8 Amazing Benefits Of Moringa For Your Skin

8 Amazing Benefits Of Moringa For Your Skin

Are you looking for solutions that can heal your damaged skin with the least amount of side effects? Moringa and its by-products are nature’s answer to your search.

This ancient Ayurvedic herb is an all-rounder when it comes to your skincare and health. You can use it in various forms based on the type of your skin and its individual needs.

“Shigru is revered in ayurveda for its detoxifying properties. The current research on this herb rightly classifies it as a superfood.”

What Is Moringa Oil?

Moringa Oil or Ben Oil yellow or Behen Oil

Moringa oil is a beneficial Ayurvedic oil made from the seeds of a Himalayan tree called Moringa oleifera. Apart from the seeds, even the flowers, leaves, roots, and also the bark can be used for their medicinal properties. This plant is also called a miracle tree.[1]

Moringa oil consists of many nutritional compounds like proteins, sterols, tocopherols and monosaturated fats. Moringa oil can be used in various ways. It can be used as:

  • A cooking oil
  • An essential oil directly used for your skin and hair
  • An ingredient in skincare or hair care products

According to the Vedic scriptures and Ayurveda, the moringa plant has been around for over 5000 years. A 16th-century Ayurvedic book called Bhava Prakash identifies moringa as sigru, which means something that moves like an arrow because it penetrates your skin very quickly. The human body easily absorbs moringa and its by-products.[2]

An Ayurvedic expert from the Shankha Vamsa lineage named Vaidya Mishra defines moringa as both a detoxifier and a tonic. It purifies and nourishes the blood and muscle tissues. It also gets rid of any toxins from the bone marrow and the fat tissues. Moringa is pungent (katu) and bitter (tikta) in taste (rasa). [3]

Moringa is a liver cleanser (yakrit sodhana), blood purifier (rakta sodhaka), dewormer (krmi). It pacifies vata and kapha dominant prakriti, increases appetite by balancing kledaka kapha. It manages the pain caused by arthritis or sandhivata. It also controls high cholesterol levels by balancing your pachak agni or digestive fire.

Moringa is also very useful in keeping a check on diabetes or madhumeha by pacifying vata dosha. Moringa’s pachan or digestive properties also cure diarrhea or atisar.

What Does Moringa Do For Your Skin?

Moringa oil has a very long shelf life and has the ability to penetrate deep into your skin in no time. It contains many antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, hence is an ideal solution for most of your skin problems. It has anti-aging, healing and beautifying effects on your skin. [4]

It protects your skin from the harmful effects of the environment, reduces the size of your pores and blemishes and adds radiance to your skin. Powder made from moringa seeds can also be used in Ayurvedic medicine called nasya. As mentioned before, it pacifies vata dosha which means it is a solution for all dry skin problems and helps in curing skin disorders that originate from dryness. [5]

Moringa leaves contain 92 nutrients, 46 antioxidants, 18 amino acids, and 36 anti-inflammatories.

Moringa Benefits For Skin

1. Protection

The unique combination of fatty acids in moringa oil enables it to become a barrier between your skin and the harmful pollutants in the environment by protecting the stratum corneum. It is also a great lubricant that prevents the natural oils secreted by your skin from leaving your body and keeping it hydrated. It also has antioxidant properties, which heal the skin from any pollution damage.

2. Hydration

Moringa oil is rich in oleic acid which acts as a deep moisturizer for your skin. This is a comparatively heavier oil that pacifies vata-dominant or extremely dry skin by nourishing it from within. It also acts as a moisture lock so that the added moisture cannot leave your skin even in cold and dry weather.

Dry hands of a man in cream or ointment

3. Anti-aging

Moringa oil contains zeatin which is a component that delays skin cell damage and increases cell regeneration. All these properties act as anti-aging qualities. Moringa also prevents skin damage and early aging caused by inflammation and sun rays. The presence of vitamin C in this oil helps in stabilizing collagen which in turn reduces fine lines and early signs of aging. [6]

4. Rejuvenation

Moringa oil has detoxifying and purifying qualities. It also heals dark spots and cut marks due to its anti-fibrotic properties. The presence of sulfur helps in building natural keratin in your skin, making your skin firm and retaining its youthfulness.

5. Controlling Breakouts

Another benefit of moringa oil is that it is antiseptic and antimicrobial, which means it can help in curing acne. Moringa oil prevents your pores from getting clogged by dirt and controls sebum production. [7]

6. Radiance

This oil is rich in vitamins A, C and E, which add nourishment to your skin. Vitamin C helps in repairing damaged skin cells and the other vitamins help in reducing wrinkles and inflammation, revealing the natural glow of your skin. Gently massage your skin with moringa oil mixed with olive oil to gain a natural yet radiant glow.

