Shankara Review: How Fab Ayurvedic Skincare Can Transform Your Skin
Being the crunchy, all-natural (for the most part) beauty guru that I am, I often find myself gravitating toward Ayurvedic products for my skincare needs. Ayurveda (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge) is an ancient holistic Hindu science over 5,000 years old which examines a person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual nature based on three different energies (doshas). Knowing your dosha can help you determine which skincare products will work best for your skin type: vata (dry), pitta (sensitive), and kapha (oily).
The kind folks at Shankara recently sent me a couple of their Ayurvedic skincare goodies, and I’ve been testing them out for the past couple weeks. The first product I tried was their Tri-Dosha Microcrystal Exfoliation Treatment ($44). It’s made with ultra-fine silica crystals that are blended in a base of pure aloe-algae gel with herbs and essential oils to help decrease fine lines fade and wrinkles as well as even skin tone. It’s a bit of an intense exfoliation, which I’m partial to because I feel like serums and lotions seep in better afterward, but if you have sensitive skin, this might be too abrasive (perhaps watering it down would help). It’s also a little difficult to wash off, so I like to add a bit of cleanser or oil afterward to help get all the gritty bits off my face. I can definitely feel a difference right away, even after the first time I tried this. There’s no doubt in my mind that this product does an excellent job at sloughing off dead skin cells. It also has a gorgeous Indian herbal scent. I’m half Indian, so these smells make me nostalgic and give me the feels.
Ingredients: Structured energized water; Algae-Aloe extract (Macrocystis Pyrifera, Laminaria, Fucus Vesiculosus, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae and Aloe Barbadensis); Amorphous Diatomaceous Earth flux-calcined; Glycerin (veg.); Amorphous Diatomaceous Earth; Structured energized water extract of: Neem, Papaya leaves, Fulvic minerals; Sandalwood EO; Xanthan Gum; Melissa EO; CO2 extract of Helio Carrot; Essential oil blend preservative of Oregano leaf extract, Thyme extract, Olive leaf extract, Rosemary leaf extract, Lavender flower extract, Golden Seal root extract; Turmeric EO; Carrot oil.
Next up, I tried their Pitta Calming Mask ($60) which is a hydrating algae/aloe gel-infused mask with cooling, anti-inflammatory herbs, plant extracts, essential oils, nourishing oligo-peptides, saccharides and amino acids to help soothe and calm sensitive or irritated skin (great for rashes, burns, redness, acne, etc.). It’s a blend of aloe, green tea, spirulina, neem, rose, chamomile, and a bunch of other lovely ingredients that help promote soft and dewy fresh skin. I heart the smell and texture and the way my skin feels afterwards. It’s an extremely gentle mask and considering that most of the masks I own are clay-based (and often drying), this was definitely a nice change of pace. Makes for a great self, too, right? 😉
Ingredients: Algae-Aloe extract (Macrocystis Pyrifera, Laminaria, Fucus Vesiculosus, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae and Aloe Barbadensis); Structured energized water extract of: Green tea, Chamomile, Neem, Lemon Balm, Fulvic minerals, Gotu Kola, Calendula; Structured energized water; Glycerin (veg.); Fractionated Coconut oil; Glycerin (veg.) extract of Golden Flax; Oat flour; Cucumber extract; Cucumber powder; D-Panthenol; Carbohydrate complex; Amino acids of: NaPCA, Glutamic Acid, Trimethylglycine, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine and Threonine; Spirulina; Structured energized water extract of: Amla, Ashwagandha, Neem, Gotu Kola, Chamae Rose, Fulvic minerals, Rose, Life Everlasting; Sandalwood EO; Xanthan Gum; Aloe Barbadensis; CO2 extract of Seabuckthorn berry; Sodium Hyaluronate; Essential oil blend preservative of Oregano leaf extract, Thyme extract, Olive leaf extract, Rosemary leaf extract, Lavender flower extract, Golden Seal root extract; CO2 extract of Calendula; Lavender EO; Lemon Tea Tree EO; Turmeric EO; Blue Chamomile EO; Helichrysum EO; Mimosa EO.
While these items may have a higher price point, I think they’re highly effective and made thoughtfully with quality ingredients. Once you figure out your dosha or dosha combo, it just makes so much sense to feed your skin exactly what it needs. Shankara has a bunch of tri-dosha items that work for all skin types as well. I recommend this skincare line and I’m looking forward to trying out some of their other products.
Have you tried Ayurvedic skincare before? Do you have any brands that you absolutely love? xx
Samples were provided for review, however opinions are my own.
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)
Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at Sunny@VeganBeautyReview.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.Filed in: vegan skin care
