta powder.
To use the scrub, apply to wet palm and massage over wet skin or mix equal parts of Scrub and Body Oil and massage over dry skin. Rinse it off or soak in a warm bath. You can use the scrub thrice a week. Do not use it if you have sensitive or irritated skin.
General dos and don’ts for managing blackheads
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An Ayurvedic understanding of acne breakouts
Doshas are the three fundamental bio energies-vata, pitta, and kapha that determine our physical and mental make-up. Read here to know more about what doshas exactly are.
Ayurveda experts believe cystic acne can manifest due to imbalances in any or all three doshas. If you find red breakouts, it may be caused by vitiated vata dosha. If there’s fluid and gunk inside, it may be due to heat in the body and pitta aggravation. These types of acne tend to occur during summer. Swelling, whiteness, or discoloration in and around the acne can be due to excess Kapha in the body.
You can always find over-the-counter ointments and treatment options but they may come with their own set of side effects. Herbs have been mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts for treating acne from its root, without leaving traces or side effects. Here’s how herbs can help if you want to go the natural way in treating them. Most of the herbs we discuss below are antibacterial, antiseptic, detoxifying, and anti-inflammatory which help in fighting bacteria that cause acne and reduce scars and blemishes.
Manjistha
This exotic herb is widely popular for its anti-acne properties. It is very useful in draining toxins from the lymphatic system. Often acne can be caused by impurities in the blood and body. Manjishta has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help heal acne.
Manjishta is consumed orally as well as topically applied in the form of powder form and helps brighten the skin. You can apply manjishtha with honey or rose water to arrest the growth of acne-causing bacteria. You can apply it on your skin along with carrier oil like coconut oil to reduce inflammation while providing the skin with the right hydration
You can find over a dozen exotic herbs, along with manjistha, in Shankara’s Blemish Support Serum, a powerful anti-acne and blemish-reducing silky-smooth serum blend, that leaves the skin looking brighter, clearer, and healthier. The herbs including aspen bark, lemongrass, hazel bark, meadowsweet, olive leaves extract, Arjun, and rose extract, soothe the skin and eliminate breakouts, while providing deep cleansing benefits.
You can apply it to cleansed skin. Follow it up with the Blemish Support Face oil that can be used for spot treatment.
Sesame and Turmeric
According to Charaka, one of the most revered authors of Ayurvedic texts as old as 5000 years, sesame oil is one of the most valuable among all the oils for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties. It also has linoleic acid or omega-6 fatty acid. Sesame oil particularly helps in managing Vata imbalances.
Turmeric on the other hand is a detoxifying wonder with umpteen benefits in Ayurveda. Its reported benefits include antibacterial properties, rejuvenating agent, blood purifier, skin repair, rich in antioxidants, and tone lightening. It adds a glow to your skin and should be an inseparable part of your beauty regimen.
How to use turmeric and sesame oil?
Add some water or unrefined sesame oil to 1 to 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to make a paste. Apply this to the affected area and leave it on for about an hour. Wash your face and dab it softly. You can apply a gentle moisturizer to preserve the suppleness of the skin after the wash. It may help to keep a hydrating moisturizer handy, to replenish the skin’s moisture content. Shankara’s range of moisturizers goes the extra mile. They have only 0.7% wax, built-in sunscreen, and essential oils to keep the skin clear, blood purified and mind and body balanced.
Neem
This is yet another power vata-balancing herb that you will find in use in every Asian household for healing acne and scars. Neem has powerful antibacterial properties that help fight bacteria that cause acne. It also helps you regulate oil production in the skin. Its anti-inflammatory and cooling properties enable it to soothe irritated skin. It supports the treatment of sensitive and acne-prone skin. It is rich in key antioxidants, vitamin E, and important triglycerides that slow down aging, reduce wrinkles, and fine lines, and fight pigmentation. It is used in treating eczema, acne, and ringworm.
And if you find making various masks and decoctions from the above herbs to be a tedious and time-consuming task, you can simply apply Shankara's natural and soothing Deep pore Cleansing Mask that draws out impurities and absorbs excess oil with this purifying clay mask. Grapefruit seed extract and white clay help add brightness to skin that is clear, healthy, and fresh.
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What happens to our body when we travel by flight-an Ayurvedic explanation
To understand that, let us know what vata dosha in Ayurveda is. According to the science of Ayurveda, vata dosha or bio energy combines the elements of air and space and this governs circulation, movement, and elimination. When it gets out of balance, it can lead to restlessness, dry skin, roughness, feeling cold, tension headaches, lack of focus, anxiety, worry and sensory sensitivity, among other things. When you travel by air, the vata dosha is the first to take a hit. And so it is likely that when you land, you may feel a bit pacey, light-headed, and very dry.
There is an important principle in Ayurveda that says, ‘like increases like’. So if you continue with eating cold or frozen foods, have a diet that lacks moisture or is not unctuous, or there is a lot of movement, or when you are flying, the air and space element tend to get aggravated in the mind-body complex. And so the first guiding principle, when you are traveling by air is, make sure you do things and eat foods that can balance the air and space element in the body. So oiling and hydrating your body is important; managing to stick to your routine is the other must-do; drink a lot of fluid even while you travel. We usually tend to not drink enough water or juices while traveling to avoid having to run to the washroom again and again but it can further aggravate the vata dosha.
Here are a few quick guidelines to keep the vata in check while you travel:
Do not eat heavy foods since vata vitiation weakens your digestion. Even when you reach, as vata settles, have light unctuous meals, while your body adjusts to the dominant doshas in the new place.
Ayurveda recommends use of herbal oils for massages that offer cumulative benefits of its ingredients deep into the epidermal and dermal tissues. For example, Shankara’s Harmonizing Body Oil is formulated with the goodness of deeply relaxing and de-stressing herbs like the raspberry seed, black cohosh, clary sage, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, borage, aloe vera, and castor oil, and other herbs. It uplifts, rebalances, and centers you. It has an essence that soothes your senses and relaxes them. The raspberry has an anti-aging quality to it, fights inflammations, acne, and blemishes, and boosts collagen production too. Clary sage present in it is a natural mood lifter, mitigates stress and also soothes menstrual cramps.
Here are five calming Ayurveda-inspired body oils to cool you down, soften your skin, reduce dryness, and chronic pain, and heal anxiety and stress.
Hair trivia: Did you know your hair gets its natural black color from the presence of a pigment called eumelanin. If you have it a little less, you get brown hair and even lesser gives you a blonde look.
Your hair loses moisture after dyeing. Your hair structure has the medulla at the center, cortex, and finally the layer of the outer cuticle. When you dye your hair, the dye can sort of block off the flow of natural oils, also called sebum, to the innermost layers of the hair strands, affecting the overall quality and health of your locks. So you must additionally use moisturizing hair masks and oil your hair every alternate day. You can use Shankara’s Hair and Scalp oil which is specifically designed to moisturize dry and damaged hair and to give you shinier, healthier, and more luxurious locks. The oil is safe to use on colored hair; it penetrates the hair shaft deeply to nourish and hydrate.
This oil is made using the enriching goodness of sesame oil; avocado oil; jojoba oil; Vitamin E Tocopherol; amla extract; essential oil of sandalwood; Saraswati Churna extract; Gotu Kola extract; bringraj extract; essential oils of lavender, clary sage, coriander, rosemary, and cedarwood.
Your hair also needs to be well-hydrated going into coloring. Nourished and fortified with nutrients like proteins and vitamin C, healthy hair will be less porous and this will allow for the pigment to stay on for longer.
This may seem only logical but this one tip can save your hair from turning into dry lifeless straws of hay. Do not let dye residue sit on the scalp. This can cause sensitivity in the skin and increase breakage from hair damage.
The shampoo you pick for regular use is going to determine the quality and hydration of your hair as well as how long the color will likely last. Avoid shampoos that contain sulfate unless you are willing to spend long hours rehydrating and making up for the loss of moisture from the use of sulfates. Sulfates are good cleansing chemicals. Really good. This means you stand to lose the pigment you have taken the pains to add to your hair, in other words, causing the color to fade. Also, avoid chemicals like salicylic acid which can be drying and cause irritation or scalp inflammation.
Before you get down to shampooing, set aside an hour for applying a nourishing, moisturizing, and reinvigorating hair mask. Use ingredients that have enough proteins and Vitamin C to make up for the loss of nourishment. Ayurveda recommends the use of hair masks made from amala or gooseberry, Alexandrian Laurel or Kinjalka, parts of butter tree, and honey that promote hair growth and restore natural color. Make sure your masks stay on a bit longer if your hair has undergone bleaching or heat treatments.
For the extra dose of conditioning, you can use ingredients like avocadoes, banana, yogurt, mayonnaise, or aloe vera.
(also read: 6 DIYs for all types of hair problems)
Your diet should have sufficient minerals including vitamins (A, D3 and biotin), zinc, folic acid and iron, protein, and antioxidants that support hair growth and maintain the health of hair follicles when you color your dye regularly. Vitamin A not only supports good hair growth but also aids the skin glands in producing sebum that maintains the moisture in the scalp. The secretion of sebum often gets compromised from the use of dyes and excess heat. Vitamin C helps produce collagen that helps in making the scalp healthy. Biotin is non-negotiable for robust hair follicles. Having white sesame seeds and curd is also a good remedy to have strong hair follicles.
