An ideal way to address your skin problems would be to address their causes first. The most common causes of skin conditions like acne, eczema, inflammation, and rashes today can point towards a poor digestive system, weaker immunity, sluggish lymphatic system, and premature aging of the skin due to exposure to pollutants, harmful UV radiation, and a stressful on-the-go, high-cortisol lifestyle. Here the science of yoga and yogic postures can specifically help you bring your skin health up to par, aided and enhanced by the deep, nourishing benefits of Shankara’s signature range of skincare that includes top-of-the-line moisturizers, exfoliants, face washes, and serums with rare and mindfully chosen ingredients that draw from the vast body of knowledge of Ayurvedic sciences from the east and advanced science of actives, from the west.
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.
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