No, it's not in your head. Here is how the pandemic may have taken a toll on your skin, hair, overall health and aged us faster

Your skin and hair probably are ageing at warp speed (sorry).

You aren’t the only one who caught a glance of yourself in a Zoom window and wondered if your under eyes always looked this puffy or noticed more hair strands on your pillowcase. 

In between waves of the virus, losing sleep, doom-scrolling, weight gain, financial insecurity and tension-filled work-from-home days, most of us have added years to our skin and hair.

The story starts with-you guessed it- stress. 

While our bodies are equipped to handle occasional bouts of stress, we aren't prepared to endure stress for months on end. Prolonged periods of stress lead to an increase in your cortisol levels. More cortisol leads to an imbalance of vitamins and minerals in your body-which inturn causes changes to the skin like reduced water retention, and loss of collagen.

Cortisol also increases sebum production, making your skin oilier and making your skin a petri dish for acne-causing bacteria. The dry skin folks are not off the hook either; Cortisol can also reduce natural lipids that maintain our skin barrier. The result? Dry, parched skin thanks to more TEWL (trans-epidermal water loss), something Indian skin is genetically prone to on its own too.

But we’ve got some good news, here is what you can do to stop the current state of the world from manifesting in your skin.

Antioxidants and Adaptogens are your holy grail

Offset the damage done by adding antioxidants and adaptogens to your skincare routine.

An adaptogen is a herb that strengthens the immune system by reducing stress on the inside and out and helps the body adjust to stress. They also help in boosting immunity, increasing focus and aid with fatigue.

For over 8000 years, Ayurveda has harnessed the healing properties of adaptogens like Ginseng, Tulsi and Ashwagandha.

We recommend our Ashwagandha and Alpha Arbutin Serum which boost your skin’s glow and reduce age spots. For your fix of protective and preventive antioxidants, pick our Amla VC 20 Vitamin C Serum, which boosts collagen production and brightens your skin with every use!

Other ways to undo and prevent damage and stay dewy fresh include  balancing your stress hormones which means eating healthier, meditation, yoga, scheduling time for fun, maintaining a good lifestyle and-we can’t stress on this enough- proper sleep!