Research has shown, people reported significant hair growth after consuming Vitamin E for about a year, naturally found in sunflower seeds, avocado, and almonds among other foods.
Aloe vera juice is also good for improving hair growth. Aloe contains fatty acids, Vitamin A, B12, C, and E that promote good growth of the follicles. The enzymes present in it help break down fats and help remove excess sebum.
As counterintuitive as that sounds, avoid washing your hair more than twice a week, especially after coloring them. You need to follow this in order to let the natural oils be. These natural oils moisturize, maintain the health of your hair follicles and keep them shiny.
Make sure the water you use to wash your hair is not too hot. Let it be cold or lukewarm at best. We tend to lose color faster on washing hair with hot water.
As with the temperature of the water so with your styling equipment-do not overheat or use them as such in your hair and definitely not too often. If there is a way for you not to use heat at all, nothing like it. This will allow time for your hair to breathe and for the repair work to happen, as the benefits of ingredients from your hair masks start playing out.
]]>The answer lies in picking a product that offers the purity of herbal essences without the presence of harsh toxic chemicals. The good news is, when the right herbal oils and actives are used, they nullify the need for parabens and artificial surfactants, by replacing their function and use.
For example, Vitamin E tocopherol present in Shankara’s Hair and Scalp oil naturally helps rebuild the lost layers of fat on the epidermis that bring back the shine and vitality to your hair.
Here is a list of 5 other herbs and oils that you need in your hair oil as a perfect blend to support hair growth, reduce breakage and dandruff problems.
Originally used in the Mediterranean civilization for washing and cleansing hair, rosemary oil has been recently promoted as essential oil of choice for hair growth, reduction in hair loss, and its many anti-inflammatory benefits. It supports luscious growth of hair by improving circulation which ensures timely supply of nourishment for the hair follicles; promoting the healthy growth of nerve endings that are connected to the hair follicles; minimizing premature greying of hair and infections in the scalp that can cause itchy reactions.
A randomized controlled trial in 2015 showed that the use of rosemary oil was as effective as Rogaine in treating alopecia (male or female pattern baldness.)
Since the essential oil is highly concentrated, it is used along with carrier oil like olive or coconut.
Research shows that vegetable oils, especially monosaturated oils like avocado (and not polyunsaturated ones), can be a great option for oiling the scalp that prevents hair damage from the root and reduces hair breakage. Monosaturated oils penetrate deeper into the scalp. Massaging the scalp with oils can also help the skin from getting flaky and dry, in case the oil secretion is unbalanced. This way, it helps minimize the appearance of dandruff too.
Hair drying out due to environmental factors including exposure to the sun, pollution, or exposure to seawater can also cause damage to the hair. Applying oils can help make a thin protective film to prevent this damage.
To prevent dandruff and prevent dry, flaky scalp, massage the oils into the base of the hair. While oiling the other ends of the hair shafts can help detangle long hair, massaging the base can help prevent skin from excessive drying and flaking.
Hair experts encourage you to go for a deep oil massage with Shankara’s Hair And Scalp Oil, made with power ingredients like sesame oil, avocado oil, Jojoba oil, Vitamin E Tocopherol, gooseberries extract, sandalwood essential oil, bringraj extract, lavender essence, clary sage, and rosemary.
The oil is specifically designed to moisturize dry and damaged hair for more luminous, healthier, and voluminous locks. The oil is safe to use on colored hair. It deeply penetrates the hair shaft and conditions hair from the roots. It can be used for colored hair too!
Avocado is also rich in many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and key antioxidants that reduce damage from oxidative stress.
This one’s a popular oil wax extracted from the jojoba plant which is an excellent moisturizer, loaded with vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, and B vitamins, copper, zinc, and vitamin E.
It strengthens hair, promotes hair volume, and reduces hair loss. The moisturizing effect nourishes the hair follicles and prevents drying. It is also a popular microemulsion, that is, it works effectively in carrying the other active nutrients into the skin. It supports hair growth by eliminating factors that lead to hair damage, breakage, and thinning. It eliminates dandruff, dry and itchy scalp, and has anti-inflammatory properties.
This one has gained popularity more recently as an exotic herb with its Egyptian roots. The leaves and flowers of the plant are steam distilled and diluted for use, given their high potency. Clary sage promotes the health of your scalp which is the first base for stronger hair that breaks less frequently. The oil stimulates hair follicles and ensures more effective blood circulation through the skin cells in the scalp. It adds a clear luminosity to the hair, strengthens the strands, at the same time balances hormones that cause hair loss. It has anti-fungal properties and a pleasant fragrance that you don’t mind staying in your hair after a wash.
Sandalwood oil has a unique astringent property to it that helps balance excess sebum production in the scalp, which can lead to wet dandruff. It also helps manage split ends, brings back the luster in your hair, and supports growth. When blended with oils like sesame and jojoba, it works wonders in treating dandruff problems, one you find perfectly in Shankara’s Hair and Scalp Oil.
You need vitamin E in your hair products since it supports hair growth by nourishing and strengthening the scalp, where your hair grows from. A 2010 study also showed vitamin E supplements helped support hair growth in those dealing with hair loss. In an animal study, vitamin E was shown to increase blood supply that supported hair growth and increased the size of hair follicles.
It fights free radicals, reduces oxidative stress, and boosts collagen production, all of which help your hair stay and grow healthier. By some projections, using vitamin E supplements for eight months increased hair growth by 34%.
Vitamin E helps form a protective barrier in the scalp to prevent loss of moisture and balance the production of oil in the scalp. When the naturally occurring protective layer gets damaged over time from exposure to various pollutants and toxic chemicals, the hair starts to lose shine. And so you need to use hair oil that is rich in Vitamin E, which brings back this protective barrier and makes your locks shine again. You find Vitamin E tocopherol, one of the most penetrative forms of vitamin E is an important ingredient in Shankara’s Hair and Scalp Oil as well, along with essential oils like rosemary, clary sage and sandalwood.
]]>It is not without reason that researchers recommend a good cry every now and then. Crying helps flush out stress toxins; is self-soothing; clears eye debris; activates parasympathetic system; releases endorphins that help reduce pain. But what does it do to our skin?
When we cry, the water passes through a thin membrane to the tissues around the eyes that cause water retention and the skin around the eyes ends up looking puffier than before. Continuous dilation of the blood vessels around the eyes can also lead to swelling and puffing up of the eyes.
The puffy eyes can also be a result of really unfavorable eating practices like having too much sugar, caffeine, fast food, or skipping meals altogether.
Also, read this article, to decode what these eye bags are trying to signal about your body, that you need to listen to right now. Bonus: find some very helpful Ayurvedic remedies and tips to get rid of the eye bags for good!
You can also try Shankara’s Anti-age Eye Cream that gently nourishes the delicate skin around the eyes. Rich with the goodness of antioxidants and ingredients like Rose distillate, raw shea butter, grapeseed oil, andiroba oil, rosehip seed oil, hazelnut oil, Jojoba oil, microalgae extract, castor oil, aspen bark extract, cucumber extract, squalane (Olive-derived), foraha oil, Carrot seed extract oil, pomegranate seed oil; borage oil, Kukui nut oil and raspberry seed oil, protein and soy extract among others; nutrients and antioxidants, the cream has been found to be deeply hydrating and moisturizing.
Crying causes a release of endorphins or feel-good hormones and a reduction in stress hormones like cortisol, which have been linked to breakouts and other skin conditions. Though this may require more research, indications are that occasional bouts of crying can be good for the skin in the long run.
(Also read: The cortisol problem: Reduce this stress hormone naturally in 5 ways)
Tears are a combination of water, lysozyme (anti-bacterial), and salt, so they are unlikely to clog your skin pores, though salt can be dehydrating for the skin. But constantly rubbing your eyes and face can lead to inflamed skin, causing breakouts. These breakouts are called acne mechanica, where you experience acne caused by too much friction or heat.
Here’s 5 easy home remedies to fight acne.
Occasionally, crying can also lead to capillary damages around the eye region. This may happen due to aggressive rubbing of eyes, popping the breakouts, or frequent wiping of face, blowing nose, among other things. This is maybe more common among people with sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, or ones whose skin are overexposed to UV rays from the sunlight which tends to weaken the blood vessels underneath the skin, or even among those whose skin is affected by poor lifestyle choices, may be prone to broken capillaries.
Though you may not dehydrate from crying alone, if you have not been drinking enough fluids, you may experience something akin to dehydration headaches after long bouts of crying. At such times, simply giving yourself a loving and nourishing break by washing your face, splashing some cold water, drinking a glass of juice or water can help you regain your physical composure.
So here are a few quick tips to save your skin while you let go of the pent-up stressful emotions every now and then in a healthy way.
Always pat the tears away instead of rubbing them to avoid breakouts, inflammation and broken capillaries.
If you cry often (and nobody is judging here) you may want to move away from harsh sulfate-laden face washing options to more natural options like Shankara’s Deep Cleanser. Ideally, pick a cleanser that is pH balanced, mild, naturally made, and is appropriate for your skin type (check your skin type here.)
Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser is a powerfully soothing, non-irritating cleanser that comes with the richness of chamomile, lavender, neem, and calendula, apart from 25 other exotic herbs endowed with naturally hydrating and calming properties to balance Kapha (earth and water element) and pitta (fire) as well. Washing off the cleanser, leaves your skin feeling soft and supple yet not greasy.
Unlike mass-produced cleansers, Shankara’s hydrating cleanser has been formulated with a lot of thought and concern going behind coming up with a natural cleanser that preserves the acid mantle of the skin, and as a result use of the cleanser leaves your skin feeling silky yet moist and healthy.
Here are 10 tips to pick the right cleanser for you.
All the loss of water through the tears can be very drying for the skin. So it may help to keep a hydrating moisturizer handy, to replenish the skin’s moisture content. Shankara’s range of moisturizers goes the extra mile. They have only 0.7% wax, built-in sunscreen, and essential oils to keep the mind and body balanced.
The idea is to pick a moisturizer that suits your skin dosha type, if it is vata, kapha or pitta skin, since each skin type has varying moisturizing needs. (Find out your skin dosha type here.)
Vata Skin is identified by the quality of dryness. Vata skin also ages faster than other skin types. So the moisturizer you pick must take that into consideration.
Read here how to manage the vata skin.
]]>Hair fall, thinning or greying lifeless hair, dry scalp-all these concerns call for an important inclusion in your hair care routine-the right vitamins to support hair growth and vitality.
Vitamin C is not just great for your immunity, skin, and overall health but your hair needs it too, for superior absorption of other minerals like iron. You also need antioxidant-rich Vitamin C to protect your hair from oxidative stress. Damage from the free radicals can inhibit strong hair growth. You also need this important vitamin in your diet as well as hair nourishing products like your hair oil, for boosting collagen production. Our body can use the amino acids found in collagen for building hair proteins.
Shankara’s Hair and Scalp oil is infused with ingredients rich in Vitamin C like Indian gooseberries, bringraj extract, essential oils of coriander, and gotu kola, among others.
The great thing about Vitamin E is it is an antioxidant that is lipid-soluble and fights oxidation-led aging. It fights free radicals, reduces oxidative stress, and boosts collagen production, all of which help your hair stay and grow healthier. By some projections, using vitamin E supplements for eight months increased hair growth by 34%. It is also said to be good for the circulation of blood in your body which is important for a healthy scalp.
Vitamin E helps reduce oxidative stress which is said to be linked with hair loss. You also need vitamin E for barrier protection on the scalp skin, so the moisture can be retained for longer. Oils containing Vitamin E tocopherols like Shankara’s Hair and Scalp Oil, can help moisturize and hydrate the skin while keeping excess oil production in check.
We need Vitamin D3 for good hair growth. Low levels of vitamin D can show up as excess hair fall and alopecia. (Also read: 10 Ayurvedic remedies for dealing with male pattern baldness) Vitamin D3 can stimulate and revitalize your hair follicles, without which your hair volume could suffer.
Your hair could use this B vitamin for stronger growth, though research on the benefits of folic acid for hair is still limited. Folic acid is needed in the regeneration of cells that may help keratinize hair when it is growing.
You also should have enough biotin, a known B vitamin in your body for thicker and healthier hair. Lack of this vitamin can speed up hair loss. B vitamins help regenerate red blood cells, which are carriers of nutrition and oxygen to cells in your scalp.
Having a diet inclusive of sweet potatoes, nuts like almonds and pecans, onion, tomatoes, avocado, and carrots can help you meet your daily intake of B vitamins.
This form of vitamin B supports the better circulation of blood in your body including the scalp. In fact, a 6-month pilot study demonstrated, “statistically significant increase in hair fullness on blinded 35-mm photographic analysis. Long-term topical application of nicotinic acid derivatives offers promise for providing benefit in female alopecia and warrants further study.”
This is a key mineral that you need in a sufficient amount for long, lustrous hair. Lower levels of ferritin, an iron-storing protein, can lead to hair thinning, indicating less than sufficient levels of iron in your body. You also need iron for better circulation of good blood to your hair as well as carrying oxygen to hair follicles.
You can find a good blend of all the ingredients loaded with the vitamins above in Shankara's Hair and Scalp oil.
]]>(Also read: 3 Tips To Boost Hydration For Your Skin, As Vata Peaks)
An Ayurvedic foot massage has been mentioned in the ancient classical texts, to be included as part of dinacharya or daily routine for living a healthy, happy, and long life.
Applying herb-infused oil like Shankara’s Nourishing Foot Oil, which has been formulated specifically keeping in mind the needs of our gentle feet, contributes to overall well-being and brings a quality of balance and unctuous warmth in the midst of a very dry winter.
Shankara’s Nourishing Foot Oil comes with the calming, rejuvenating and healing goodness of over two dozen rare warming and hydrating herbs and plants including manjista, neem, lavender, clove, ginger, camphor, tea tree, peppermint, jojoba oil, kukui nut oil, sesame, and sunflower oleic oil, among others.
Read here for your 10-step Guide To The Perfect Foot Massage.
Marma points, as defined by Sage Sushruta-one of the most revered proponents of Ayurveda-are locations in the body where muscles, veins, bones, ligaments, and joints meet. They are points where you find access to mind, consciousness, and body. To balance the three doshas or humor, you need to work the marma points. This is particularly important in winter because marma therapy deals with prana or life force, which is governed by vata dosha, which dominates during winter. By working with these marma points, seasoned experts are able to iron out blockages or imbalances in the flow of prana or energy in the body, thereby revitalizing your body and mind. Our feet have five such marma points that are connected to the functioning of various organ systems, that get gently activated when you massage them in a certain fashion.
These five marma points are-
Kshipra Marma- associated with heart, lungs, and lymphatic system
Talahridaya Marma- connected with respiration and circulation. This one supports the immune system
Kurcha Marma- connected with Prana Vayu, digestion, the flow of prana for sensory experiences, and eyesight
Kurchashira Marma- has a say on the muscular system and bodily posture
Gulpha Marma- this is associated with joint movements, fat, reproductive systems and bones, vata circulation, movement of the feet, and joint lubrication.
A regular foot massage also helps keep your soles happy, supple, soft; prevents stiffness, roughness; reduces pain; helps remove flaky skin and excess waste from the skin in the sole and ankle.
An Ayurvedic foot massage helps you reduce stress both locally as well as in the body; helps reduce fatigue, especially if you are someone who deals with a foot-related occupational hazard for example in the field of performance arts, athletics, and sports, among others.
With increasing levels of psychological stress and digital exposure, a lot of people struggle to fall asleep right after their heads hit the pillow. Many wellness experts suggest it is a good idea to have a 2-minute foot massage ritual every night before going to bed. Here’s how you can do it. In fact, studies suggest that foot massages and related therapies can be made a part of elderly health programs to help improve their sleep quality.
Some of the other miscellaneous benefits of a good Ayurvedic foot massage include:
Foot massages should be avoided if you have
Aromatherapy oils are known to alleviate flu symptoms; reduce fever; clear nasal passages; have antiviral and antibacterial properties, among other benefits. Here are the top essential oils for the flu season that you need in your aromatherapy kit, to deal with the season’s dryness and cold.
Essential oils are packed with antioxidants and when the right oil is used, they can really liven up the atmosphere, please the senses and provide positive results. Oils like peppermint, tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, orange, lemongrass, and geranium are all-powerful antibacterial oils and when diffused, they cleanse the atmosphere around and provide a beautiful aroma as well.
Shankara’s unique collection of Ayurveda-inspired aromatherapy essential oils balance the mind and emotions, calm the senses and invigorate it in equal measure throughout daily activities, also uses the eucalyptus essential oil which is also known for its great blending quality.
Shankara’s Aromatherapy collection brings together the following formulations:
Calming Essence: this one is grounding and centering, which pacifies vata dosha, and includes ingredients like essential oils of cardamom, sandalwood, and vetiver.
Soothing Essence: Yet another cooling and soothing offering to pacify pitta (fire element) with the help of essential oils of sandalwood, lavender, and geranium.
Energizing Essence: This stimulating and invigorating blend pacifies Kapha and uses EOs of lemon, bergamot, cypress, grapefruit, and eucalyptus.
If you have wondered about which are the right essential oils for the flu season to pick for aromatherapy, here is a list of the top 5 essential oils that are a blessing for your body and mind during the months of harsh winter when the viral infections and flu can throw a spanner on your productivity and quality of life. (Here’s 5 commonly asked questions about aromatherapy.)
One of its popular benefits is that it is a mucoactive agent, that is, clears up the mucus in the respiratory tract. It also has an application for healing wounds and inflammation. It can be used for dealing with cold sores as it increases the speed of healing and minimizes the pain. The menthol aroma of this popular EO is very refreshing and reinvigorating, along with helping clear up blocked nasal passages and the sinus. Read about 11 lesser-known benefits of eucalyptus oil here.
From adorning the vase in your drawing space to filling up your home with its sweet and calming essence to making its way in your wardrobe, body-oil, diffuser, handwash, body mists, and becoming an indispensable ingredient in your aromatherapy collection, lavender is a versatile and exotic blessing from the planet world for your body, mind, and senses. So invigorating is its essence, legends have it that it was used to tame wild animals like bears and tigers.
