Anti-Ageing – Types, Causes and Treatments

Introduction

Although most of us would love to turn back the clock on ageing, this natural process is an inevitable one. With changing times and the pace we are living in now, busy schedules, unhealthy diet and extreme environmental conditions are bound to cause visible signs of ageing. These require holistic care right from a young age so your skin can look youthful and glowing even with age.

Ayurveda advocates a holistic, balanced approach to life with regard to body, mind and soul. Skin is a direct reflection of what goes on internally – the ultimate indicator of whether or not the three are in balance. It is only when all three are in perfect harmony that you radiate not only outer but also inner beauty.

‘Ojas’ is the unifying factor of the three vital essences of beauty described above. Together the three, constitute true or lasting beauty. The radiance of absolute beauty, is an inner vitality, a sensation of bliss, lustrous hair, glowing skin, clear shining eyes, and an ‘inner fire’; which according to Ayurveda is a phenomenon produced by the presence of ‘ojas’. This special quality is the by-product of healthy body tissue, which adds grace in movement and the subtle qualities of freshness and vitality. It also gives a certain compelling magnetism to one’s personality.

The Gold standard of skin is perhaps most obviously that of an infant’s – soft, bright, supple, smooth, and free from blemishes. Ojas is also naturally highest at birth and diminishes with age, which is why the very young look so effortlessly vibrant.

According to Kashyap Samhita, the ancient scripture of Ayurveda, a woman is known as Yuwati from 13 years onwards. It is from here, or the onset of puberty, when the devolution of skin often begins. One experiences hormonal changes alongside environmental effects, lifestyle changes such as smoking, drinking or unhealthy diets, and stress, all of which may combine to cause an imbalance to the body, mind and spirit – a depletion of Ojas.

For instance, oiliness, breakouts, acne are common problems during these years which can render skin susceptible to premature ageing and long term damage.

Therefore, for Ayurveda, the key to good skin and the best age-defying mechanism is an early and comprehensive start to skin care. However, this is not to say that constant devolution of skin is inevitable, that the blueprint of ageing is predetermined or that if you did not start in your teenage years nothing can be done at present.

Signs Of Ageing

1. Fine Lines
2. Wrinkles
3. Dullness
4. Uneven skin tone
5. Age spots
6. Sagging skin
7. Dryness

If you’ve been experiencing any of the above-mentioned signs, it is time to enhance the overall health of your skin and incorporate the right skincare ritual along with balanced lifestyle habits.

As per Ayurveda, our body needs a balance between the three most important doshas, ‘Pitta’ that refers to the hormonal changes, ‘Vata’ balancing blood circulation and ‘Kalpha’ that helps maintain the moisture level in your body. An imbalance in any of these deprives the skin of being at its best health along with showing visible signs of ageing.

Causes of Ageing

An unhealthy diet, harmful environmental conditions along with stress levels and habits like smoking add on to the ageing process. In Ayurveda, it’s not only the external treatments but also the internal healing and repair that together helps achieve a healthy body, mind and skin. Hence, it becomes important to understand what it is that could be causing faster signs of ageing and accordingly alter your routine to inculcate a healthier routine.

• Excessive exposure to Sun
• Environmental factors or Pollution
• Irregular Skincare
• Unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking
• Unhealthy diet heavily inclined by junk food, frozen foods and missing the important nutrients the skin needs
• High Stress levels

Anti-Ageing with Ayurveda

Incorporating certain natural and ayurvedic ingredients in your daily anti-ageing skincare routine that are rich in nutrients and revitalise the skin is sure to give you miraculous results while retaining the skin’s natural balance.

According to Ayurveda, one of the ways we can replenish Ojas to the skin on our face is by regularly moisturising and massaging it. Potent Ayurvedic ingredients like Gotu Kola, Rose Petals, Aloe Vera, Turmeric are excellent ayurvedic anti-ageing agents along with Coconut, Milk and the powerful Bhrami and Ashwagandha repairing your skin and enhancing its overall texture. When combined with the right oils and natural extracts, these ingredients make for the go-to Ayurvedic anti-aging remedies to start an early anti-ageing skincare ritual.

Let’s have a look into how these Ayurvedic ingredients can be combined in each step of your must-include anti-ageing skincare step.

• Alter Lifestyle Habits

Your skin is a reflection of your daily lifestyle and food habits. While incorporating the right skincare choices is extremely important, orchestrating this change in what your body consumes helps to lay the base for a holistic healing and repair of the skin.

Processed and packed food, excessive sugar intake along with a diet heavy on meat creates excess fat and weakens the blood flow and builds toxins in your body leading to premature ageing, acne, wrinkles, loss of collagen & elasticity.

Although there is no definite cheat sheet for the right food to include in your anti-aging diet, including fresh fruits, nuts, nutrient filled seeds and cooling agents can help repair the skin.

