Here’s how Ashwagandha is slowly reaching cult status

We attempt to break down the Ayurvedic ingredient’s rise to global omnipresence, from supplements to skincare products and much more

The explosion of Ayurvedic ingredients in beauty products is at an all-time high, not just in India but across the world, so much so that the global Ayurvedic market is expected to witness a jump of 12 per cent per year, evaluating the market to $16,230 million by 2028 from $7273.3 million in 2021. Needless to say, the COVID-19 pandemic has propelled Ayurveda’s popularity and reach, as everything ‘natural,’ ‘organic’ and ‘Ayurvedic’ had then made a significant comeback. While companies in the Ayurvedic market typically demonstrated an annual growth of up to 20 per cent before the pandemic, they enjoyed a whopping growth of 50-90 per cent between 2020 and 2021 after the pandemic hit the world.

Today, consumers have the power to choose from a buffet of formulations comprising ingredients of every possible category—natural, Ayurvedic, modern actives and their hybrids and many more—and can opt for a bespoke beauty routine. Hence, when brands like 82°E—co-founded by actor Deepika Padukone—amalgamated a traditional herb like ashwagandha with a contemporary active like sodium hyaluronate in its Ashwagandha Bounce Cream, the product instantaneously kindled consumer interest, making it a bestseller in no time. We attempt to find out what makes brands bet on Ashwagandha and the many benefits the herb has to offer.

What makes ashwagandha a standout ingredient?

Traditional Ayurvedic medicine has championed ashwagandha as a hero for as long as one can remember—over 6,000 years, to be precise. The herb, also known as Withania somnifera or Indian ginseng or winter cherry, is unlike common Ayurvedic ingredients—its benefits are multidimensional. “The name ‘ashwagandha’ literally translates to ‘smell of horse,’ referring to the fresh root’s distinct horse-like odour and the traditional belief that consuming the herb will bestow you with a horse’s strength and virility,” reveals Mumbai-based dermatologist Dr Niketa Sonavane. Principally, ashwagandha’s utility was restricted to ingesting the herb in order to procure its stress-relieving, mood-elevating and rejuvenating benefits. However, today, alongside a plethora of supplements, the herb is amongst the tier-one ingredients of a bunch of skincare products, too. “The most interesting feature of this herb is its holistic impact on the human body and its role in improving your wellness as well as skin health,” says Bengaluru-based Vibha Harish, co-founder, Cosmix, a herbal nutrition and plant-based supplement company.

Why are beauty brands betting on it?

It is important to pin the fact that the herb is an adaptogen, which means that it enables you to adapt to stress and anxiety, making it more relevant to the modern-day consumer who usually struggles with concerns surrounding a sedentary lifestyle. Founder of 21 Organic and Ayurveda enthusiast Aditi Deshmukh says, “In Ayurveda, ashwagandha is known as a ‘rasayana’ or a potent tonic with adaptogens that help the body cope with stress triggers and bring it back to a state of mental, physical and emotional balance.” Talking about how stress adversely affects your skin, Harish says, “Stress does nothing but essentially weaken your immune system. The immune system prevents the damage caused by external environmental aggressors. This makes your skin vulnerable to the sun, pollution and chemicals.” Several studies prove ashwagandha’s efficacy in considerably reducing cortisol levels, thereby helping you combat stress, which ultimately allows your immune system to function optimally and protect your skin. This is also one of the main reasons why the formulators at 82°E infused ashwagandha in their cream. “The adaptogen is an all-rounder and, therefore, when making a moisturiser which is meant to cater to all types of skin and their multiple requirements, ashwagandha became our obvious first choice,” they share.

The benefits

Harish also throws light on the fact that the herb’s roots are packed with hyaluronan, which is nothing but hyaluronic acid in its natural state, thus making ashwagandha an effective choice for accelerated collagen production and improved elasticity. Additionally, Sonavane attributes a chunk of the herb’s benefits to its antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory properties that keep fine lines, wrinkles, blackheads, redness and dark spots at bay, in addition to healing scars and reducing inflammation.

Talking about how it’s equally beneficial for maturing skin as well for those who live in the city, 82°E’s formulators say, “Besides hydration, the ingredient aids with other simple requirements like lending an even skin tone, smoother skin texture, and an overall healthier look.” They reveal that in tandem with sodium hyaluronate, Ashwagandha Bounce’s hydrating action only multiplied, despite the custard-like, lightweight texture. 

The best ashwagandha investments  

While Deshmukh is of the opinion that ingesting ashwagandha is the most efficacious way of reaping its benefits, there are some skincare products that help you inch closer to that effect. “We use ashwagandha extract, not just an essential oil, which ups the potency of the ingredient. Our extraction process is comparatively modern, helping us procure refined, high-end extracts that can be repeated time and again to maintain the standard of the formula,” 82°E’s formulators tell us. 

Sharing the process of obtaining the extract, , Sonavane explains, “Ashwagandha extract is made from the root and leaves of the plant in one of three ways: First, whole roots and leaves are dried and powdered (powder extract); second, boiled in water and reduced (water extract); and third, soaked in oil and cooked at low temperature (oil extract). Products containing ashwagandha extract are safe for all skin types; a patch test is, however, recommended for those with sensitive skin.”

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