Helping manage your pain; reducing anxiety; being used in aromatherapy for its highly relaxing properties; helping boost your appetite; treating infections; helping deal with sleep problems; reducing skin problems; and being an indispensable adaptogen, this French import has myriad medicinal and cosmetic uses in our modern lives. And here are some more reasons for making it a part of your skin and body care.
Read about the top 8 benefits of lavender oil here.
The scent of lavender has been shown to promote sleep, says Combs, which is one of the most important things sick people need to bolster their immune system and get back on their feet. Use the pure essential oil in a diffuser at night, or spritz this lavender linen spray on your pillows and sheets.
Lotus essential oil is a pure, sweet, floral, and earthy essence that is used in massage oils, shower gels, and aromatherapy for its cooling and energizing quality. It is known to improve focus and clarity of mind; supports appetite building; reduce oxidative stress by fighting off rogue free radicals that cause rapid aging, and improve skin texture. Ancient cultures would use it for treating respiratory diseases for its relaxing quality. It is also considered one of the most exotic ingredients in aromatherapy oils for its rarity combined with myriad applications for senses and healing.
Shankara’s Essence Lotus Rose uses oils that are used in sacred ceremonies to uplift one’s consciousness. The Indian Pink Lotus and White Rose lead this exclusive aromatherapy offering. It comes in a rollerball for ease of use in a beautiful box, which makes it an exquisite gifting item too! The other essential oils present in this bottle include champaca, grapeseed oil, sandalwood, jasmine, myrrh, and angelica seed.
Studies show that just inhalation of the aromatic rosemary EO helps lower stress by regulating the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels have been linked to several modern lifestyle disorders and have their root in ubiquitous stress and anxiety that we encounter in our daily lives. Rosemary oil also has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies also showed the use of the oil in aromatherapy helped the subjects improve their memory and mental alertness, along with being an excellent expectorant.
Bergamot is loved for its citrusy and soothing scent and is popularly used in perfumes, air fresheners, cologne, and skincare products. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that make it a good fit for use in treating acne and other skin pigmentation issues. A study carried out in 2015 showed that women in Japan reported feeling less anxious and tired after inhaling the oil. It also improves mood, going by some estimates.
]]>A basic dosha-specific care routine; taking some time out for the right cleanses; changes in diet and mindful changes to lifestyle can go a long way in correcting dosha imbalances that are at the root of your hair loss problem. To know your dosha constitution and zero in on the specific doshas that need to be managed, you can consult senior Ayurveda practitioners here, who can provide you a detailed blueprint of your current health status, along with personalized guidelines on the lifestyle, diet, and activities that suit your constitution and more importantly those that don’t.
The hair root right below the surface of the skin is covered in what is called a hair follicle, and base of the hair follicle is the dermal papilla that contains receptors for male hormones, including androgens, that play a key role in the development of male characteristics. Follicles also receive all the nourishment from the related blood veins. Irregularity of androgens is powerful enough that in people who have a genetic predisposition for male pattern baldness, the sluggish flow of androgens can shrink the hair follicle size and make the hair finer and easy to break.
Each follicle grows and sheds a strand, with the growth that lasts for 2-3 years before the hair falls off, as the follicles enter a resting period, before beginning a new cycle. An average Joe sheds about 75 hair strands every day as a similar number of follicles enters their growth phase. So losing 75 to 100 strands a day is quite normal and there is not much to worry about here. But people with the hair loss problem, have follicles spending less time in their growth phase and as a result, the quality of the hair shaft is thin and prone to damage and breakage. These follicles are also tinnier, by the impact of hormonal changes.
Male pattern baldness can occur due to diseases like plugged or damaged follicles or due to conditions like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or as a side effect of medications containing beta-blockers.
(Also Read: Stress can cause hair to gray rapidly. Here’s what you can do to stop it)
According to one of the oldest healing sciences, Ayurveda, excess of tejas (a byproduct of pitta or fire element) can lead to weak roots and hair follicles. Ayurveda considers hair to be part of asti dhatu or (bone tissues).
Ayurveda also mentions people with a serious imbalance of pitta or excess pitta dosha, are likely to have hair thinning and hair loss issues in their early years. A complete Ayurvedic treatment to douse excess pitta in the system, so they flow in their respective regions in balance, can help you manage the tendency of hair loss too. Ayurveda recommends a combination of herbs, diet, cleanses, detoxes, and mind-body practices including meditation, and breathing, and yoga to tame excess pitta dosha.
This oil is made using the enriching goodness of sesame oil; avocado oil; jojoba oil; Vitamin E Tocopherol; amla extract; essential oil of sandalwood; Saraswati Churna extract; Gotu Kola extract; bringraj extract; essential oils of lavender, clary sage, coriander, rosemary, and cedarwood.
Our mind and skin share a connection that we have rarely paid attention to, an evolving science called psychodermatology. Emotional worries, trauma, and stress in the mind do eventually show up on your skin in various forms of skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, acne, hair loss, among others. So, when the question is chronic stress, an important answer to your skin problems should be managing your stress levels, and there’s little more powerful than breath and meditation! Of course, a full-body deep tissue abhyanga massage with Shankara’s Calming Body Oil should help abundantly too in relieving the stiff muscles, improving the blood circulation, and nourishing the skin cells while taking the goodness of herbs like vetiver, dahsmoola, borage, sesame oil, macadamia nut oil, oils of almonds, avocado, evening primrose, ginger essential oil, bala extract, rose and jasmine extract, deeper into the tissues!
So when you have been dealing with a lot of stress at work, home or in relationships without any way of relieving it from your system, two things happen- the blood vessels begin to constrict, and stress hormones are released in the body, that act on your body as if you are in a perpetual flight or fight mode. When you are relaxed and the parasympathetic nervous system is active, the blood circulation is regularized but when you are stressed out, the sympathetic nervous system takes over. It cannot really tell between a situation that is really dangerous and one where you are stressed from deadlines, expectations, worries among other things. One important way your body responds to such a stressful situation is by releasing hormones like cortisol, glucocorticoids, and epinephrine that elevate the heart rate, channel circulation of blood to important muscles and other organs. Poor circulation can lead to drier skin, brittleness in your nails, hair fall, and changes in skin color or pigmentation.
Breathwork and meditation can play an important role in helping you reduce elevated cortisol levels. Higher cortisol levels can cause fatigue, digestive problems, poor blood circulation, anxiety, depression, weight gain among other things. Studies show that practices like rhythmic breathing (Sudarshan Kriya) can release hormones like prolactin, vasopressin, and oxytocin into the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, making you feel calmer, stress-free with a more active parasympathetic nervous system, and a skin that is an outcome of good blood circulation.
Stress, abnormal intake of caffeine, and lack of sleep can show up as drier skin. You could also observe changes in the color and texture of your skin, caused by the dual culprits-poor rest and stress- both of which can be addressed by meditating every single day. You can also deal with some of the skin drying issues with Shankara’s Timeless Moisturizer, that is a luxurious blend of herbs like saffron, which is rich in antioxidants; manjishta, an antimicrobial herb that contains the acne and inflammation; lotus, which is relaxing, soothing and calming.
Stress, lack of sleep, and hormonal warfare inside your body can cause your skin to get inflamed. There are multiple neuroinflammatory conditions like psoriasis, hair fall, contact dermatitis, erythema, pruritus, among others that can be aggravated or introduced by stress. Meditation and pranayamas or breathing exercises can help you handle the stressors that induce inflammation, effectively.
Stress can cause fatigue and disinterest in taking care of your body and skin, in doing things that you need to do for the skin to stay healthy, glowing, and free of toxins and dead cells. Stress is the inability to cope or adapt to the demands of the current situation. Meditation can increase your prana or energy to get more done in less time, focus, and centeredness to achieve the best output.
editation also increases the release of feel-good hormones that help you stay upbeat, active and do more of what makes you look and feel better.
]]>Most causes of tension or pressure headaches happen to be related to lifestyle. A lot of the tension headaches have to do with our fast-paced lifestyle where a healthy routine takes a backseat. If you are not consuming wholesome meals on time at the right frequency; if you are not sleeping well or enough; if you are not engaging in some mind-body practices for relaxation; if you are perpetually under pressure to deliver at work, you are already prone to having recurring episodes of tension headaches. More often than not, a persistent tension headache is a sign that you need to take a break.
An imbalance of vata and pitta doshas can also reflect as tension headaches. When that happens, making specific dietary changes, lifestyle additions and course corrections can bring the doshas in balance. Here’s how you can correct vata dosha.
Some of the other causes that can lead to tension headaches may be digestive problems, constipation, flatulence, eye strain and not answering natural urges as and when required.
Pressure points to relieve tension headaches
It is believed that a headache is caused when the flow of life energy or prana or chi through various meridians in the body is obstructed at specific points, due to stress, stiffness, mental anxiety, and living a life misaligned with nature. Once these blocks are removed, the energy starts flowing effortlessly, relieving the pains and aches, and restoring the balance of prana.
You can massage specific points, as we list them below, with a wholesome essential oil blend like Shankara’s Muscle Release Oil, which is made with powerful ingredients designed to help soothe inflamed muscles and joints. The oil positively supports the natural healing properties of the body.
Massage and steadily press the point between the eyebrows also called the point of the third eye, moving your fingers in a circular motion. You can do this while taking long deep breaths.
