Whether you follow TikTok beauty trends or get lured into buying commercial beauty products, skin care is an ever-evolving field. There are no breakthroughs, tips, and hacks about how to best care for the body’s largest organ. With so many options to choose from, how do you know which skin care products are right for you? That can be very difficult, considering that each product has a handful of ingredients, some of which may do more harm than good.
Because more people are aware of the negative effects of commercial beauty products, DIY skin care products are more popular than ever. Simple ingredients, many of which have been used for centuries, can help address common skin issues. In case you need more proof, the following five natural skin care ingredients have loads of research to back up their efficacy. Continue reading to learn more about them.
Green Tea For Inflammation And Aging
Green tea is replete with polyphenols, offering a shocking 30% polyphenol antioxidant count by weight. Researchers state that the most notable antioxidant is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory properties. According to several studies, topical application of polyphenols can help repair sun-damaged skin. Some research even indicated that this topical application may reverse the signs of aging, such as reducing the appearance of dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Oat Extracts For Sensitive Skin
Some beauty experts consider oats, or oat extracts, to be the gold standard for sensitive skin. Both colloidal oatmeal and oat oil are beloved by estheticians for their ability to soothe sensitive skin. For example, colloidal oatmeal has a high lipid and antioxidant content, which helps protect the skin barrier. Colloidal oatmeal has many active nutrients, including vitamin E, ferric acid, and avenanthramides, which exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Many dermatologists recommend colloidal oatmeal for the treatment of eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Coconut Oil For Dry Skin
Soothing dryness should not be your only reason for using coconut oil topically on the skin. Coconut oil contains natural fatty acids that help nourish and smooth out the skin. The reason coconut oil is particularly beneficial for dry skin is because it helps increase moisture levels in the skin, due to its occlusive properties. It also helps to improve skin barrier function, which is why people with eczema or psoriasis find coconut oil so soothing.
Aloe Vera For Dullness
You are probably most familiar with aloe vera for its ability to soothe sunburns and accelerate the healing from burns or mild scrapes. It has been a staple in natural skin care for centuries because of its medicinal properties. Researchers found that aloe vera contains more than 75 (and potentially up to 200) different active compounds, such as sugars, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and salicylic acids. Aloe vera is excellent for hydrating the skin because it is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to the skin.
Researchers note that aloe vera has proven to increase the water content of the stratum corneum, the skin’s outermost layer. But wait, there’s more! Aloe vera may help brighten the skin, due to its content of aloesin. One study found that it helped treat UV-induced and post-acne hyperpigmentation. Topical application of aloesin may directly inhibit hyper pigmented skin from producing more melanin, which can cause the formation of dark spots.
Jojoba Oil For Oil Control
The chemical structure of jojoba oil is very similar to human cells, making it a popular ingredient in skin care products. Jojoba oil may help reduce oiliness by modulating the skin’s production of sebum. Because of the iodine content, jojoba oil also works to balance bacterial overgrowth, which can lead to breakouts. Finally, jojoba oil is rich in skin-soothing ingredients, such as vitamin E, copper, B-complex vitamins, and zinc, which give the oil anti-inflammatory properties.
