In a previous blog post, I wrote about the value of coconut oil for your skin, which accounts for its inclusion in many of today’s skin creams, soaps and lotion and hair care products. Coconut Oil includes seven medium-chain fatty acids, which eliminate moisture loss through pores in the skin and so they help retain the skin’s moisture content. Coconut Oil also contains Vitamin E, which inhibits free radical damage that results in wrinkles. Vitamin E boosts the production of collagen, the protein in skin that gives it strength and durability. It also helps diminish wrinkles by supporting the growth of new skin cells and speeding up cell regeneration.
But Coconut Oil isn’t the only natural ingredient touted for its benefits to the skin. Below are six others you may want to consider as part of your beauty regimen. But note, expert opinions vary and in some cases more research needs to be done to confirm all the benefits of these ingredients. Always do your homework before anything to your skin, whether directly or in a skin care product.
1) Aloe Vera: As far back as 2000 years, Greek scientists believed the Aloe Vera plant was a universal panacea. Egyptians actually called it “the plant of immortality.” With its fleshy and thorny leaves, many believe the Aloe Vera is a cactus. But Aloe Vera is actually a member of the Lily family. Like other succulents, its stays moist by closing its pores to prevent moisture loss. Slice open the lower part of the Aloe Vera leaf and you’ll find a gel that can be applied to the skin for a number of healing and moisturizing benefits.
Today consumers use Aloe Vera to treat sunburn because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Aloe Vera also is used in a range of skin care products because it contains several antioxidants, including beta carotene, vitamins C and E, to help improve the skin’s firmness and keep it hydrated. With its hydrating properties, Aloe Vera can help to minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles.
2) Avocado: The uniquely pear shaped fruit, with an alligator like bumpy skin offers an abundant source of critical fatty acids and antioxidants -- the powerful Vitamin E the most notable -- to help prevent wrinkles and skin aging. Owing to its chemical properties and water-retaining qualities, Avocado Oil also acts as a moisturizer to promote soft and supple skin. And Avocado Oil is high in plant based fats called sterolins, which have been known to produce skin collagen, reduce age spots and heal skin damage from the sun and scars.
3) Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple Cider Vinegar is made from fermented apples, which preserves its therapeutic properties, writes Helen Negru for Elite Daily. Apple Cider Vinegar is a good source ofa source of potassium, pectin, malic acid, acetic acid and Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and E. With its strong anti-fungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can help to exfoliate your skin and balance its PH, Negru explains. Also because it contains Vitamin C, which helps to stimulate collagen production, it can help keep skin toned and reduce wrinkles.
You’ll want to use Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in water (don’t apply it directly) and check it out on your hand before applying liberally since some people are sensitive to it Natural Living Ideas provides some guidelines on use.
4) Green Tea Extract: Green Tea Extract has a number of healthful skin benefits. It is rich in antioxidants to protect the skin from the damaging effects of free radicals and encourage healing of cells in order to help reduce wrinkles, brown spots and sun damage.
Also Science Daily writes that Medical College of Georgia found that compounds in Green Tea called polyphenols help eliminate free radicals, which can cause cancer by altering DNA. EGCG, one of the most abundant polyphenols in Green Tea, reactivates dying skin cells. Since EGCG isn’t absorbed beyond the epidermis, its benefits are limited to the outer layer of skin but they still are significant. Dr. Stephen Hsu, lead researcher said, “…if we can energize dying skin cells, we can probably improve the skin condition.”
5) Shea Butter: Shea Butter is actually the fat from the nut of the Shea tree that grows in West Africa. According to the American Shea Butter Institute (ASBI), the best Shea Butter for the skin is prepared by cold press methods without the use of added chemicals or preservative. Shea Butter gets is nourishing and healing properties from it abundance of vitamins, most notably A, which contributes to healthy, balanced and even-toned skin by aiding skin cell turnover. Shea Butter also contains Vitamin E and Vitamin F, which is essential to the growth and maintenance of healthy skin. The natural fatalso contains cinnamic acid, a substance that helps protect skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
6) Tea Tree Oil: Talk about versatility and you’re talking about Tea Tree Essential Oil. It can be used from home cleaning agents to personal care products. Tea Tree Oil comes from a shrub-like tea tree called Melaleuca alternifolia, which is a native Australian plant. The popularity of Tea Tree Oil comes from its many benefits. Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, fungicide and insecticide are just some of the properties attributed to this essential oil, which has a scent similar to camphor. Today Tea Oil is used worldwide as both a neat oil (an essential oil applied to the skin undiluted) and as an active component in a range of products.
While you are considering natural ingredients as part of your skin care regimen, don’t forget the benefits Retinol, a type of retinoid, which a potent antioxidant derivative of Vitamin A that helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and deep wrinkles by slowing down the breakdown of collagen. True Results Retinol Active Skincare uses the latest, revolutionary advancements in Retinol combined with patented, natural moisture boosters to transform skin.