Triphala: Benefits for Skin, Hair and Health

‘Certified organic,’ ‘all-natural, ‘derived from nature’- these terms have recently been doing the rounds of the skincare and beauty market. So, what does it mean?

‘Organic’ products are manufactured using ingredients borrowed directly from nature. People have become more conscious about what they use and how it affects their skin, thereby making better skincare choices that also help the environment.

Disguised as grandma’s home remedies in the past, organic skincare has been an influential part of the skincare and beauty circuit for quite some time, using ingredients readily available in nature to treat skin issues. Nowadays, organic skincare and haircare products have adopted these ingredients into readily available products to provide amazingly positive results. One such ingredient is Triphala, a highly effective, plant-based concoction that offers multiple skin, hair, and health benefits.

What Is Triphala Oil?

Triphala oil is the oil extracted from a therapeutic mixture of three herbal fruits – Indian Gooseberry (Amla), Belleric Myrobalan (Vibhitaka or Baheda), and Black Myrobalan (Haritaki or Harad). This plant-based Ayurvedic formulation is packed with protective nutrients that help keep the skin and hair healthy. It also contains natural components that strengthen the body’s immune system.

All three ingredients in triphala have tremendously positive effects on our hair and skin. Let’s breakdown the three elemental triphala benefits for skin and hair:

• Amla: Rich in Vitamin C, amla significantly contributes to triphala’s benefits for your skin and hair. It has anti-aging properties that prevent wrinkles, premature greying, and acne.
• Haritaki: One of the best triphala benefits for skin comes from Haritaki, a small, green fruit. It contains antioxidant properties that slow down the aging process of your skin and hair.
• Vibhitaka: Known for its anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, vibhitaka helps strengthen your hair roots and prevents acne breakouts.

What Are Some Major Triphala Benefits for Your Skin?

Triphala oil offers a slew of benefits for your skin and hair. Here are some:

1. Prevents Acne/Pimples: The antibacterial properties of triphala act against acne-causing bacteria and help reduce acne and pimple breakouts. Some other triphala benefits for the skin also include soothing the inflammation caused by pimples.
2. Replenishes the Skin: Rich in antioxidants, triphala oil, can even out blemishes and dark spots. It also helps rebuild protein and strengthen the skin cells to ensure that facial skin is revitalized, restored, and fresh.
3. Prevents Skin Ageing: The Vitamin C present in triphala oil boosts collagen production in the skin, reducing wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation, thereby allowing the skin to stay young and healthy for a longer time. It also provides hydration to the skin and supports moisture retention to slow down its aging process.
4. Reduces the Visibility of Scars: One of the triphala benefits for skin comes from its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that act towards healing wounds and scars. It helps in the recovery process by removing dead and damaged skin cells and boosting the growth of new cells in their place.
5. Aids in Reducing Dark Circles: Vitamin C and antioxidants in triphala help reduce puffiness and darkness around the eyes. The components in triphala help to rejuvenate the skin around the eyes and make sure under-eye dark circles are reduced effectively.

What Are Some Triphala Benefits for Hair?

Targeting every aspect of physical health, triphala helps in reducing hair issues as well. This is how triphala oil benefits the hair:

1. Encourages Hair Growth: The strength-building ingredients in Triphala oil work like a tonic for the hair, reinforcing the hair roots and fortifying the hair follicles to promote active hair growth. Thus, it provides you with long and robust tresses that are not susceptible to hair fall and breakage.
2. Improves Scalp Health: Triphala oil contains elements like amla and baheda that maintain the pH balance of the scalp, thereby restoring scalp health and keeping your hair healthy and strong.
3. Helps in Removing Dandruff: Packed with anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, triphala oil is known to act against dandruff-causing factors to restore hair health. It helps wash away dandruff residue from the scalp while treating any other related conditions to keep your hair clean and smooth.
4. Reduces Hair Loss: Regularly applying triphala oil on the scalp can help prevent hair loss. The active ingredients in the oil stimulate the hair follicles and strengthen them to make sure that hair loss is reduced.
5. Improves Hair Texture: Triphala oil is also known to improve hair texture and provide a soft, silky, and smooth mane. It smooths rough hair strands by reducing the signs of damage and ensuring that your hair is healthy and strong.

What Are the Other Benefits of Triphala?

Apart from skin and hair, triphala offers a range of impressive benefits for your body as well. Here are some health benefits of regularly using triphala:

1. Helps in Maintaining Oral Health: Triphala is quite effective in fighting against oral issues like plaque, mouth sores, gingivitis, and fungal infections. The anti-fungal properties in triphala prevent fungal infections inside the mouth, while its antioxidant properties help reduce mouth sores.
2. Has Digestive Properties: Triphala is known to restrict the growth of bacteria in the intestines, and according to a study, it improves constipation and gut health. It may also help in the growth of digestion-aiding bacteria to remove waste from the body.
3. Strengthens Immunity: Triphala’s rejuvenating properties increase the body’s immune power and strengthen it to fight against health issues daily.
4. May Aid in Weight Loss: This remedial mixture is also known to support weight loss. It speeds up the digestion process and contains specific laxative properties that help eradicate waste from the body.
5. Helps reduce Stress Levels: Triphala contains adaptogens that can aid the body in coping with stress. It also helps to calm the mind and body and reduce anxiety levels.

How to Use Triphala Oil for Skin and Hair?

Although there are numerous triphala benefits for skin, hair, and health, it is not advised to use the essential oil directly as it is highly concentrated. It can be diluted by adding it to a carrier oil to make it suitable for topical use. Some ways of using triphala oil in your skincare and haircare routines are:

1. Triphala Oil for Acne and Blemishes – You can add a small amount of diluted triphala oil to natural face packs like chickpea face pack or Fuller’s earth to increase its potency and reduce blemishes and acne.
2. Triphala Oil for Dark Circles – Dilute the triphala oil with a carrier oil, soak a piece of cotton in it and apply it around the eyes before going to bed to soothe the area around the eyes.
3. Triphala Oil for Hair Health: Add a few drops of triphala oil to coconut or onion hair oils and apply it to the scalp. Mix it from the roots to the tips of your hair to increase its effect.

Apart from these, several ready-made products are enriched with triphala oil, promoting skin and hair health. You can find organic shampoos, hair oils, under-eye creams, and face moisturizers that contain triphala oil for daily use.