Ashwagandha is a herb that has been used for centuries in India and the Middle East to help people with a number of ailments, including anxiety and depression. Recently, cosmetic companies have started using it as a natural ingredient in their products because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
A new study shows that this traditional remedy may also reduce wrinkles and improve your complexion!
Find out how this healthy skin supplement can improve your skin health, including skin elasticity, skin glow and skin pores.
Ashwaganha at-a-glance
- Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It contains bioactive compounds like withanolides that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.
- Ashwagandha may help protect the skin against damage from UV radiation. Studies show it can reduce markers of UV stress like sunburn cells and inhibit enzymes that lead to collagen breakdown after UV exposure.
- It may also help heal existing skin damage. One study found that taking ashwagandha for 30 days improved symptoms in people with melasma, a common skin pigmentation disorder.
- The antioxidant properties of ashwagandha can counteract oxidative stress that contributes to signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. It helps protect skin cells and promotes new cell growth & cell renewal.
- By fighting inflammation, ashwagandha may be beneficial for reducing inflammation & inflammatory skin conditions like acne, rosacea and psoriasis. The anti-inflammatory effects combined with the ability to balance hormones makes it helpful for hormonal acne.
- Ashwagandha is generally well tolerated, but those with sensitive skin should patch test it first. The recommended dosage is 300-500mg standardized to contain at least 5% withanolides, taken 1-2 times per day. Effects may take a few weeks to notice. Consult a dermatologist to see if ashwagandha may help your specific skin concerns.
What is Ashwagandha
As mentioned, ayurvedic herbs like Ashwagandha have been used for centuries in India and the Middle East. But what exactly is Ashwagandha?
Withania somnifera or Ashwagandha is a small shrub native to Southeast Asia. It also goes by different names, including Indian ginseng or winter cherry. Taking this medicinal herb has many benefits to your body. It can boost immunity, combat free radicals, and reduce inflammation. Of course, ashwagandha is also great for your skin!
And, if reducing stress is your goal in taking this medicinal herb, you’ll be happy to know that modern medicine classifies ashwagandha as an adaptogen. This means ashwagandha stimulates the body’s stress-protection response and puts your body in the resistance phase longer. That’s why many of those suffering from anxiety disorders regularly take this natural ayurvedic medicine.
In addition to the many therapeutic attributes, there are many ways you can incorporate this herb into your life. You can apply ashwagandha topically or consume ashwagandha in powder form.
Fun fact: When translated from Sanskrit to English, this ayurvedic herb means “smell of the horse,” which is due to the herb’s potent smell.
How to use Ashwagandha for healthy skin
If you are struggling from skin stress then by adding Ashwagandha to your beauty routine you can fix that.
The simplest way that you can take advantage of this herb for your skin is by adding it to a face mask. This will allow the ingredients to be absorbed directly into your pores and provide maximum benefits in a minimal time. Alternatively, Ashwagandha supplements may also reduce wrinkles and improve the complexion if taken orally every day!
Ashwagandha can help with dry skin and rough skin. It does not matter about your skin type or your skin problems!
Why you should add ashwagandha to your beauty routine
One of the most exciting benefits of using Ashwagandha for your face is that it can help reduce wrinkles and fine lines. This means you will be able to look younger, longer! Any woman who has tried other remedies before may also notice a positive difference in their skin tone when they add this herb into their routine.
Natural skin oils
Additionally, if you are looking to treat your acne or other skin conditions naturally, this is the best option.
The reason for this is that it stimulates collagen generation, helps fight inflammation and improve blood flow throughout your body. This additional collagen production allows nutrients to reach all areas of your face and also reduce breakouts!
If you have oily skin you can use Ashwagandha to counteract your oily skin just by adding it to your face mask, the collagen synthesis will get to work and you will have healthy skin in no time!
Ashwagandha powder benefits
One can extract Ashwagandha extract powder from the roots of the plant. Extracting the plant’s roots will require digging up and chopping off its roots. The root is dried and ground into powder form to make Ashwagandha powder. The dried root may be cut into smaller pieces or processed by hand grinding and then sieved to remove any impurities over a cloth before being made into a power form.