This is the arc between the base of the thumb and your index finger. Keep pressing this region while taking long deep breaths with all your awareness at this point. Applying pressure on this point also helps relieve anxiety.
Here, you press the two end-points of the eyebrows towards the nose bridge, while sipping deep breaths.
This point is located right below the skull, in the well region between both the spinal bones. This point pertains to blood circulation and when there is a blockage here, you feel stiffness and tightness in the head. While you are pressing this point with the index finger and thumb, do hold the skull with the other hand.
This point is to help you get rid off of the stiffness in your shoulders from sitting in front of the desk for too long. The prana gets blocked here due to excessive stress. Stiffness in this region tends to make you irritable and impatient. To relieve pressure from this region, you can press the point that is located in the mid-point from rotator cuff and vertebrae column on the shoulder. Applying pressure here can help you reduce neck pain, tension in the shoulders, and stiffness from the region.
]]>What happens though is that the outer layers of the skin get inflamed when exposed to say water at a higher temperature and may seem like they have ‘opened’. The size of the pore is influenced by genetic factors and aging. But pores can definitely get enlarged from build-up of sebum along with dead cells, and as a result secret more oils through wider opening. Smaller pores make the skin look clearer. Here the right essential oil blends like ones used in making Shankara’s Microcrystal Exfoliator, that has the goodness of algae-aloe extract, essential oils of sandalwood, turmeric, melissa; CO2 extract of helio carrot, oregano leaf, thyme, olive leaf, rosemary leaf, lavender flower extract, golden seal root, neem; papaya leaves; and fulvic minerals can help you greatly by helping cleanse the skin pores, keeping them taught and keeping excess oils out.
So here are five facts coming up for you about the mystery that is our skin pore. (Bonus-Here’s how you can clean up your skin pores in 6 very simple ways.)
Pores are openings through which the oils stored in the sebaceous glands come up to the surface. Hair follicles and pores can grow a single shaft of hair, and we possess 5 million such hair follicles. So we need to stop sweating about pore sizes so much, given how many of them there are.
Genetics largely define the size of skin pores. In other words, whether you are going to have large pores that secrets more oil, or tiny pores that look clear and tight but may occasionally require oil support, all depends on what you have inherited genetically. Having large pores is not something you need to worry about. In fact the oiliness and larger pores can reduce the appearances of aging.
Collagen that is responsible for holding the skin texture intact tends to collapse as we age. This causes skin to become incrementally less elastic. As the skin sags, the pores become more and more visible, tear-shaped, as we age. Exposure to the sun, over time, has a similar effect on skin pores. It leads to inflamed and thickened skin cells. Cells burnt from the exposure to sun tend and rough on the edges to make the pores look even larger. But the 5000-year old science of healing and wellness, Ayurveda offers effective and non-invasive ways to help you prevent skin aging, so your skin can look timeless. Here are 5 Ayurveda-inspired ways to look ageless.
Now you may wonder, what does a habit like smoking, have anything to do with the skin pores! When you inhale nicotine every day, what it does is dries the skin, affects the blood vessels that carry the nourishment and oxygen to every cell. De-oxygenation of skin can lead to widening skin pores. (Here’s how oxygenation helps you deal with your skin aging problems).
Also if you do not wash your face as frequently as you should, sebum and dirt can get deposited, widening the skin pores in time. For the most soothing experience in cleansing your skin pores, you can try Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser that comes richly endowed with the goodness of ultra-soothing chamomile, lavender, neem, and calendula that leaves the skin feeling soft and supple but never greasy.
The fact is there is not much we can do to change the size of the skin pores we have been born with. But we can definitely manage how the skin pores appear by doing a few things as part of our regular skin care like, exfoliate the skin regularly. We recommend Shankara’s Microcrystal Exfoliator that helps you uncover beautiful, radiant skin with this exceptional exfoliation treatment. Ultra-fine silica crystals combine with aloe gel and five algae extract to gently slough away dry, dead cells revealing a healthy, youthful glow that is tangibly soft.
Apart from exfoliation, you can do well by wearing a suitable sunscreen if you need to step out every day, dab away the excess oil frequently, stay away from the smoke, and be sufficiently hydrated.
Clay has absorptive and tightening properties, and so using them in the mask can minimize the appearance. Shankara’s Deep Pore Cleansing Mask, is made using ingredients like neem, white clay, and tea tree that draw out impurities and absorb excess oil. Grapefruit seed extract and white clay help increase the glow on the skin that is clear, healthy, and fresh.
And finally, follow a healthy, nutritious, anti-oxidant-rich diet. After all, the skin is the largest organ of the body. What you eat, shows up on your face.
]]>Granted, men’s skin is built slightly differently than that of women. Men, due to androgen stimulation, have slightly thicker skin, and the skin texture is tougher. But the skin’s need for exfoliation, cleansing, and moisturizing does not change for men. So here are some of the most versatile, mineral-rich, moisturizing, and aromatic essential oils that men need in their daily skincare routine, specifically in their body wash, like Shankara’s Calming Body Wash.
Men in many ancient civilizations including the Egyptians, Romans and Greeks used this magic herb for treating wounds. This wonder herb is a skin booster. It has anti-inflammatory properties and works well to prevent breakouts. Deeply moisturizing as is, it is also naturally effective in cleansing and lightening the skin complexion. Most importantly, its anti-fungal properties help soothe irritated skin, which is a common skin problem for most men.
This is yet another rare science-backed herb that offers anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic benefits for the skin, thus preventing acne breakouts, skin infections, and soothing irritated skin. Studies have also shown it has the potential in reducing foot swelling caused by edema. Research has also found geranium essential oil may benefit patients of neurodegenerative diseases as compounds like citronellal present in geranium essential oil is known to inhibit nitric oxide production and reduce neuroinflammation cell death. The geranium essential oil has a good reputation for being anti-depressive, reduces anxiety, and also effective in treating shingles pain.
The oil made from the peel of this citrus gift of nature is valued for its nutritional and applicable benefits for the skin and hair. It reduces muscle fatigue, improves hair growth, tones your skin, and reduces acne and excess oils from the skin. It is an equally effective facial cleanser and a solid remedy for irritated skin.
While essential oils are of great value for a bright, healthy younger-looking skin, amino acids, as building blocks of peptides and proteins are a skin essential for their ability to reproduce their own antioxidants, to carry moisture throughout the skin, and hydrate. Some amino acids occur naturally in the skin but given our exposure to pollutants, environmental triggers like stress, a diet lacking in the right nutrition and a lifestyle that is misaligned from the ideal regime according to our dosha type, there has been a need to replenish the amino acids in our skin. Amino acids are needed to reinforce the body’s immunity, hydration and reduce premature aging of the skin, and so you can find key amino acids like Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine and Threonine in our Calming Body Wash, reduce fine lines and wrinkles; repair skin damage; protect the skin from external agents. Amino acids work even better when combined with NMFs or natural moisturizing factors like glycerides and Polysaccharide-Peptide composite, found in Shankara’s signature line of body washes.
There are over 420 species of aloe, and among them, the most common and widely used species is the aloe barbadensis miller, used for myriad skin conditions right from soothing skin burns and tans to minor cuts and abrasions. The molecular structure of aloe makes it an effective choice for wound healing, boosting collagen, and reducing the appearance of scars. Aloe is useful for treating dry skin, while it also helps absorb excess oils. Aloe has been a recommended choice by dermatologists for numerous skin conditions like frostbites, cold sores, psoriasis, inflammations, and acne. But aloe is not recommended in cases with severe burn injuries.
]]>Here’s the peculiar irony of our times. Norms that we need to follow in order to beat the coronavirus have had a fallout in terms of our mental health. Social distancing, staying out of public places, and get-togethers have had an isolating effect, making us lonelier, confused, and helpless. The result has been that people have been experiencing growing stress, animosity, and experiencing difficult emotions that have really found no outlet. Learning ways to cope with this stress in a healthy and productive manner is important for building resilience in ourselves and that of our loved ones.
(Also read: The Cortisol Problem; how to reduce the stress hormone naturally in 5 ways)
Tools to cope with stress in a healthy manner
Let us talk about some of the ways CDC recommends handling the excesses caused by the accumulation of stress in the system.
Information overload is a common trigger for stress and now CDC experts recommend taking frequent breaks from the news cycle and avoid overexposure to news information coming in from television or social media. This can be done by limiting screen time and frequency with which we access social and other media.
CDC also shares it is important to take care of our physical health, in order to stay mentally healthy. Take a break from activities that cause you to worry and stress more and instead, invest your time in activities that help you release this stress that has built up in your system. For a start, give yourself a nice Abhyanga, which is an Ayurvedic full body massage that uses warm, aromatic herbal oils crafted especially to help the benefits of the selected herbs reach tissues deep below the epidermal layer to give you total relaxation, lightness, and stress-relief. Abhyanga therapy helps loosen ama or toxins that build in the body due to exposure to pollutants and a lifestyle that is not aligned with food and practices that favor our body type. It also relaxes the nervous system and provides rest, nourishment, and rejuvenation. It improves blood circulation, tones, and moisturizes skin, works up the lymph system, and calms the mind and nervous system. Here’s everything you need to know about Abhyanga. Shankara’s Calming Body Oil is an effective choice of oil for getting the total benefit of the massage. Rich in nutrients, antioxidants, and moisturizing ingredients, the oil is filled with essential oils like vetiver, dashamoola, borage, sesame oil, oils of macadamia nuts, almond, avocado, hempseed, sandalwood, evening primrose, that help soothe emotions and relax the body and mind.