An easy way to do this is to change your current consumption habits by replacing it with healthy alternatives. Here’s a quick guide for you to do that –

What to include in your anti-ageing diet –

1. Almonds and Walnuts, instead of candies and Potato chips.
2. Fresh Lime, Buttermilk or Coconut Water to cool and soothe your digestive system instead of aerated drinks.
3. Fresh Cucumbers and Carrot Salad as a part of your meals.
4. Cook your food in oils of Coconut, Sesame or Olive Oil instead of vegetable oils as these increase the good cholesterol in your body.

What not to include in your anti-ageing diet –

1. White Sugar
2. Sugary Cocktails
3. Energy Drinks
4. Packaged Meat
5. Microwaved Food
6. Processed Potato Chips

To know more about the right foods for ageing, read – What Foods Make You Age Faster & Best Anti-Aging Foods.

• The Magic Rule Of 3 : Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise

  • Cleanse

The most important and the  first step for any skincare ritual, cleansing your skin with the right natural ingredients helps eliminate dirt and other impurities from the skin. Chemical cleansers contain sulphate and paraben that are extremely harsh on the skin and further tear apart its natural moisture. This could worsen the ageing signs and lead to dry skin, fine lines and more.

Natural cleaners are lighter and free from harmful chemicals leaving your skin clean and hydrated while keeping it nourished. We recommend Delicate Facial Cleanser Mashobra Honey, Lemon & Rosewater for Normal to Dry Skin. This Ayurvedic cleanser is rich in Vitamin E protecting you from UV rays, including Honey replenishing the skin’s moisture, Lemon acting as a cooling agent along with Rose extracts that tones, diminishes fine lines and deeply hydrates the skin.

• • Tone

Enhancing the skin and its moisture post cleansing is important and natural toners are excellent skin re-energisers. With Gotukola – a herbaceous, frost-tender perennial plant native to the wetlands of Asia, being a potent Ayurvedic ingredient for anti-ageing treatments, Our Tejal Balancing Water is an excellent anti-ageing toner including this rich Ayurvedic extract. Infused with Gotukola’s age defying properties along with Sweet Potato extract enriched with Vitamin A, C & E, this toner naturally hydrates, prevents premature ageing, boosts skin elasticity, while balancing oil production and skin texture.

• • Moisturise

Dry Skin is a common concern for anti-ageing skincare. The cleanse, tone, and moisturise trio is a must do for any skin care ritual, but you need to keep in mind your specific requirement and choose a product that addresses your unique skin needs. Our Advanced Sanjeevani Beauty Elixir is a recommended best anti-ageing moisturiser and can also be used as a primer before makeup.

Infused with a potent blend of Ayurvedic herbs, the ancient and iconic Sanjeevani herb also known as the “magical herb” in Ayurveda, due to its highly rejuvenating properties, this herb revives damaged or inactive skin cells and leaves skin soft and supple, bringing it “back to life”. This elixir is an excellent pre-moisturizer or makeup primer that instantly penetrates and plumps the skin, evens out skin texture to make it soft & supple, revives damaged skin cells and preserves skin elasticity to reduce the appearance of fine lines for achieving smooth velvet skin.

Another age-defying brand beloved is our iconic and award-winning Soundarya Radiance Cream With 24K Gold & SPF25. This is an extra rich and light textured cream that gives a natural facelift for mature and dry skin, in other words it’s what restores and rejuvenates Ojas, and here’s how:

Gold Bhasma: is prepared according to the tenets of Rasa Shastra – the unique branch of Ayurveda which combines metals with medicinal herbs. The excellent rejuvenating properties of the 24 Karat Gold Bhasma, penetrate into the deepest layer of skin, to reveal radiance and increased elasticity.

SPF 25: Free radicals like UVA/UVB rays absorb into the skin to damage cells, leave behind wrinkles, pigmentation and thereby hasten the ageing process. This cream is made of Yashada Bhasma (Zinc Oxide) which acts as a natural sunscreen that deflects UV radiation and protects skin from detrimental effects of free radicals.

Potent Ayurvedic herbs blend in pure cow’s milk: Herbs like Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Saffron and Ketki control collagen depletion and smoothen fine lines to maintain the plumpness of skin and are excellent anti-oxidants that combat free radicals in the environment.

Massage it daily for firmed underlying facial muscles, restored elasticity, and a smooth and porcelain skin texture.

• Heal

While the 3 magical steps are a must use on an everyday basis, it is important to also include anti-ageing products that deeply target each of the ageing signs and heal the skin to give you a healthier, glowing and balanced skin texture.

• • Anti-ageing Nightly Renewers

The best anti-ageing products are designed to throughluy ‘rejuvenate and repair’ the deepest layers and deliver nutrients into the skin. An imperative part of anti-ageing skincare ritual, incorporating  night creams with theraputive and reparative properties that help target fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and dull skin.

May we suggest two such efficacious emollients for that unparalleled glow!

The Ojas Illuminating Night Beauty Balm is a lightweight formula crafted with precious herbs and plant extracts known for their therapeutic properties. When gently pressed onto the skin, it leaves the skin looking visibly energised and further allows better absorption of the product that follows.

Our Advanced Eternal Youth Formula Date & Litchi is the perfect anti-ageing night cream with ancient formulation from the early 17th century, made with the most effective and precious Ayurvedic ingredients.

