Tag Archive for: Skincare

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Power Plants: A New Crop Of Spring Ingredients You Need To Know

We all know that plant-based diets are essential to maintaining glowing and supple skin, so it’s no surprise that our skincare regimens include a botanical garden of ingredients that promote a flawless, younger-looking complexion. There is a new crop of Spring ingredients that pack a punch when it comes to the skincare benefits they have to offer. Here are five to look out for.

CQJ_8608Baobab Oil:

This cold-pressed oil, extracted from the seeds of the fruits of any of the 9 species of Adansonia on the planet. These trees have a thick trunk which is usually thickest in the middle. Of all the species, the Adansonia grandidieri trees look the most picturesque. These trees store water in their trunks and are able to survive years of drought. They also live upto thousands of years.

It is unique among plant oils for its high concentration of Vitamins A, C, E and F. The vitamin A found in Baobab Oil helps produce smoother, younger-looking skin through its ability to fight aging, boost cell regeneration, and promote collagen and elastin growth. Baobab Oil is also a very plentiful source of highly bioavailable vitamin C that fights age-causing free radicals and improves the structural support and resiliency of your skin. Additionally, Baobab Oil has a high content of unsaturated essential fatty acids, especially linoleic and linolenic. These are called “essential” because your body is not able to produce them naturally. They’re important to the nourishment and maintenance of healthy skin because of their capacity to help heal and speed up cell regeneration. Vitamin F is an antibacterial promoting vitamin that works to reduce any surface layers of bacteria. Baobab Oil is a non-irritating and an excellent tissue hydrator.

Algae:

Various Algae and Seaweed Extracts  contain an extraordinary wealth of mineral elements that it draws from the sea which account for nearly 36% of its dry mass. These health-promoting minerals include sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus and the micronutrients include iodine, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum, fluoride, manganese, boron, nickel and cobalt. Because of its high iodine and sulfur content, Algae and seaweed extracts have outstanding anti-inflammatory, and disinfectant properties, soothing and tightening benefits for the skin.

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Organic Red Tea (Roobis): 

The truth is that red tea is not actually a tea at all. Unlike green, black and white teas which come from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, red tea (or rooibos) is made from the oxidized and dried leaves of the Aspalathis linearis plant that only grows in one spot on Earth— a tiny, mountainous region of South Africa in Western Cape Province. For centuries this extraordinary herb has been used by the native South African tribes as a natural remedy to alleviate all kinds of ailments ranging from infantile colic and allergies to asthma and skin problems.

The most important therapeutic aspect of red tea is undoubtedly its powerful antioxidant capacity. Red tea contains some of the most potent natural antioxidants known for protecting your skin from the free radical damage that can cause aging. These include vitamins C, E and beta-carotene. Red tea is known to possess 50 times the antioxidant capacity of green tea due to a high concentration of a special enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD for short), a major scavenger of free radicals. The combination of these natural vitamins and enzymes found in red tea aids in promoting new skin health after the removal of dead and damaged cells, giving your skin a smoother, brighter, and healthier appearance. In addition, red tea also contains a number of powerful polyphenols and flavonoids that help heal and rejuvenate the skin.

Blackberries: A Restorer of Even Skin Tone

Besides being rich in antioxidants that assist in the repair and conditioning of your skin, blackberry extract also contains kojic acid and alpha arbutin. These unique plant compounds are natural skin lightening agents that have a proven ability to brighten skin tone and reduce the appearance of unwanted hyperpigmentation such as age spots and freckles caused by the sun. In cultures outside the Western world where the ideal of female beauty is very fair and even-toned skin, many women, particularly in the Philippines and the Far East, have long used kojic acid and alpha arbutin to give them fairer complexions.

Nicotinamide (also called niacinamide):

You’ll find excellent natural sources of vitamin B3 in many foods such as tuna, chicken, turkey, asparagus and romaine lettuce. As an ingredient in skin care formulas, however, vitamin B3 appears in just two main forms: nicotinic acid (also known as niacin) and nicotinamide (also called niacinamide). Both of these function very much alike as vitamins and, in fact, nicotinic acid must first be converted into nicotinamide by your body before it can be used. Nicotinamide is an essential element in the creation of two important enzymes (NADH and NADPH) that play a central role in both cellular energy production and the formation of skin lipids. It’s well known that certain lipids such as fatty acids and ceramide are critical for maintaining the structural and functional integrity of your stratum corneum which, in turn, directly affects your skin hydration, softness and suppleness.