CDC recommends deep breathing, stretching, and meditation as key ways to cope with stress. But how does breathing help reduce stress?
A study by Italian researchers has shown that practices that involve deep breathing help in improving your moods as well as in reducing stress, which was found both through self-reporting as well as physical examination of heart rate and cortisol levels.
A particular technique that has found to be effective by experts in helping reduce cortisol (a stress hormone) levels by 56.6% with just two weeks of practice is the Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, a rhythmic powerful breathing practice taught as part of The Art of Living programs. The technique helps
If one of your major causes of concern is the rising coronavirus caseload, then it is important for you to know the importance of building strong immunity in order to fight off the virus. An important way this can be done is by having an antioxidant-rich diet. Having a healthy diet helps reduce the drastic effect of stress on the body. Healthy meals improve our immune defense by making sure inflammation is low and oxidative stress is minimized. It can also help us counter weight gain which is a common fallout of chronic stress.
To make sense of how deeply the pandemic has impacted our mental health, what have been our learnings and what we can do as individuals, as communities and nations, to get back to normalcy in every which way, the World Forum for Ethics in Business is organizing a summit on 'Changing Paradigm in the Pandemic World', one of the largest global conferences this year, with 2 million attendees, 120 speakers, including spiritual master and founder of The International Association for Human Values, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar; Director-General, World Health Organization, Hon. Dr. Tedros Adhonam Ghebreyesus, from 95 countries, to find the answers to what lies ahead.
]]>A biome-friendly skin routine involves the use of skincare products that replenish and support the growth of good skin microbiome which plays an important role in protecting and keeping the skin barrier healthy and protects it from environmental pollutants, helps the skin stay hydrated by making it less permeable, manages inflammations of the skin, look at the immune response, deal with UV radiations, deals with other skin problems like acne, and prevents rapid aging.
Our skin, like our gut, hosts millions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses and form what is called skin microbiota. They have an important role to play as they inhabit our body’s largest organ that is the skin. They are interacting with the outer environment, educating the immune system, and preventing the growth of foreign pathogens. The problem comes up when the balance between the good bacteria and the foreign pathogens tilts in favor of alien particles, which may trigger the onset of skin diseases.
But the skin microbiome is affected by excessive use of products that disrupt the skin’s pH because the microorganisms thrive best only in an acidic environment. The use of sulfates and other chemicals also disturb this sensitive balance of microorganisms by impacting the outermost layer of the skin called the stratum corneum and making it alkaline. The microbiome also changes as we age, with some bacterial strains being found in greater density when the skin is young versus when it has aged. But the good news is, some of these good bacterial strains have been identified and have been found to be safely replenishable by the use of natural biotics.
And so, skin experts have been actively discussing the needs and benefits of using pre, pro, and post-biotic ingredients in skincare that support barrier function and nurture these beneficial colonies of microorganisms on our skin. How do they help?
Given our exposure to environmental pollutants, UV radiation, stress, among other triggers, our skin becomes a battleground where the fittest shall survive. Much like our gut bacteria, a healthy skin microbiome protects the skin against infections by fighting out other pathogens from outside.
Healthy skin microbiota supports the skin’s most important function which is to act as a barrier against infectious pathogens and bacteria to enter the body and settle. They make sure the epidermal layer is less permeable and vulnerable to infections.
From restricting exposure to skin allergens to helping heal wounds, to reducing oxidative stress and maintaining pH of the skin, the recent research on the implications of skin microbiome on health have been only exciting. There have been studies on how the skin microflora can help reduce the damaging effects of UV radiation and how adding biotics to skincare can help address this too.
Prebiotics, simply put, is the nutrition that the good microbiome needs to thrive, and build a good defense against pathogen invasion. While most products that claim to support skin barrier may have some prebiotic benefits, there are certain ingredients that you must look for, that are effective prebiotic strains like microalgae, sugars, squalene, glucomannan and minerals like magnesium and calcium.
For example, look at the list of ingredients that go into making Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser, and you will find it boasts of a list of pre, pro and post biotic ingredients from peptide composites, microalgae to natural sugars, glycerin, alanine, proline, squalene, glutamic acid, among other Ayurveda-friendly herbs, essential oils, and extracts including aspen bark, grapefruit, fennel, lavender, chamomile, helio carrot, Amyris, ashwagandha and comfrey leaves.
]]>You may be spoilt for choices and confused when it comes to picking a good eye cream. A simple rule is you can look at the ingredients that match your skin concerns. For example, for puffiness, look for ingredients such as aloe vera, vitamin E, sandalwood, and rose extract. Similarly, to deal with fine lines, you need to pick up a cream with microalgae extract that inhibits the secretion of enzymes that speed up collagen damage, peptide composite, and rich sources of antioxidants like amla extracts, ashwagandha, neem, wheat protein, or gotu kola. To get rid of dark circles you need ingredients like vitamin C, carbohydrate complex; hydrolyzed milk protein and niacinamide, aspen bark extract, hydrolyzed algin and Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Vitamin E Tocopherol, vegetable-derived sugars, essential oils like rose absolute, mandarin and golden flax. If you find the skin under your eyes is too dry, you will need something with hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, squalene, vegetable sugars, glycerin, and milk protein.
If you are lucky though, you will find an eye cream like Shankara’s anti-age serum, that is a beautiful, rejuvenating blend of all of these ingredients in just the right quantities to deal with your concerns; deeply moisturize and rejuvenate your skin; significantly reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; support natural skin renewal; deeply hydrate and oxygenate the skin.
Experts suggest using about a pearl-sized amount of the cream to cover the under-eyes. Make sure you do not get the cream in the eye or overuse it that can cause irritation and excessive rubbing, deepening the damage, since the region is just so sensitive. Also, if you find white bumps under the eyes, you may want to steer clear of overusing the cream or changing the cream since it is too thick for you.
We know we know you love the whole process of really working it into the skin, but here you need to be extra careful since the skin here is sensitive and fragile and excessive pressure can undo the benefit of applying this wonderful serum. All you need to do is dab it gently by tapping it under the eyes in a semi-circular motion with your ring finger.
Continue to tap your way up to the brow bones and do so by gently tapping around the orbit. As a rule, try and stay in the upper region, instead of dabbing too much of it near the lids.
It is very important to let the serum sit in for a minute or two before you set out to apply makeup. This will allow the active ingredients to penetrate into the epidermal and dermal tissues, for complete benefit.
]]>Why do we need an eye cream when we have been using a perfectly good moisturizer all our lives? You need it because the skin around your eyes happens to be much more delicate than the skin anywhere else on your body and so it needs to be handled slightly differently, given its special needs. The eye creams happen to be slightly thicker than a regular moisturizer and they have more oil content too. They are also packed with active ingredients and herbs that undo the damage caused to this delicate area of the skin, which is exposed to pollution, frequent movement, friction and aging.
(Also Read: 12 natural essentials for eye care)
If you were about to Google, ‘Why does the skin around eyes dry quickly’, save the effort because we did the research for you. Turns out, since the skin around your eyes is so delicate and fragile, it does not have as much moisture-holding capacity as, let's say your facial skin does, and so it dries faster than skin anywhere else. This dryness if not addressed can lead to itchy, cracked skin or even wrinkles and fine lines. And so we need specially formulated products for addressing the issue of dryness too. For this reason, Shankara’s Anti-age Eye Cream is made with the gooey goodness of rose distillate, cucumber, unrefined shea butter, and oils like jojoba, rosehip, hazelnut, foraha, pomegranate seed, among other gently moisturizing ingredients.
Fine lines and wrinkles caused by exposure to the sun, pollutants, rapid eye movements, and reduced collagen production as the skin naturally ages, can all be managed with specific formulations used in eye creams. Herbs and actives like sodium hyaluronate extracts, hydrogenated lecithin, kukui nut oil, vitamin e tocopherol, castor oil, aspen bark, eyebright, and amla supply Shankara’s Anti-ag Eye Cream with enough ammunition to boost collagen production, infuse your skin with key vitamins and minerals, while hydrating, retaining moisture, softening and relaxing the skin totally. Most importantly, this particular eye cream helps protect the fragile acid mantle of your skin including under the eyes.
You probably haven’t been sleeping as much as you’d want to, your circadian rhythm being, well, not so much a rhythm as perhaps an inaudible hum. Stressful work-life, chasing deadlines and targets and goals that keep shifting, can all leave telltale signs in the form of dark circles around your eyes. Dark circles can also be caused by genetic factors, exposure to the sun, aging or fluid build-up. Sometimes if you have a fairer skin tone, the dark circles could be more prominent due to the prominent capillaries and thinner skin under the eyes. In some cases, dark circles may also be a result of lower oxygenation in the blood. As our skin ages, blood’s capacity to ferry oxygen through the body is compromised. This is just a factor of aging and can be addressed by using specific ingredients that increase oxygenation and absorption of oxygen into body tissues. Herbs like gotukola extract, calamus root extract, raspberry seed oil, aloe barbadensis, rice protein extract, soy protein extract, sodium hyaluronate, bilberry extract, bayberry extract; rose absolute essential oil, CO2 extract of Seabuckthorn berry, green tea extract, ashwagandha extract, eyebright extract; yerba mate extract, amla extract; CoQ10 extract, chamae rose extract, periwinkle extract, chamomile extract, life everlasting extract, and rose extract can help reinvigorate this delicate skin region, increase elasticity of collagen proteins, increase absorption of key minerals, and lighten the appearance of dark circles.