7. Relaxation

Moringa is not only a physical healer but also a mental healer. Adding a few drops of this oil to your bath water can relieve you from stress, give your mental peace, remove fatigue and cleanse your whole body. This oil is frequently used in aromatherapy. It helps the body get rid of unwanted fluids and toxins.[8]

8. Pain Relief

Moringa oil is used in two essential Ayurvedic oil concoctions. Firstly it is used in the Murivenna thailam, an oil used over fresh wounds as well as old wounds that are taking a long time to heal. Also, people with arthritis problems can use this oil in pain-stricken areas for quick relief.

Also, moringa is used in Kottamchukkadi thailam, where various herbs like moringa are infused in sesame oil and this concoction is formed. This oil also helps with diseases like spondylosis, sprain and sciatica.

How To Use Moringa Powder For Skin?

Moringa powder in bowl

Moringa powder is derived from grinding sun-dried moringa leaves and is bright green in color. It is often associated with superfoods, which means that adding it to your meals and beverages increases their nutritional value. However, few know that it also has great benefits for your skin. It is therefore often used in face masks and here are some DIY face masks that you can make by yourself using moringa powder:

1. Moringa Honey Mask

How to use

  • Take ½ tbsp moringa powder, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp rose water, ½ tbsp lemon juice.
  • Mix everything together with some water and make it into a paste.
  • Apply the mixture to your face and keep it for 10 minutes.
  • Lastly, wash it off with warm water and moisturize after towel drying.

2. Moringa Avocado Mask

How to use

  • Take 1 tbsp moringa powder, ½ mashed avocado, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp water.
  • Mix all ingredients together into a paste.
  • Apply it on your face excluding the eye area.
  • Leave it for 15-20 minutes and wash it off with warm water.

3. Moringa Anti-Blemish Mask

How to use

  • Take ½ banana mashed, 1 tbsp moringa powder, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp tea tree oil.
  • Mix all ingredients together and apply on your dark spots and injury marks.
  • Leave it for up to 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

4. Moringa Oatmeal Scrub

How to use

  • Take 1 cup oats, 1 tbsp moringa powder, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup coconut oil.
  • Grind the oats into a powder and mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Use it as a body as well as face scrub.
  • Store it in an air-tight container. This scrub has a shelf life of more than a month.

Does Moringa Have Side Effects?

Just like every other natural herb and medication, moringa too has its limitations and side effects that you need to be careful about.

  • Although it is anti-inflammatory, you can be allergic to it. So, before applying it on your face, do a patch test on any other part of your body and wait for 24 hours.
  • The root of the moringa tree has a neuro-paralytic toxin that can cause paralysis and death.
  • Moringa leaves also have laxative properties, so if you do not measure your intake, they can upset your stomach and cause indigestion.
  • Any part of the moringa plant, if consumed raw, can cause indigestion.
  • Moringa has a strong rather pungent and repulsive taste that can cause nausea, based on your tolerance.
  • Moringa may have anti-fertility effects, so pregnant women should not consume it.
  • Breastfeeding women should also avoid this herb as it alters the breast milk composition.

How Long Does It Take For Moringa To Start Working?

If taken in a prescribed amount and frequency, moringa products start showing their results in one month. You need to remember that any amount above or below the prescription can delay the results or cause harm.

Vedix Tip: The purest form of moringa oil will be pale yellow in color and have a light scent of peanut. Check before buying, as many products claiming to be moringa oil contain almost the bare minimum amount of moringa extract in them.

What Happens When You Consume Moringa Every Day?

Moringa contains more vitamin C than oranges, more vitamin A than carrots, more calcium than milk and many more nutrients in astounding quantities. So, consuming it every day will only benefit you[9]. Here is how you will be benefited if you consume moringa every day:

  • It improves eyesight by preventing diseases like xerophthalmia which makes your eyes dry and irritated. It regulates blood sugar in diabetic people, hence preventing retinopathy in them.
  • Various studies have shown that consuming moringa powder improves respiratory health. Symptoms like wheezing, chest tightness and coughing have been significantly reduced among people with respiratory problems.
  • Moringa is high in fiber and fiber helps with constipation and maintaining your digestive health. It is also anti-inflammatory, which means it can help in reducing problems like gastritis and ulcerative colitis.
  • It also helps in restoring liver enzymes and detoxifying your body from drugs, chemicals, alcohol, etc.

The Last Word

This vata-kapha pacifying magic plant also known as sigru, is a perfect pathya or Ayurvedic medicine for all your skin, hair and health-related problems. Almost every part of this plant can be used as a medication or a superfood. Ayurvedic experts have often referred to moringa oil as a golden potion for your skin, based on its vast range of benefits. [10]

Most importantly, this natural remedy has a comparatively longer shelf life than most Ayurvedic herbs. Despite all these benefits, one should always consult an Ayurvedic expert or dermatologist before using moringa on his/her skin.

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