What ingredients are often found in skin care products?

There are thousands upon thousands of skin care brands in the world, each one of them with their own methodology, product formulation, and treatment plan.  Some focus on spot treatment and treating symptoms, while others focus on prevention and lifestyle changes.  What really matters, though, is the “guts” of the products: the ingredient list and what’s in the bottle.  Although the consensus in treatment from brand to brand may differ, close examination of ingredient lists may lead to some surprising results.

With skin care, there are really only two types of products: natural/organic and synthetic.  Labs are able to create nearly every ingredient and compound found in nature to a surprising efficacy level these days.  What they aren’t able to consistently and accurately replicate, however, is the purity of naturally derived ingredients.  We have found that naturally derived ingredients, specifically those with high anti-oxidant levels, are the most effective in treating and training the skin.  Here are some of our favorite ingredients to look for in skin care products:

    Blueberries – Packed with vitamin A, C and E. Blueberries protect the skin from cellular damage, strengthen blood vessels, and keep the skin youthful and healthy.

    Hibiscus – Called the Botox flower for its anti-aging benefits. Hibiscus also helps to create cell turnover, keeping skin soft and subtle. It’s also wonderful for age spots!!  

    Gotu Kola – Love this because it speeds up the skins healing process for scars, acne, and dark marks on the skin. It’s healing benefits can be a game changer for perfect, flawless skin.

    Pumpkin – Packed with vitamins A and C, pure antioxidants! Pumpkin is also a fruit enzyme filled with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) which increase cell turnover to brighten and smooth the skin. It also increases collagen production and decreases the signs of aging!

    Retinol – Reduces fine line and wrinkle by increasing the production of collagen. It also stimulates the production of new blood cells in the skin, thus reversing the aging process.

    Centella Asiatica – This ingredient is rich in amino acids, beta carotene, and fatty acids. It strengthens and creates antioxidant power and blood flow in areas of scar tissue and acne; essentially creating new, healthy, ageless tissue.

When searching for that perfect product, be on the lookout for these ingredients.  More specifically, look out for the word “naturally derived” somewhere on the bottle.  This will show that the company takes natural skin care seriously and sources their products from nature as opposed from a lab.