]]>Wearing face masks leads to a concentration of moisture and sweat within the closed environment and part of the facial skin covered under the mask. When you wear the mask for too long, the material of the mask and the moisture that collects along with the sweat can cause the skin to get irritated especially around the area behind your ears or potentially cause breakouts, around the nose and cheeks, especially for people with a previous history of skin diseases.
In order to prevent skin irritation and acne issues, it is important to cleanse and moisturize the skin properly.
You can use a gentle cleanser like Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser, to remove the oil along with the dirt and excess sweaty. Shankara’s Hydrating Cleanser uses a blend of some of the world’s most exotic essential oils and extracts including the cooling and ultra-soothing chamomile, lavender, margosa, aloe vera, sandalwood coconut oil, avocado butter, aspen bark extract, fennel sweet, grapefruit, and calendula. They combine in this luxurious hydrating cleanser that leaves skin feeling soft and supple but never greasy.
Shankara’s hydrating cleanser has been formulated with a lot of thought and concern going behind coming up with a a natural cleanser that preserves the acid mantle of the skin, and as a result use of the cleanser leaves your skin feeling silky yet moist and healthy.
To make sure your moisturizer does not make things worse for already delicate and perhaps impacted skin, from the use of face masks, you must pick a moisturizer that suits your skin dosha type, if it is Vata, kapha or pitta skin, since each skin type has different moisturizing needs.
(Take the skin quiz here and find out your skin dosha type!)
Vata Skin is identified by the quality of dryness and when vata is vitiated, it begins to look dull and grey. Vata skin also ages faster than other skin types. So the moisturizer you pick must take that into consideration.
For Vata skin, Shankara’s Rich Repair is a beautiful choice of a moisturizer for Vata skin types. Here, science and nature blend elegantly in this lavish, silk-like moisturizer. It comes loaded with antioxidants from the goodness of more than 25 rich, nourishing, exotic herbs like Arjuna, that supports healthy aging with its reinvigorating, hydrating and moisturizing properties; Gotu Kola, also known as brahmi, that is rich in antioxidant and enhances rejuvenation and oxygenation; and Life Everlasting that soothes the skin moisturizes it and provides the ability to the skin to fight oxidative stress.
Pitta skin is warm to the touch, relatively thicker, and is very sensitive. When out of balance, it can be sensitive, reddish, inflamed, tender, oily to dry.
For such a skin, a good option is Shankara’s Fine Line Moisturizer, with Borage oil and ylang ylang that nourishes and pampers your skin, so it is renewed and calm. This one restores the balance of proteins and other nutrients in the skin, and soothes out the sensitivity with the therapeutic benefits of its ingredients including rose, which is deeply moisturizing, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and has soothing, calming, regenerative properties. It also has extracts of sunflower seeds, kokum, aspen bark, neem, gooseberry, wheat germ, rice protein, chamae rose, calendula, jatamansi, and shave grass, among 20 other herbs and essential oils.
It is important to see two things before buying off a mask online-the material used to make it and how it fits. These factors are important to determine how well they protect the user and others around the users from the spread of the virus.
Load up on zinc for stronger immunity against the wicked cold. Zinc is known to activate immune cells (T-lymphocytes) that fight off bacterial infections and foreign pathogens. Zinc is known to inhibit the growth of rhinovirus, the cold-causing virus that lives and grows in the upper respiratory tracts. Zinc lozenges are said to reduce the overall duration of a cold by one day if you start on dosage within 24 hours of catching a cold. Research is still ongoing about the universality of the treatment. Foods like chickpeas, cashews, greens, nuts, legumes, and whole grains are also zinc-rich.
We don’t make Vitamin C in our bodies. Yet it is key to immunity, stronger bone structure, absorption of certain minerals, and healthy, soft skin. The antioxidants help improve the immune defense, that is needed to neutralize the foreign pathogens. You can have it in the form of foods that are rich in Vitamin C like strawberries, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, greens or natural supplements, RDA (recommended dietary allowance) being around 90 mg per day for men and 75 mg for women.
While dealing with a bad bout of cold, you should also focus on what you allow to pass through your system. Focus on foods that build immunity and pathogen resistance; provide all the nutrients; ease the symptoms and promote healing, like vegetable broths that hydrate and act like natural decongestants; veggies like spinach, mushrooms; fruits like watermelon, kiwi, acai, coconut water; spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic; teas like black tea, honey with lemon tea, hibiscus tea, among others.
We continue to be served by the timeless effectiveness of gargling practice. It moistens and softens a sore and rough throat to relieve the discomfort. Gargling with warm salt water can moisten a sore throat, pull out the phlegm from the throat, wash out the virus, and bring temporary relief.
What to do?
Add half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle with it at least four times a day. Other alternatives to salt can be astringents that contain tannins. You can use honey and apple cider vinegar too.
Your chances of catching a cold are particularly high in the Vata season. Here's what you can do to stay healthy and disease-free in this season.
A detox bath with salts, spices like ginger, and essential body oils can help the body get rid of toxic build-up. A detox bath helps with treating cold symptoms by calming the aggravated nervous system and easing muscle aches and headaches.
Shankara’s Soothing Body Oil is a rich blend of more than 20 essential oils including lavender, calendula, lemon balm, grapeseed, almond, sunflower, coconut, borage, evening primrose, sandalwood, geranium, and others, that hydrate, relax, de-stress, calm irritability, moisturize, and are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants due to the presence of the dozens of power herbs.
Here’s how you can use the oil.
]]>Holy basil is blessed with polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, anthocyanin, and beta carotene high in antioxidant action. You need antioxidants to fight off oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by the imbalance of antioxidants in the body that fight off rogue free radicals which are released as part of processes like exertion, inflammation, pollution, smoking, exposure to radiation, and industrial solvents. Free radicals are rogue molecules that cause cellular damage and speed up aging. High oxidative stress has been linked with premature aging of skin and body tissues that also affect certain brain and nerve cells, and other conditions like heart diseases, arthritis, diabetes and several types of cancers.
But more recently, studies have shown that oxidative stress may have a role to play in developing depression and anxiety symptoms, as anxiety is linked to a lower antioxidant state. Antioxidants can get rid of free radicals and protect cellular damage in the brain and help in remission of depression and anxiety.
Holy basil is a herb that is rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, zinc, and chlorophyll. Studies found that patients with GAD or generalized anxiety disorder was lacking in vitamins A, C, and E. When patients increased their intake of these vitamins for a period of 6 weeks, there was concomitant reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms too and increase in antioxidants in the blood.
Each part of the plant of holy basil is an effective adaptogen that stabilizes physiological processes in the body and maintains the body's homeostasis. Adaptogens are the natural world’s answers to the modern day’s stresses and strains. Studies show adaptogens are helpful in dealing with mental fatigue, anxiety, and neural problems. “Adaptogens exhibit neuroprotective, anti-fatigue, antidepressive, anxiolytic, nootropic and CNS stimulating activity,” the study from Swedish Herbal Institute Research & Development says.
Studies also show that holy basil has healing properties to help you deal with various types of stress including chemical, emotional, mental, physiological and inflammation-related stress.
The concept of an adaptogen is a holistic approach. But scientific research shows that holy basil has pharmacological properties to help your mind cope with many types of stress. Studies showed, subjects that were given doses of holy basil showed better metabolism, more muscle strength, lower stress even in noisy environments, reduces sexual problems lowered forgetfulness and exhaustion.
The Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine even goes on to state that leaves of holy basil have anti-depression and anxiolytic properties comparable with modern-day drugs such as diazepam and other commercial antidepressants.
According to the ancient healing system of Ayurveda, Prana Vata (an important subtype of Vata dosha), Tarpaka Kapha (a subtype of Kapha dosha), and Sadhaka Pitta (a subtype of Pitta dosha) is related to the mind and any imbalance in any one or all of the three dosha subtypes can lead to mental and emotional disturbance. Here, holy basil is an important herb that helps ground excess Vata and balances tarpaka kapha to bring contentment, alertness, interest in knowledge, mental agility, and reduction in grief, worry, depression, restlessness, and anxiety.
These are important reasons why holy basil has been an important ingredient in Shankara’s Aromatherapy collection, a unique collection of Ayurveda inspired aromatherapy oils to balance mind and emotions throughout daily activities.
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Struggling to kick the cigarette butt for good? Or planning to hit the gym this year with ambitious BMI goals? Or maybe this year you have decided to spend quality time in engaging in self-love, by prioritizing your mental health. Whatever it is you have decided to accomplish this year, can be done with amazing results by using these 4 simple tips.
So you have taken up a resolution for a year. It is likely that you may give up a resolution that you have taken for a year. But, it is far more practical and easy to keep a resolution for a week or a month or a fortnight. Once you do it for three weeks, science suggests, it becomes your habit. Then it becomes easier to build the following steps and keep up your practice for the next month and the following one, and eventually a year.
