First, we have to understand that saggy skin can be the result of 2 different causes – Rapid Weight Loss and Aging.

If you have ever experienced extreme, rapid weight loss, or know anyone who lost a lot of weight in a short time (whether intentional or due to an illness), you might have noticed that the skin around their upper arms, stomach, hips and thighs is saggy.

That’s because the body lost volume faster than the skin could ‘shrink’ to stay tight around the body. Many resort to plastic surgery, and sometimes consistent exercise and a healthy, nutritious diet is enough to help the skin get back into shape over time.

Such cases are unrelated to age and can occur even in adolescents. But, because elastin production is still optimally active in younger people, the skin can bounce back to its original state (though it may take several months – just like after pregnancy).

But if you’ve blown out your fair share of birthday candles over the years and suddenly noticed the skin on your upper arms to ‘jiggle’ more than usual... your body’s elastin production has likely taken a backseat. Elastin is responsible for the elasticity of skin, and collagen for its firmness and suppleness. As we age, both usually slow down hand-in-hand.

Ayurveda has a kinder explanation for it. In our life, we go through three stages of life: Kapha, Pitta, and Vata – which are also the three doshas or bio-elements in Ayurveda.

Kapha consists of the elements of earth and water and is associated with oiliness, juiciness, heaviness. Kapha is the first stage of life – just think of a baby’s juicy and plump skin and the expression “baby soft skin”.

Pitta consists of the elements of fire and water and is associated with heat, sharpness, and determination. Pitta is the second or middle stage of life – just think of a teenager’s acne and hot temper, or a young adult’s drive and ambition.

Vata consists of the elements of air and space and is associated with dryness, lightness, alertness and creativity. In the Vata stage of life, we experience dry, rough and sagging skin, we may feel cold more often, but also reach maturity, wisdom, grace and mastery. During this time, it’s important to focus on practices that are warming, stabilizing, grounding and nourishing.

Now that you know that aging, sagging, or drooping skin is a result of the dry Vata stage of life, let’s find which Ayurvedic practices can help rejuvenate saggy Vata skin!  

Have a look at the ingredient list of one of the entire world’s best-selling body lotions: 

We definitely see some ingredients in that list we don’t want on our skin, entering our bodies on a daily basis. 

In fact – have a look at the ingredient list of your current face care product. “Which one? My serum, day cream, night cream, treatment cream?”  you may ask. 

Exactly.

There are SO many different face care products in the market today, each tackling a different skin concern. And yet for body care, it’s just one or another different kind of moisturisation.

Ayurveda specialises in self-care and body care! It explains the practice of ‘Dinacharya’ or daily self-care rituals for your skin, body, soul and mind as an expression of self-love. This helps build a foundation to achieve good health and longevity.  

One of the pillars of Ayurvedic medicine and self-care is daily self massage or ‘Abhyanga’. Simply taking out a few minutes every day to massage your own body, to stay grounded and connected.  

The benefits of abhyanga or self-massage are manifold:

• Lubricates the joints, gives better flexibility 
• Increases blood circulation, assisting cell regeneration 
• Helps you sleep better and deeper at night 
• Reduces stress and increases longevity  
• Helps eliminate toxins or impurities from the body 
• Helps tone the muscles and strengthen the tissues 
• Softens and smoothens skin and helps smoothen wrinkles and fine lines 

We have been moisturising our skin – both face and body, for decades, but do we really know what is it that our skin needs and calls out for the most? What is it that actually moisturises our skin deeply and what doesn’t? And with a myriad of options available to moisturise skin, how would you ever know what is it that would suit your skin the most?!

And on that note, one question that has perplexed almost everyone we know is - do oils moisturise and hydrate the skin much more effectively than body lotions?

The answer is YES!

Reason? 

Let's list them out! 

• Oils help re-introduce lost moisture in the skin – be that right after stepping out of the shower or exposure to air conditioning or cold, dry winds. They are great at mimicking the skin’s lipid barrier and supporting it.  

“But there are body lotions that are oil based, do they not support the skin’s lipid barrier?”, you might wonder. 

These body lotions contain only a small portion of oil in them, which is nowhere near to what our skin requires.

• Oils are lipophilic in nature which means that they are attracted to fats! This property allows the oil to pass through our skin and fat layers much more easily than creams. Molecules of oils are smaller than those of creams, which also aid in deeper penetration into the skin. 

