Yoga is often celebrated for its stress busting and strength building abilities- but did you know it is great for your skin too? Yoga glow is a thing and we are not even kidding! The power of yoga is often talked about and of course, we all know that yoga helps to improve posture and strength, eases aches and pains, increases physical strength and provides flexibility to the body. As you get to see these health benefits of yoga with regular practice, you can also achieve healthy and clear skin while you are at it.

Yoga benefits for skin start on the mat. It is a well-known fact that yoga induces blood flow and makes your body flexible, providing it with more oxygen and nutrients, leading to cutaneous flushing. Since yoga is an ancient practice that continues to grow in popularity, it has naturally produced various variations over time. Fortunately, if you stay focused on your goal, such as keeping your face youthful , face yoga is a great way to start! Yoga poses for skin problems is a thing and certain poses can help reduce or correct your skin related problems completely.

Lift your facial skin back to fabulous- facial yoga for the win

During our late 20s and early 30s, we often start seeing early signs of aging, our faces tend to drop down and it starts sagging over time. This is where the role of facial yoga comes in. Some facial yogas help in rejuvenating the skin.

1. Make a long O shape with your mouth open. Make sure your teeth are covered by both of your lips.
2. Draw up your cheek muscles and raise the corners of your mouth into a smile.
3. Now close your eyes for a moment. Roll them up and up, up and up, up and up, up and up, up Continue to “look” up and alter your mouth shape. Your "O" should be as small as possible. Slowly tilt your head back after another smile to ensure your cheek muscles are fully tightened.
4. Tighten your buttocks and abdomen, lift your chest, and raise your hands over your head slowly. Imagine all of your facial muscles reaching towards the ceiling as you take long, deep breaths.
5. Hold for thirty seconds in this position. Exhale as you lower your hands and allow your head to fall to the ground, then slowly roll back up.

Doing this twice a day is super good for the face and helps your skin breathe better.

Asanas your skin will thank you for

While yoga is good for the overall well being of our body, some asanas in particular can help you achieve soft and supple skin. Regular practice of these asanas can help to retain the elasticity of your skin and it also helps the skin to get rid of toxins to restore the healthiest version of it.

• The fish pose or matsyasana is a great asana for balancing hormones and relaxing muscles. If practised regularly, this asana can slow down aging by helping retain the elasticity of the skin. Thus making your skin look younger as you age!
• The downward facing shishuasana, also known as the child posture, improves facial circulation, lowers tension, and improves the general health of your skin.
• One of the most challenging asanas, the shirshasana also known as the king of all asanas, has the highest payoff—it is known to improve blood circulation to the face, eliminate toxins from the body, and even boost your mood.
• Trikonasana, also called the Triangle Pose, is the finest yoga asana to achieve healthy skin as it opens up the lungs, chest, and heart. It provides more oxygen to the skin, making it feel more refreshed and renewed.
• Bhujangasana or the relaxing cobra pose aids in the reduction of tension, stress, and exhaustion, it also aids in skin regeneration by providing additional oxygen to the skin cells, which helps the body flush out impurities.
• Sarvangasana, also known as the shoulder stand, is often regarded as the best yoga asana for clear skin. It improves the texture and quality of your skin by increasing blood flow to your face. This asana should be done 3 to 5 times a day to relieve your skin of pimples, acne, wrinkles, and dullness.

Yoga is beneficial for both skin and muscles. It reduces pimples and acne by detoxifying and lowering cortisol levels, as well as giving your skin an amazing sheen.It also helps you get rid of wrinkles by increasing the flexibility of your skin. So, what do you have to lose? So yoga for skin problems everyday and notice the change! So, bring out your yoga pants, join a club, or look up at online tutorials, and you'll never have to worry about a parlour toning session again!