Whatever it is you want to achieve. tie it in time-bound commitment. “A vow should be time-bound,” says spiritual master, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, “Consider the time and place for vows or commitments to be taken.” He shares the example of someone trying to quit the cigarette. “Suppose someone has a habit of smoking cigarettes and says, “I will quit smoking,” but cannot do it. You know why? It is because the commitment is not time-bound. You can take a vow for three months or 90 days. Don’t take a vow to start something new or get rid of a bad habit for a lifetime; it is likely you will break it immediately.” If you happen to break it in between, don’t worry. Just begin again. Slowly increase the duration until it becomes your nature.
Low prana or life force can make you lethargic and becomes one of the most common reasons for not seeing through a commitment you have made…to yourself. If you are a person who is accountable for critical deadlines at work, you cannot let lethargy come in the way of pushing through the works. In such a situation, any tool that helps you uplift your prana will give you enough energy to get all your work done and then some. For that, one of the most powerful and time-tested ways to raise prana are deep breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, pranayamas, and meditation. These practices, in just a few minutes, can infuse your body-mind complex with enormous energy to last you through an entire day of commitments. When you are full of enthusiasm and energy, you are more likely to keep your resolutions as you will have the energy to fulfill them.
(Also Read: 7 Yoga tips for the lethargic)
Whether it is about going to the gym or going for the dance lessons or perhaps learning music, you have probably quit mid-way or missed a few lessons just because you ‘did not feel like it’. The diagnosis is lethargy. But here’s the surprise- this lethargy is not due to any external reasons but due to the accumulation of slimy toxins in the body called aama that slows down your metabolism. A slower metabolism makes digestion sluggish leading to further aama accumulation in the system.
One of Ayurveda’s most blessed offerings for detoxification, which is key to improving metabolism is abhyanga or massage with body oils made from herbal essences and natural actives that specifically aid stronger metabolism. A warm bath with these body oils can improve the workings of the digestive system and speed up metabolism. Shankara’s Soothing Body Oil is formulated to balance your Doshas. It works on your body when it is undergoing fatigue, stress, anxiety, and lack of proper rest. It is most calming due to the presence of essential oils of sesame, Jojoba, squalane, hazelnut, aloe vera, borage, castor oil and evening primrose, clary sage, cardamom, and chamomile. A full body massage with these oils helps penetrate deeper into the body tissues, increase blood circulation, and removes the toxins.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar provides a very practical tool to begin a new practice and stay on course. You can use the trick to get rid of a habit that is holding you back or is hurting your mental and physical health. The trick is- application of love, fear, or greed. “There are three things to start a good habit: greed, fear, or love. First, if someone says they will give you a million dollars for not missing your practice, will you do it? You would say “I will do for five more days, just to be safe.” If you have promised your loved one you will not smoke, you will keep the promise, right? If your doctor says you will die if you don't do it, then also you will do it out of fear.”
]]>Apart from possessing a distinctly sweet, earthy, and floral aroma that adds flavor and color to gourmet cooking, saffron is also used in making ayurvedic formulations for enriching the glow and health of the skin naturally and vividly. When consumed in the form of a spice, it is carminative, induces sweating, and a popular aphrodisiac. And when used as an herbal ingredient for facial applications, it brings an exclusive glow, reduces pigmentation, removes acne and blemishes, and is an excellent toner. The best thing about saffron is it usually well-tolerated without any side effects as an ingredient for skin applications.
Saffron has three major plant-based compounds-picrocrocin, that gives it the earthy, sweet, floral, honey-like taste; crocin that gives it the golden red or orange color; and safranal that brings out the aroma in the spice.
The crocin compound present in saffron triggers what is called apoptosis in a number of cancers like ovarian cancer, soft tissue and blood cancer. Apoptosis is a naturally occurring process of cell death that will give way to the growth of healthier cells. These compounds present in saffron, inhibit the growth of malignant cells in humans without affecting the normal cells, according to Mexican researchers.
Experts have inferred that saffron may help in fighting acne and blemishes owing to its phenolic content. Saffron has a bactericidal effect on specific bacteria including E. coli, staphylococcus, and salmonella. The water extracts of saffron are said to be high in phenolic content. Phenolic compounds are associated with numerous biochemical benefits like anti-viral, anti-microbial, and rich in antioxidants.
Compounds like crocin, safranal, crocetin, and kaempferol are antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress, which makes your skin age faster due to the action of rogue free radicals, by replenishing the stock of antioxidants in your system to fight the rogue free radical molecules. Apart from reducing oxidative stress, these compounds also slow down the degeneration of brain cells, reduce inflammations, and support weight loss.
For its extraordinary anti-aging benefits, red gold finds its pride of place among the selected herbs that go into creating the signature line of Shankara’s anti-aging serum- Timeless Restorative Skin Elixir.
Enriched with saffron, citrus stem, vitamin C, milk, extracts of symplocos bark, Indian Bay leaf, Wild Himalayan cherry, Lotus, Costus root, Shellac, Indian berberry, Cobrasaffron, Forest flame, Large leaf beautyberry, this 100% active age control dual concentrate of ancient super herbs and stem cell technology reduces the appearance of wrinkles and visibly brightens the skin. This Elixir delivers intense hydration for your neck, face, and the area around your lips and works best when massaged with the Shankara Kansa Massage Wand.
(Also read: 5 ways Ayurveda can help you delay aging)
Hyperpigmentation is a skin problem where parts of your skin are darker than the rest of the skin. A study carried out in 2013 showed that saffron has compounds that reduce hyperpigmentation by reducing melanin production in your skin.
Find a glowing skin
Saffron by reducing pigmentation, lightening complexion, clearing off acne and blemishes gives you resplendent glowing younger looking skin.
(Also read: Bride's glow: five things to know about this popular facial regime)
]]>Some thoughts on “intimate relationships”. These relationships tend to consume us a lot as they touch the aspects of our personality that none others can and serve as mirrors to show us hidden part of us. So here are three important things specifically for these relationships-
Relationships are also about learning to share life with others constructively to create a win-win situation for all. They are about letting go and moving on, accepting that chemistry can wear out, trust can be shattered or commitments can’t be honored. No matter how many rules are laid out, nothing is written on stone, especially in relationships. Life is fluid. The more we learn to dance with what is, the better we can be at relating. Any dance has to be rhythmic. The more we are in harmony with ourselves and all aspects of our personality, the better harmony can be created in our relationship with our partners. Our own breathing patterns have a secret that governs various rhythms existing in our body and in relation to the outside environment. A unique breathing technique called Sudarshan Kriya harmonizes those rhythms and has helped millions to manage their emotions and heal relationships.
]]>You will find it on most of your commercial personal care labels. This chemical usually found in deodorants, shampoos, soaps, face washes and hand-sanitizers and laundry is touted as having anti-bacterial properties. But it can disrupt the marine ecosystem by affecting multiple amphibian and aquatic species by altering their naturally occurring biochemistry. It kills pro-life aquatic bacteria and algae that provide ecological balance. It has been found in guts of dolphins too.
DEA is also used in plenty of personal hygiene labels and is said to balance skin’s pH levels, but it can be hazardous to both human beings and animals. It reacts with nitrates to form nitrosamines which are carcinogenic and toxic to fish and other aquatic animals.
These are preservatives that are used to make beauty care and food products last longer on the shelf as they prevent bacterial growth in the products. Since they come cheap they are used in mass cosmetic labels generously. According to disturbing findings from University of Reading, paraben particles had been found related to breast tumors. They can mimic the female reproductive hormones and thereby disrupt hormonal functions in the body. They are hard to disintegrate which means they are lying around in our oceans and water bodies, which is where all this toxic waste lands up, way longer than they should endangering marine life and all the other species up along the food chain.
Formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives used in cosmetics to prevent bacterial growth is carcinogenic according to the International Agency for Research on Carcinogens. Overuse of the chemical has been linked to pharyngeal and nasal cancers. It also significantly undermines body’s immunity apart from causing skin diseases and irritation.
It obviously does not make a lot of sense to fight a disease by drawing in other health complications, which is what a lot of these chemicals above can bring when we use these products every day, multiple times a day for ourselves and our family members. As awareness about the use of dangerous chemicals in manufacturing mass marketed products grows, people are moving on to the real deal-naturally made cleansers and hand washes that perform the cleansing and disinfecting function at par with commercially produced hand washes and sanitizers. These herbal hand washes use the natural anti-bacterial and ant- microbial properties of herbs found in nature. Like,
Shankara’s newly launched Pure Clean Hand Gel, a hand wash which is gentle yet effective rinse-free and helps deeply cleanse and moisturize your hands with benefits up to 24 hours. It is made using an all-natural formula and is free of alcohol, parabens, and sulfates. It is vegan and cruelty free.
As more and more consumers awaken to the reality of climate change and environmental degradation, they seek to make environmentally aware choices too, part of which includes, picking personal care brands like Shankara that only promotes, creates and adopts sustainable manufacturing practices and technology. The product is a beautiful blend of best of East and West. Founded in 2001, the line brings together Ayurveda, the ancient science of life, with the modern science of actives and antioxidants through modern manufacturing methods.
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