By Sejal Shah┃Posted: April 17, 2019

Our skin is the largest and fastest growing external organ in the human body. According to the National Institute on Aging, your skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did. Your veins and bones can be seen more easily. Scratches, cuts, or bumps can take longer to heal. Years of tanning or being out in the sunlight for a long time may lead to wrinkles, dryness, age spots, and even cancer. But the good news is that there are things you can do to protect your skin and to make it feel and look better.

Since time immemorial, staying and looking young has been sought after. Many anti-aging secrets are hidden in the ancient healing science of Ayurveda. It offers a safe and long-lasting solution to anti-aging and skin care, opening new realms of beauty, health, and wellness.

The popularity of the ancient art and science of Ayurveda is increasing day by day, not just in the west, but all over the globe. Ayurveda, or the science(veda) of life(ayur) as translated from Sanskrit (the ancient language of India), seeks to help the practitioner achieve optimal wellness through balance and integration, and seeks to treat the root cause of illness, rather than the symptoms, based on your unique body type.

What causes premature aging?

While there could be many other factors, according to WebMd, the following three factors are of great relevance:

1. Lifestyle: dietary choices and unhealthy habits
2. Stress: unreleased stress and strain
3. Environmental conditions: ultraviolet rays, pollution, extreme weather conditions

Making healthy lifestyle choices and habits can help prevent aging. The American Society for Dermatological Surgery suggests some basic do’s and don’ts for your lifestyle, diet, and personal habits to delay the aging process.

What can Ayurveda do for anti-aging?

While there are many ways to reduce the premature aging of skin, Ayurveda offers a treasure trove in skin care and anti-aging herbs and treatments. It has several anti-aging formulations that are completely natural. In fact, Ayurveda is known to document over 200 herbs, minerals, and fats that maintain and enhance the health and beauty of the skin.

Anti-aging Ayurveda herbs for young-looking skin

A few wonder herbs for your skin are:

• Haridra (turmeric)
• Shigru (drumstick)
• Nimba (neem)
• Taila parni (eucalyptus)
• Haritaki (myrobalan)

There are several Ayurvedic treatments that have multiple benefits, such as antioxidant cellular protection. They are also known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-stress properties. But before we go to the treatment, let’s first understand the basics of Ayurvedic skin care.

Understanding Ayurveda skin types

Ayurveda proposes that everything in the universe is made up of five basic elements– space, air, fire, water, and earth. Each person is influenced by certain elements more than others because of their natural constitution, which is categorized into three doshas: vatta, pitta, and kapha.

Vata skin is, in general, dry, thin, cool to the touch, easily gets dehydrated, and is very vulnerable to the influence of dry, windy weather.

Pitta skin type tends to have more breakouts, photosensitivity, and is more prone to freckles and moles than the other skin types. Pitta skin looks ruddy, is warm to the touch, and has less tolerance to hot food and weather.

Kapha skin tends to be greasy, thick, and more tolerant of the sun.

Causes of your skin issues according to your body type

A vata imbalance creates an inefficient circulation of blood and nutrients to the different layers of the skin.

Effective metabolic functioning balances the various chemical and hormonal reactions of the skin. A pitta imbalance affects this.

A kapha imbalance affects the moisture balance of your skin.

Skincare based on the doshas:

Ayurveda offers exceptional anti-aging treatments that rejuvenate and retain the youthfulness of all skin types and supports all three doshas.

Vata skin: The skin should be nourished and rehydrated to avoid wrinkles and premature aging. Warm oil self-massage and natural moisturizers help.

Pitta skin: Good sunscreens and facial skin oils should be used daily.

Kapha skin: A daily warm oil massage and cleansing of the skin with gentle exfoliation is advised.

Ayurvedic skin care therapies include:

• Darvi lepam or turmeric body wrap: Want radiant skin? This therapeutic body wrap, exclusively developed with a combination of haridra khanda and exotic herbs, is the perfect remedy. It acts as a natural purifying agent that makes your skin smooth and nourishes the entire body.

• Haritakalepam or chlorophyll body wrap: This wrap rejuvenates the skin. Moringa oleifera leaves from the 'miracle tree' are combined with freshly ground pavitra sukhoshan jal into an aromatic paste. With a rich array of vitamins, proteins, and minerals,  this wrap effectively provides powerful antioxidants to the skin cells along with moisturizing, nourishing, and cleansing the skin.

• Kaya lepam: Want to get rid of wrinkles? Here is the answer: an exotic therapeutic wrapping procedure for skin tightening with a unique combination of rice extract, herbal powders, and coconut and almond milk. The wrap eliminates dead cells, improves the complexion, and tightens the skin.

• Honey and sesame body wrap: An anytime solution for healthy glowing skin. A gentle, natural body wrap with indigenous honey and sesame, this wrap exfoliates and removes dull skin cells.

• Neem body wrap: Get that tan off in a chilled way.  A cooling puree of neem leaves is infused with soothing eucalyptus oil, to relieve pain and exfoliate damage caused by overexposure to the sun, leaving the skin smooth and radiant.

• Fruit body wrap: Are you a fan of fruit? Experience the detoxifying and hydrating body wrap with a melange of fresh organic fruit pulps, cleansers, and oils that tone and condition the skin. This body wrap will make your skin tight and healthy with a youthful glow and silky soft feel.

• Vegetable body wrap: A detoxifying body wrap using antioxidant-rich vegetable pulps with a blend of vegetable extracts to tone and tighten the skin. A combination of these ingredients gives you a youthful glow.

• Sandalwood body wrap: Want baby soft skin? A body wrap with freshly ground sandalwood paste, which has an antibiotic property. It cleans the skin clearing the freckles, leaving the skin moisturized with a radiant glow.

These treatments are available at our Sri Sri Panchakarma Center in India. For any inquiries, please feel free to email us at guestrelations@ssapd.org!

You may also like to read: How to Bring Out Your Inner Beauty With Beauty Secrets From Yoga

Ayurveda inputs from Art of Living, India.

Sejal Shah, E-YRT 500 Sri Sri Yoga Teacher, YACEP, Art of Living Teacher, NYU Post Graduate Medical School approved Yoga-CME retreat facilitator, Mind-Body Wellness Writer, Homeopath