Packed with Sweet Almond Oil moisturising your skin, fermented Litchi Juice diminishing fine lines and pigmentation and Date extracts giving the skin a satin smooth sheen, this anti-ageing night cream is the best for overnight repair ensuring the collagen replenishment whilst the skin is at rest.

• • Serums

Power packed with high concentration of active nutrients, serums are excellent products that deliver essential ingredients into the deepest layers of the skin. Our Advanced Soundarya Age Defying Facial Serum With 24K Gold is one such transformative formula enriched with pure Cow’s Ghee, Liquorice, Sandalwood, Sesame Oil and 24K Gold Bhasma that together boost collagen and visibly improves elasticity, leaving the skin feeling radiant with a satin texture.

• Enhance & Nurture

Ayurvedic Ubtans multi-task as daily cleansers or weekly facial masques that refine and even out the skin texture with every use. As per Ayurveda, the usage of Ubtans should be in accordance with your Dosha. Ubtans for Vata dosha contain more moisturising ingredients, while cooling and soothing ingredients suit the Pitta dosha. For Kapha dosha, ingredients that are warm in nature are known to be the best.

Forest Essentials’ Facial Ubtan Soundarya and Facial Ubtan Roop Nikhar & Gulab are the two expert-recommended and best anti-ageing Ubtans. While the Soundarya Ubtan revitalises the skin for a smooth and radiant finish, the Roop Nikhar & Gulab helps stimulate the underlying tissues of the skin and prevents the appearance of age spots by reducing pigmentation.

Use these Ubtans with Buttermilk, Yogurt or Aloe Vera Juice to make a creamy paste and gently massage on damp skin. Leave it for 10-15 min rinse well with lukewarm water.

• Maintain

You may feel that you have had enough steps on here and that your skin is well-layered and shielded, well it isn’t so until you have applied your SPF!

Harsh sunlight damages the skin texture causing pigmentation and fine lines. Protect your skin from this damage with a light sun protector like our  SUN FLUID Tender Coconut Water with Turmeric & Basil Leaf SPF 50 | PA + +  curated with an Ayurvedic formulation that minimises the effect of the harsh UVA/UVB sun rays and promises protection of up to 4 – 6 hours. Blended with Tender Coconut Water rich in Vitamin C that helps reduce pigmentation and blemishes, and Basil, Aloe Vera and Yashad Bhasma that keep the skin hydrated, moisturised and well shielded.

Apply a few pumps of this evenly, over the entire face including forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, and neck before you apply makeup. Use 10-15 minutes before sun exposure.

FAQ’s :

• What is anti-aging?

Anti-ageing is everything you incorporate to reduce signs of ageing with proper skincare and a healthy nutritious diet.

• What are the signs of aging skin?

Aging is a natural process of your body and should be embraced in whatever form it begins to show. When a person ages, the skin starts to show certain changes in texture, colour, and firmness- commonly known as the ‘signs of aging’, these are as follows-

• • Fine Lines
  • Wrinkles
  • Dullness
  • Uneven skin tone
  • Age spots
  • Sagging skin
  • Dryness

• How can I stop my face from ageing?

Ageing is a natural process, there is no definite formula to stop ageing but the right skincare products and rituals can definitely reduce the visible signs of ageing. However, we recommend you start anti-ageing skincare early in your 30’s to maintain a youthful and glowing skin texture.

• Can you reverse ageing?

Not entirely, but you can surely prevent and reduce the effects of ageing on your skin provided you invest in consistent and rich anti-ageing skincare. The best way to prevent signs of aging is by indulging in proper skincare and a dedicated anti-aging regime before the onset of the first signs.

Incorporating moisturising day and night creams with effective anti-aging ingredients that help prevent a specific sign can holistically help defy aging of the skin. For example, Milk helps refine wrinkles and deeply nourishes the skin, cold-pressed oils of Coconut and Jojoba are exceptional ingredients for smoothening texture and encouraging cell regeneration.

Another easy way to prevent signs of aging is being diligent with your SPF. This protects the skin from harmful UVA/UVB radiations that may otherwise speed up the aging process of the skin.

Indulging in Facial Yoga can also be a great way to reverse signs of aging. The correct facial exercises can help stimulate blood flow and facilitate lymphatic drainage, thereby counteracting wrinkles and fine lines.

As per Ayurveda ‘we are what we eat’, therefore in order to maintain the youthfulness of the skin, it is also absolutely imperative to maintain this very youthfulness from within. A healthy and nutrient-rich diet ensures good immunity, a harmonious mind & balanced Doshas- thereby leaving the skin looking healthy and glowing from within!

• Which is the best anti-aging cream in India?

Although we would highly recommend using an anti-aging cream as per your specific skin type, products that are rich in natural ingredients are the best anti-ageing creams. Pure Ghee, Almond Oil and Saffron are some common Ayurvedic ingredients perfect for ageing signs.

• When to use anti-aging cream?

Use an age-delay moisturiser during the day and a deep repair cream for the night. Natural and Ayurvedic anti-ageing creams are light on the skin and nourish it while also protecting it from harsh sunlight and other toxins.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3151377/