Did you know your skin can look dull from lack of sufficient oxygenation? It’s true. Your skin cells need sufficient oxygen like any other cells in your body to stay healthy and function optimally. Let us tell you why you need to make sure your skin is getting the amount of oxygen it needs.
Now, when your skin is young, it gets its dose of oxygen from the nature in ample amounts. But as your skin ages naturally or due to overexposure to pollutants, the ability of the skin cells to process the oxygen from the external environment slows down as functions of collagen and elastin weaken with aging. This starts showing on your skin in the form of dullness and wrinkles. Collagen and elastin are fibers that support the skin structure and balance its firmness and tightness.
While internally, you can increase oxygenation to each and every cell of your body by practicing breathing practices called Pranayamas and rhythmic deep breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya Yoga that facilitate the flow of oxygen into each cell of your body, apart from giving you a calm and peaceful mind. No wonder, Yogis who meditate every day and practice deep breathing seem to have a glowing skin!
Externally, to make more oxygen available to the skin, you can use natural facial masks formulated based on an ideal combination of Ayurveda and the western understanding of actives and antioxidants to stimulate oxygenation. What these face masks do is, they increase the amount of oxygen available to the skin cells, improve circulation, improve the skin’s vitality and complexion by getting rid of the dullness.
For example, Shankara’s Deep Pore Cleansing Mask, blended from structured energized water, white clay, glycine, alanine, essential oils of exotic herbs like lemon tea tree, camphor, lemon basil, thyme, calendula, hyssop, meadowsweet, olive leafy and many other nourishing herbs, draws out impurities, absorbs excess oil, stimulates circulation and oxygenates the skin. The grapefruit seed extract and white clay make your skin fresh, clear and brings back the glow.
Oxygenation has plenty of other benefits too!
1. Heals the skin
Higher supply of oxygen supports the body’s natural healing process, thereby healing the infections and facial scars faster.
2. Reduces inflammation
Oxygenation through facial mask soothes and calms the skin by reducing facial inflammations. This is one of the reasons, why herbal masks formulated for the purpose of oxygenation of skin cells have become popular across the board.
3. Fights bacterial and fungal infections
You will see where there is more oxygen, fungi or bacteria (obligate anaerobic types) are unlikely to survive. Oxygen removes debris and destroys bacteria (responsible for blemishes, irritation…), leaving the skin perfectly balanced and protected.
According to media reports, a study done by researchers from the University of California, at San Diego, in the US, showed when acne causing bacteria like propionibacterium or Acne.P where stuck in environments with zero oxygen, they turned serum-oil from the skin-into fatty acids. These fatty acids were the cause for inflammations in the skin cells near the bacterial locations
4. Collagen and elastin repair
The pillar fibers that hold the structure of the skin in place are strengthened by increased oxygenation to the skin cells. Oxygenation increases activity of fibroblastic cells that produce collagen and elastin in the skin.
5. Glowing and healthier looking skin
Want the skin of the radiant yogis? More oxygen is the way to go. It evens out the skin by reducing the fine lines and wrinkles.
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