There are different types of extracts that can be made from the Ashwagandha root. These include but may not be limited to:
Ashwagandha powder is a herbal product with a bitter taste and a strong smell, which many people take in capsule form or add to tea for consumption. The usual dose recommended is 450mg. It is also available in liquid extract form, which can be mixed with juice or any other beverage for consumption daily.
Other benefits of using ashwagandha in a beauty routine
Using Ashwagandha for your skin will also help the rest of your body. The antioxidants in this herb are known to improve blood flow throughout the human body, which provides nutrients and oxygen to all areas of your face. This means that you can reduce signs of ageing because cells won’t die as quickly!
Additionally, ashwagandha is great for your hair too! If you want to give yourself a natural boost in volume, energy levels or even reduce dandruff then this herb can help. This means that it may be the only beauty product you need on hand at all times!
Ashwagandha has been used as an ingredient in many cosmetic products made in India, Thailand and the Middle East for centuries because of its benefits to the skin. Modern research has backed up this traditional remedy by showing that it may also reduce wrinkles and improve complexion.
Ashwagandha can kick start healthy hair growth and also reduce your blood sugar levels.
Mental health has also been shown to improve while taking Ashwagandha.
The potential side effects of adding ashwagandha to a beauty routine
No serious side effects have been noted in the research. However, ashwagandha supplements may not be recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women because they can stimulate menstruation and lactation. Do not use this herb if you are going to receive surgery within two weeks of your procedure as it can increase the risk of bleeding. If you suffer from an autoimmune disease such as thyroiditis or lupus, you should avoid this herb.
Stress less
Taking Ashwagandha orally has been shown to reduce stress levels which will have a positive impact on your skin.
Stress affects the way we look because it increases cortisol levels in our bodies. Cortisol is also known as “the stress hormone.” When you are stressed, you release more of this hormone which can cause acne breakouts and even hair loss! If you want to reduce your stress level and avoid hormonal imbalances, then try using this herb.
Ashwagandha can also boost brain function and oxidative stress.
Anxiety attacks
Ashwagandha is also known to help with anxiety disorders. Many people turn to prescription drugs for their anxiety but these medications come with a long list of side effects that you should be aware of before trying them! Ashwagandha has been shown in studies to reduce panic attacks by up to 25 per cent within one month of use. It can be taken in capsule form or added to tea for this benefit.
In India, Ashwagandha is known as the “Indian Ginseng.” This herb has been used as medicine and a beauty aid by Indian women since ancient times. It also goes by the name winter cherry because of its red berries that resemble cherries from afar.
Heart health
In traditional Indian medicine, Ashwagandha is used as a natural remedy for heart health. This herb can also boost male fertility and stamina too. The roots of this plant are what provide the benefits mentioned above but it may be added to face or body creams if you want its anti-aging properties on your skin without taking supplements orally every day.
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which means that it can help the body to maintain a healthy stress response while lowering cortisol levels too. If you are looking for natural ways of reducing your anxiety and depression then this herb may be right for you! This can also reduce acne breakouts because high cortisol levels increase insulin resistance in the body.
There any many health benefits to taking Ashwagandha but heart health has to be number one! Blood circulation is also improved with consuming Ashwagandha.
Pregenant women and young children
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid this herb as it can stimulate menstruation. Do not use it if you are younger than 18 years old either because its safety has not been studied for this age group yet. In order to prevent potential side effects, always speak with your doctor before taking any type of supplement including ashwagandha.
Arthritis
If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis then this herb may not be the best choice for you. It has been shown to increase TNF alpha production, which is a protein that can worsen symptoms of this type of inflammatory condition.
Fatigue
This herb can interact with some types of prescription medications so make sure you talk to your doctor before adding it to a beauty routine or taking supplements. If you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome or anaemia then avoid this plant as well because it may worsen these conditions.
Final thoughts
Ashwagandha may benefit your skin in many ways. It can lower stress levels, reduce anxiety attacks and help with heart health as well as boost male fertility and stamina. Pregnant women should not take this herb at all because it could stimulate menstruation or lactation but if you’re looking for a natural way to calm down then Ashwagandha is a perfect choice! Make sure that you talk to your doctor before adding any supplements to your routine. What has been your experience with ashwagandha? Let us know how this herb helped improve your life below!
