The organic industry is booming, with sales of natural products reaching over $13 billion in 2018. Research has revealed that there is a direct link between what we eat and what we feed our skin, and how young or aged our skin looks. In essence, organic beauty is part of a large-scale gravitation towards a more holistic way of living which stems from the realization that beauty, like health, is an integrative idea that depends on fostering a healthy body, mind, and spirit. Ayurvedic beauty has an important role to play in the 21st century view of beauty and well being.

Our Skin is a Living Matrix

In her best-selling book, Skin Revolution, beauty guru Leslie Kenton notes that true beauty is based on understanding a number of key principles, including:

• Skin is a dynamic, vital organ that can repair itself and regenerate provided it is fed with the right fuel.
• Skin is inexorably connected with the rest of the body “mechanically, biochemically, energetically.” It is part of a living matrix on which health and beauty depend.
• What we do to our body we do to our skin, and vice-versa.

How Toxic Beauty Products can Undermine the Living Matrix

We often splash on cleansers, serums, and cleansers because we like the way they make our skin feel, because they have a pleasant fragrance or because they contain ingredients manufacturers promise will turn back the hands of time.

However, many commercially accessed products contain toxins that wreak havoc, interfering with cell function and causing collagen fibers (which are the basic building blocks of skin) to bundle up and become tangled.

Of course, skincare products and makeup aren’t the only culprits. So too are diets that are rich in processed foods and sugar, which once again impair collagen quality and make it difficult for skin cells to carry out their normal functions.

What Role can Organic Beauty Play in Restoring Beauty?

Our skin needs daily cleansing, toning and moisturizing; fine lines around the eyes or mouth, meanwhile, can be ameliorated with the help of anti-ageing serums and dedicated creams. Quality organic makeup and skincare firms offer products that provide all these functions, yet do not contain toxins such as parabens (which have been found to damage the DNA of cells), DEA/MEA/TEA (hormone disrupting chemicals which can create carcinogenic nitrates and nitrosamines), or coal tar dyes (which contain heavy metals), to name just a few toxins.

Ayurvedic Beauty: Fusion of East and West

Shankara blends Eastern wisdom and Western processes, and is an example of how natural and effective are complementary qualities. Their range of products includes cleansers, moisturizers, and masques, which harness the healing power of Mother Nature with ingredients like honey powder, rose-hip, lavender, or sandalwood. The range includes an array of products, from anti-age eye cream (with antioxidant ingredients such as yerba mate, green tea, and ashwagandha) right through to Microcrystal Exfoliation Treatment (with ingredients such as algae, ale, papaya leaves, neem, and more).

Technology has enabled beauty and skincare companies to create products that rivals their commercial counterparts in texture and effectiveness, but which keep skin free of harmful toxins. For true beauty that radiates from within, remember that your skin shines from within; exercise regularly, consume a healthy diet, keep stress at bay and be assiduous with your daily skincare routine, using toxin-free products obtained from nature.