Fragile, rough skin that is slacking, thinning of the epidermal layer are all signs that your skin is aging. Normal aging process, overexposure to the sun, pollution, habits like smoking and eating food deprived of antioxidants-they all can lead to release of free radicals that damage skin cells and cause premature aging. Here are a few mistakes you are making knowingly or unknowingly that is causing your skin to age faster than it should. Don’t worry. These mistakes can be easily corrected by following simple yet powerful Ayurvedic remedies that we share here!

1. Your daily skincare routine lack any or all of these magical herbs

 Does your skincare routine have the following herbs- turmeric, drumstick, neem, eucalyptus and haritaki or myrobylan.  These herbs are forces of nature when it comes to meeting the antioxidant requirement for your body and skin.

2. Skin type

Sometimes, it owes to nothing you have done or not done for your skin, but just having the skin type that is prone to faster aging, in which case you can use extra caution to keep the free radicals at bay. For example, Pitta and Vata skin types age faster than Kapha skin.

Vata skin will show signs of aging more quickly because it is already thin and dry to start with.

Bringing balance to Vata skin: To bring into balance the cold, light and dry nature of Vata, products need to be warming, rich, highly hydrating and moisturizing. Ingredients picked should have regenerative qualities to help slow down the somewhat accelerated aging process. Some Shankara products ideal for the Vata Skin

• Hydrating Cleanser or Deep Cleanse Treatment
• Microcrystal Exfoliation Treatment
• Daily Repair Serum – Rich Repair (rose)
• Anti-Age Serum
• Rich Repair Moisturizer
• Anti-Age eye Cream

Pitta skin and aging: Pitta skin is the most vulnerable to sun damage and will show more signs of sun damage then the other skin types as it gets older.

To bring into balance the fiery nature of Pitta, products will need to be hydrating, cooling and soothing. Ingredients will need to have anti-inflammatory properties to calm down sensitivity, irritation, and redness if present. Moisturizing and slightly sebum balancing ingredients will adapt perfectly to the conditions of the skin and bring balance whether the skin feels perfectly normal or partially dry or oily (combination skin).

Kapha Skin and aging

Kapah skin is the slowest to age among the three types of skin. A daily warm oil massage and cleansing of the skin with gentle exfoliation works wonders for this skin. To bring into balance the cold, heavy and oily nature of Kapha, products will be warming, light and sebum-balancing. Ingredients will also have stimulating qualities to help with congestion and sluggishness.

Note about very oily skin: An excessively oily skin is actually dehydrated at a deep level and tries to compensate by overproducing sebum.

Kapha products should hydrate the skin deeply while balancing sebum production. Products suited for Kapha Skin:

• Purifying Cleanser or Deep Cleanse Treatment
• Microcrystal Exfoliation Treatment
• Daily Repair Serum-Balance (meadowsweet)
• Balance Oxygenating Mask

3. Imbalance in Doshas     

Sometimes it is the imbalance in the three doshas that causes the skin to age for various reasons.

• Kapha imbalance causes moisture imbalance in the skin
• Pitta imbalance affects the chemical functions and hormonal reactions of the skin
• Poor circulation of blood to various layers of the skin is due to an imbalance in Vata.

4. Ayurvedic therapies to bring the skin back its radiance, that you have avoided

If none of the cosmetic chemical laden treatments work, it is time to embrace the incredible gifts of Ayurveda in the form of carefully curated Ayurvedic spa therapies that address the specific Dosha imbalances.

Away from the bustle and noise of city life, nestled in the lap of expansive and gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone is the Art of Living Retreat Center that offers deeply rejuvenating time tested therapies after due consultations with our Nadi doctors, to suit your Prakruti (or physiological and mental constitution which is unique to a person) like the Avarna Spa Body Wraps. These dosha specific treatments use stimulating movements, followed by the warmth and enveloping nature of the wrap. This creates space for deep relaxation and meditation.

5. Not so healthy lifestyle habits

• Smoking

Here’s the obvious one that many of us choose to overlook and yet is key to save the skin from premature aging. For example, smoking every day cause an increase in the production of free radicals that are out to damage your skin cells, dry them out and cause pigmentation.

• Diet high on sugar

Poor diet has a direct influence on your body and more visibly on your skin. You are, what you eat. A diet high on sugar content will soon lead to weakening of collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep your skin firmly in its place and protect it from loosening up.

• Exposure to sun

The most common cause of skin aging is overexposure to UV rays. Just using sun blocks laden with chemicals that are harsh to your skin is not enough to protect it since you will need to lay these products thick on your skin to reach any level of protection from the sharp penetrating UV rays. Managing the damage caused to your skin at the end of the day and replenishing it with antioxidant rich natural moisturizers is important in equal measure.

Repairing daily damage to the skin has never been easier than with a moisturizing body spray that is designed to naturally renew, calm, nourish, hydrate, and protect. The nutrient-rich spray is full of antioxidants and is designed to naturally support skin renewal and rejuvenation.

• A spray body moisturizer to nourish, calm, and hydrate
• Supports natural skin repair
• Hydrating and moisturizing
• Soothing and calming
• Rich in nutrients and antioxidants

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