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How to combat that lingering dry and flaky Winter skin

Winter weather always wreaks havoc on our skin no matter how many oils, creams, lotions and potions are applied. Dry and flaky skin is simply inevitable given the harsh conditions in most areas of the country (and world). With Spring now officially here to stay, we wanted to share a few staples that we work into our regimen to keep the flakiness at bay while our skin is transitioning with the Spring season.

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Prep your skin (right): Arguably the most important first step is exfoliating (with something gentle) to remove the surface layers of dead skin and follow with a super hydrating moisturizer or oil. We love Goldfaden MD’s Fresh A Peel, an effective but very gentle Lactic Acid enzyme peel or Tatcha’s Deep Rice Enzyme exfoliator followed by Fleuressence “Native Botanical Cell Oil”. If you’re feeling extra dry, you can seal with your preferred heavy cream moisturizer to ensure that all moisture is locked in.

*Tip: For extreme dry areas, pat an extra dab of oil onto the targeted spot and let soak in.

Say goodbye to powder: Powders tend to lay on top of dry surfaces, build up, clog pores, and make it appear that your make up looks “caky”. Instead of grabbing your compact foundation, opt for a blush stain (we love Tarte, Benefit and ByTerry), as it will give you an elevated natural flush glow and stay on all day long.

Introduce a skin highlighter (game-changer): We have talked about skin highlighters before (because we LOVE them) and they are perfect for adding in that extra POP to your skins glow. Best to be used to accentuate the bone structures – cheek bones, nose brim, eye brow OR mix in a tiny drop with your foundation.

We love: Nars Copacabana, Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Skin Illuminator and Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfecter.

Drink water: As much as people talk about this, it’s true. Drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day not only keeps you hydrated, but it also helps to flush out all of the toxins and impurities that lead to pore-clogging mishaps. Keeping your skin hydrated is the least expensive way to take 5 years off of your age and eliminate dark circles and splotchy skin.

 

 

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Alcohol is Ruining your Skin

Alcohol is ruining your skin. We realize this is a grandiose statement but it happens to be true. Ever notice how clear non drinker’s skin and eyes are? Take a look next time and you’ll wonder if that happy hour cocktail is really a happy choice after all. While everything in moderation is considered ‘heathy’ (note- Dr. G does not drink) we want to call out all the ways that alcohol is ultimately damaging your skin.

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Let’s start with what is going on inside your cells when you drink alcohol. Alcohol contains sugar whether you add it in a mixer or not. When our bodies break down  alcohol it turns to sugar. When we ingest too much sugar, our protein molecules can cross-link with sugar molecules which causes the formation of new sugar-protein molecules. The body does not recognize these molecules and produce antibodies against them. These antibodies cause inflammation and the onset of Glycation. Glycation is responsible for the breakdown of collagen which causes, sagging skin, wrinkles, fine lines and overall dullness of the complexion.

Alcohol inhibits the production of vasopressin — an anti-diuretic hormone which has the two main jobs to restrict blood vessels and retain water. Your kidneys have to work extra hard to remove excess water which means you’ll be heading to the bathroom more frequently. When your body is deprived of fluids and electrolytes it will start to pull water from other places. This can cause skin to bloat and swell.

Alcohol also depletes your body’s Vitamin A, which is essential for cell renewal and turnover, so it is not uncommon for heavy drinkers to have a dull gray appearance to their skin. Heavy drinkers along with many people who only drink socially, see redness as a common side effect. Alcohol causes blood vessels to enlarge in the face, chest and arms, which makes people flushed and red. If you suffer for Rosace or skin flushing in general, this can make it worse overtime and even bring it to the surface. Someone with a severe alcohol allergy will become extremely red and flushed from even a small amount of alcohol. This can be also hereditary and very common in the Asian culture.

Yes, some alcohol in moderation,like red wine, can have health benefits. But the main issue seems to be people’s definition of “moderation”. Most people over drink and that is where the lines get blurred, no pun intended. If you think you may be suffering from the side effects of alcohol try stopping drinking for a few weeks and see how your skin clears up!

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