BLACK DAL OR MASHA (VIGNA MUNGO) 

You must have enjoyed the benefits of Dal Makhni as food to nourish the body. It is an extremely nutritious and enriching dal. But there’s more to Black Dal than titillating our taste buds!

Also known as an ‘uber nourisher’ in ancient Ayurvedic texts, Black Dal is an extremely potent moisturising and unctuous ingredient for an Ayurvedic oil that not only moisturises but also nourishes all 7 tissues of the body.

With high levels of Protein (25 g/100 g), Potassium (983 mg/100 g), Calcium (138 mg/100 g), Iron (7.57 mg/100 g), Niacin (1.447 mg/100 g), Thiamine (0.273 mg/100 g), and Riboflavin (0.254 mg/100 g)- Black Dal is a strength provider for frail thin bodies, a natural anti-aging agent for aging skin and an unctuous moisturiser for the skin.

In Ayurvedic text, 'Bhaishajya Ratnavali Vataroga Adhikara'- The oil derived from this nutritious kitchen-ingredient has specially been mentioned for Vata roga (or conditions occurring due to disturbed balance in Vata dosha) as it has all the properties to nourish the body inside out- right from nurturing the body tissues (Dhatus) to moisturising, beautifying and youthifying the skin. 

That's precisely why Mash Oil or Black Dal Oil is known to promote youthfulness, firm and tighten skin, and manage the look of sagginess and crepiness. Its intense moisturising and nourishing powers, along with its smooth, non-sticky and non-greasy texture when added to an oil are what make it a suitable ingredient for any skincare – be that for the face or for the body! 

You must have had it with fruits, during fasts or as part of a healthier diet regime, but did you know this ingredient also has unique moisturising and hydrating properties?

Just moisturisation is not the only thing that your saggy skin needs. To keep it looking plump, firm and ample, your skin also needs intense hydration that can prevent it from looking dull and dry. And Saindhav is that 1 ingredient that not only provides moisturisation but also maintains skin’s natural barrier by supporting hydration.

Saindhav or Himalayan Rock Salt is also known to contain trace amounts of magnesium which can significantly improve water levels in the skin along with reducing the look of roughness and redness.   

SAINDHAV

KAUNCH

With an exterior similar to that of Black Dal, slightly bigger, however, Kaunch or Velvet Bean, as its name suggests, is known for giving the skin a soft, velvety texture. Being a rich source of proteins, lipids, minerals and 60 major phytochemicals, this ingredient provides nourishing, rejuvenating and soothing comfort to any skincare it’s added to.

Kaunch is known for moisturisation and has also earned a name in being a skin-soothing agent that can also purify and keep it looking clear from the inside out.

Ancient Ayurvedic texts talk vividly of this ingredient's ability to induce healthy-looking, firm skin through external application by means of an oil.

No discussion on herbs that manage saggy skin can be complete without mentioning this ingredient.

A strong youthfulness promoter that helps soften the look of UV-induced aging, Nutgrass or Nagarmotha has been in use in ancient Ayurvedic skincare for centuries because of its richness in fatty acids, vitamins and flavonoids.

It is known that the powdered extracts of the root of this grass are highly potent when it comes to reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crepiness.

The cooling nature of this grass makes it a fine skincare ingredient for extremely dry skin that may get irritated easily. It is also known for supporting the skin’s barrier and promoting skin’s radiance and brightness.

NAGARMOTHA

Enriched with the multi-benefits of Moisturisation, Hydration, Firming, Intense Nourishment of established and proven Ayurvedic herbs such as Black Dal, Saindhav, Nagarmotha, Kaunch, Sesame Oil and more, this intense moisture boosting and skin firming oil reduces the appearance of dry, aging, saggy skin on the arms and legs with regular use.

• Enriched with Black Dal that doubles up as a body strengthener. 
• Perfect for daily use and can be left on through the day after gentle application or washed off after a rigorous massage.
• Specifically designed for dry skin to give ultra-moisturised yet non-sticky skin
• Dazzles the skin with the dual effects of Himalayan Rock Salt, providing both moisture and hydration to the skin
• Brings the goodness of 8 power herbs and takes the whole game of skincare a notch up
• Firms and tones the appearance of saggy, crepey skin on the legs and arms 

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Excellent product"
"My skin has become soft and smooth. Working great , will be ordering again."

- Pradipika M.