Can a beauty product infused with lunar energy benefit your skin?

Move over charging your crystals, beauty products energised by the moon might be the next step in the self-care universe 

When the Universe’s impact on our lives is in question, there are distinct camps of believers and non-believers. While some plan their entire lives on the basis of the alignment of stars and planets, incorporating natural sources of energy into their daily activities, others treat every day just like the rest. Elemental energy gathered from natural sources such as gemstones has been a prominent part of wellness rituals for centuries now. Brands like Kora Organics and Herbivore Botanicals took this a step further into the beauty space by incorporating charged gemstones in the production process as well as directly into their skincare products. Closer home, recently, when Forest Essentials launched their Transformative Soundarya Night Cream, one that claims to harness the powers of the moon in its formulation, it prompted a question: Does the moon necessarily provide any benefits to your skin? We explore how lunar energy-infused skincare works, and if there really is any merit to the claims.

Lunar cycles and the human body

What we do know, thanks to scientific discovery, is that our body is primarily made of water. This fact, combined with the knowledge of how the moon affects tides, causing highs and lows, establishes the correlation between lunar cycles and possibly, our bodies. “The greatest difference between high and low tide is observed around the full moon and the new moon,” explains Aditi Lilaa Shorewal, a wellness coach, reiki practitioner and founder of Lilaa Organic Skincare. “Full moons represent the maturation of the lunar month and on these nights, the tides are higher. On a new moon night, which is the first phase of the lunar cycle, the tides are lower than usual. Our body is roughly 60 per cent water and many studies have found that lunar movements do have an impact on us, especially our hydration levels and mood.” 

Priscila Lima de Charbonnierés, astrologist, life coach and founder, Soulloop, an astrology-led wellness app, further explains the biological relationship. “The energy of the moon resonates with the water in the body that composes all molecules, containing all the elements we need. Since it resonates with all bodily water, it influences and supports the circulatory, respiratory and urinary systems, which ebb and flow. During the full moon, we may feel an increase of pressure due to liquid retention, a physiological process that represents our psychological, emotional and physical stage at that time of the lunar cycle. Our vision is clear, we feel more extroverted. During the new moon, we are draining, cleansing, and may notice a decrease in pressure that is expressed as a natural withdrawal, as we look within and release what lacks energy to carry on, making space to start anew.”

Powered by the moon

Dr Shweta Netke, senior Ayurveda doctor at Forest Essentials, takes us through the production process of a skincare product that features the moon’s energy. “Ayurvedic philosophy states that lunar energy is cooling and helps to reduce inflammation and reset imbalances. Science says that during a full moon, its energies are passed on to the water kept outside. During the making of the Soundarya Night Cream, we add herbs into water and then leave it in full moon. In brahma-muhurt (the last quarter of the night), we gather this herb-infused water and further process it. It is believed that the water gets charged by capturing the positive energy of the moon. Due to the receptive nature of the water, the light makes it all the more potent.”

This process combines the soothing and healing powers of the moonlight with water to create an energy-infused skincare blend. “According to Ayurveda, the moon is a hallowed symbol of purity and balance and possesses energies that influence the water element. When exposed to moonlight, the water imbibes the intent properties of the moon. Moon-charged water is said to enhance the glow of the skin and cleanse it, especially if used as a part of your daily beauty routine.” Of course, the moisturiser doesn’t work on the basis of the moon water alone; it also contains pure gold bhasma (ash made from gold and other plant extracts), bakuchiol, hyaluronic acid and polyglutamic acid to improve skin elasticity and repair your skin while you snooze.

Furthermore, moon water isn’t just restricted to Ayurvedic practices. Druidry, an ancient spiritual belief system that worships energy from nature and all forms of life, also believes in the benefits of water energised by the moon. “The traditional druidic practice of collecting Moon Dew–at dawn, after a full night of natural condensation–follows the knowledge that when collecting dew from plants, we are gathering herbal essence imbued with the frequency of the phase, of the sign, the element and the planetary energy of that moment in time,” explains Charbonnierés. “In the practice of making moon water, this idea is taken further. The emanations or frequencies of the energy of the moon, whether visible or not, whether full or new, are captured better in water kept in silver containers, as silver is the metal that best resonates and preserves the moon frequency. The use of a mirror to further direct the light of the moon, magnifies the potency of the frequency of the moment.” 

So is using a skincare product infused with lunar energy the secret to great skin? Not by itself. Will the product function more effectively thanks to the moon? It might be worth a shot.

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