From reducing cortisol to increasing skin radiance and hair vitality, science-backed ashwagandha bridges inner wellness and outer beauty.
In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become an unavoidable part of daily life. Long working hours, exposure to environmental toxins, irregular sleep patterns, and digital overload all have taken a toll on our physical and mental health. However, many times, we often overlook the impact that stress has on our skin.
Chronic stress disrupts hormonal balance, accelerates the aging process, and manifests visibly as dullness, premature wrinkles, acne, dryness, and a loss of radiance. It also weakens hair follicles, contributing to thinning, breakage, and scalp irritation.
Today’s consumers are turning towards holistic and natural solutions that not only target skin and hair care through surface treatments alone, but also nurture wellness from within. Nutraceuticals and botanicals that work at both physiological and topical levels are at the forefront of this shift, offering integrative benefits that nourish body, mind, and skin simultaneously.
Revered for centuries in Ayurveda, ashwagandha root, an adaptogenic herb, helps the body cope with stress while restoring balance and supporting both inner wellness and external skin and hair health. Traditionally celebrated for its rejuvenation properties, ashwagandha was used not only to enhance inner vitality but also to improve complexion, glow, and overall youthfulness.
In fact, Ayurvedic beauty rituals often use ashwagandha in oils and pastes to support radiant skin and voluminous hair. Today, its unique adaptogenic and antioxidant profile makes it one of the most versatile botanicals in beauty and personal care, equally effective when applied topically or consumed from within.
The gold standard in beauty and wellness
Not all ashwagandha extracts are equal. KSM-66 Ashwagandha stands out as the most clinically studied, full-spectrum, highest-concentration root-only extract in the world. Beyond its science, what makes KSM-66 Ashwagandha truly remarkable for the beauty and personal care industry is its extensive research, quality, transparency, sustainability, and certifications.
KSM-66 Ashwagandha is the only ashwagandha extract that has been extensively studied in over 10 clinical trials for hair and skin health, both when applied topically and when consumed orally.
KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a certified organic, vegan, and cruelty-free extract with 47 third-party quality certifications, including COSMOS certification, one of the world’s most stringent standards for natural and organic cosmetics. For cosmetic companies, COSMOS certification means consumer trust, safety, and marketability in clean-label beauty.
In an era when cosmetic brands demand transparent supply chains, KSM-66 Ashwagandha is outstanding because of its fully vertically integrated model. Ixoreal Biomed controls every step of production, from seed to shelf, spanning organic farming on 1,600 acres, in-house extraction, state-of-the-art manufacturing, and distribution. This ensures batch-to-batch consistency, traceability, and ethical sourcing, critical factors for global beauty companies formulating clean-label products.
Equally important is its extraction method. KSM-66 Ashwagandha is produced using a unique aqueous extraction process adhering to the principles of green chemistry. Unlike many botanical extracts, it is devoid of alcohol or chemical solvents, preserving the natural spectrum of bioactives in the root. This not only enhances safety and efficacy but also aligns perfectly with the clean beauty movement’s emphasis on purity and sustainability.
With over 70 clinical studies, including more than 10 directly related to skin and hair health, COSMOS certifications, and robust sustainability credentials, KSM-66 Ashwagandha provides beauty brands with an ingredient that is science-backed, clean, and market-ready – a rare combination in the fast-growing beauty-from-within and natural skincare segments.
Clinically validated benefits: Backed by gold-standard trials
Beauty from outside: Skin and hair rejuvenation
Ashwagandha’s topical benefits are no longer anecdotal; they are clinically validated. A published study by Narra et al. demonstrated that a 60-day application of KSM-66 Ashwagandha lotion significantly improved skin hydration, elasticity, and texture, while reducing visible signs of photoaging such as fine lines and hyperpigmentation.¹
Another study demonstrated that a KSM-66 Ashwagandha lotion also reduced skin stress after 90 days of application.² Similarly, a recently published 75-day trial by Yerram et al., using an Ashwagandha hair serum, demonstrated marked improvements in hair density and thickness, reduced hair fall, and alleviated scalp irritation, highlighting its role in promoting stronger, healthier hair.³
Beauty from within: Inner wellness for outer glow
True radiance starts inside. Stress-driven cortisol spikes accelerate collagen breakdown, impair hydration, and weaken hair follicles, leading to dull skin and hair loss. Clinical trials evaluating KSM-66 Ashwagandha when consumed orally for 75 days demonstrated improvements in skin hydration, elasticity, and texture, while also increasing hair density, reducing hair fall, and nourishing the scalp.⁴⁻⁵
Adding to this, KSM-66 Ashwagandha’s ability to reduce cortisol and improve sleep has been demonstrated in multiple clinical trials. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 58 adults, KSM-66 Ashwagandha resulted in a 32.6% reduction in serum cortisol levels and significant improvements in sleep quality and stress scores (Salve et al., 2019).⁶ By lowering cortisol, KSM-66 Ashwagandha helps preserve collagen, elasticity, and scalp health.
Together, these findings highlight KSM-66 Ashwagandha’s unique role as a beauty-from-within ingredient, supporting both skin vitality and hair health by addressing the root causes – stress, sleep, and systemic balance, that drive outward appearance.
Closing the loop: 360° beauty
Incorporating ashwagandha into personal care routines, whether as a daily supplement, a functional food ingredient, or a topical formulation, creates a 360° beauty ritual for both skin and hair health. Consumers no longer need to choose between inner wellness and external beauty; ashwagandha supports radiant skin and strong, healthy hair holistically and naturally.
With KSM-66 Ashwagandha as the gold-standard extract, ashwagandha offers a powerful, natural, and clinically validated path to skin vitality and holistic wellbeing.
References
- Narra, K.; et al. A Study of Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Lotion on Facial Skin in Photoaged Healthy Adults. Cureus. 2013; 15(3), e36168.
- Yerram, C.; et al. Effects of Withania somnifera root extract serum application on hair health in healthy adults: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2023; 14(6), 100817.
- A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study of Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Lotion in Photo-Aged Healthy Subjects (Under Peer Review).
- A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study of Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha Root Extract Capsule on Skin and Hair Health in Healthy Adults (Under Peer Review).
- A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study to evaluate the effects of KSM-66 Ashwagandha capsule on Skin and Hair Health in Healthy Men and Women (Under Peer Review).
- Salve, J., et al. Adaptogenic and Anxiolytic Effects of Ashwagandha Root Extract in Healthy Adults: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Study. Cureus. 2019; 11(12), e6466.