Nutrients From Nature Your Skin Needs
Nature has given us everything we need to care for our skin - no artificial colors, chemicals or fragrances necessary. The natural hues are rich with healing properties, the aromas are deeply therapeutic for the skin and mind, and the benefits are truly transformative, inside and out.
It can be tough to navigate the world of natural skincare and all of the nutrients your skin needs, so today we're breaking down exactly what to feed your skin and where to find them.
But first, when it comes to topical skincare and the ingredients we apply, let's take a closer look at the skin and a couple of the countless ways it's been created to function:
- Protection: Our skin literally holds us together. About 22 square feet of skin covers everything and ensures our internal organs/systems are safe and stay intact. It also acts as a defensive barrier to guard against chemicals, bacteria and other harmful substances while keeping in water and other necessary nutrients - helping to prevent dehydration, injury and damage.
- Absorption: Topically applied products can actually penetrate past the skin barrier through the skin’s layers, hair follicles or sweat glands. The composition of the product and the specific area of the skin to which it’s applied can both affect the skin’s ability to absorb and the product’s capability to penetrate. Medical professionals even administer medicine topically through ointments or patches as they’ve found this method can boost efficacy - evidence that what we put on our skin truly does affect our overall wellness!
These processes above are proof that what we apply to our skin matters. Topical skincare products sourced from nature are a powerful way to help reduce toxic exposure on your skin (and in your body) while keeping this protective barrier and self-regenerating organ strong, resilient and oh so vibrant.
Here the nutrients from nature your skin needs more of ASAP - plus some of our favorite places to find them!
VITAMINS
- Vitamin C: Protects against (and even reverses) free radical damage from sun, stress, pollution, chemicals, etc. It promotes healthy collagen and elastin levels in the dermis and diminishes discoloration for a bright, even complexion.
- Marula Oil, Baobab Oil, Green Tea with EGCG
Vit C Tip: Be cautious of synthetic versions of Vitamin C (such as L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, ester-C and even more) which are often derived from corn syrup, acetone and other toxic chemicals.
- Vitamin A: Encourages the production of collagen/elastin, stimulates cell renewal and strengthens tissue while helping to heal skin conditions from inflammation and problematic acne to sun damage and signs of aging.
- Seabuckthorn Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Maracuja Oil
- Vitamin D: Contributes to healthy skin cell development, decreases inflammation, helps to repair damage plus protects against environmental stressors that can cause sensitivities and premature aging.
- Tallow from grass-fed cows, CBD Oil
- Vitamin E: Powerfully repairs and reverses free radical damage while rebuilding hydration, soothing irritation and stimulating healing for countless skin conditions.
- Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Neem Oil, Baobab Oil, Marula Oil
- Vitamin K: Supports a healthy, even skin tone by diminishing dark spots and refining texture while helping to calm inflammation and expedite the healing process.
- Tallow from grass-fed cows, Avocado Oil, Prickly Pear Seed Oil
A sidenote on vitamins: By incorporating whole, unrefined plant oils (like the ones we mentioned above!), your skin is fed with the full range of benefits found in that ingredient. Instead of isolating a specific vitamin or nutrient, the entire plant profile - including vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, flavonoids, antioxidants, terpenes, etc - creates a more potent and transformative skincare product.
Our favorite way to feed our skin vitamin-rich oils is with Skin-Specific Serums. Apply after cleansing and toning to transform skin, naturally!
MINERALS
- Zinc: Essential for skin health with serious anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects to create clear, balanced skin and minimize acne and related scarring.
- Kaolin Clay, CBD Oil, Avocado Oil
- Selenium: Maintains healthy skin function, elasticity and resiliency and protects against environmental damage.
- Jojoba Oil, Pink Kaolin Clay and Tallow from grass-fed cows
- Copper: Supports the building blocks of healthy skin by promoting collagen/elastin production and working alongside other vitamins and minerals to boost their potency.
- Green Kaolin Clay, Olive Oil and Marula Oil
Our favorite way to feed our skin mineral-rich ingredients is with Skin-Specific Masks. Apply 1-3x a week to naturally refine skin texture and stimulate cell renewal.
PLANT WATERS
- Lavender Hydrosol: This antibacterial botanical calms sensitivities, restores hydration and expedites the healing process for compromised skin barriers.
- Neroli Hydrosol: Packed with antioxidants, this exotic blossom stimulates cell renewal along with anti-inflammatory compounds to minimize acne/scarring and balance oil production.
- Rose Hydrosol: This beautifying plant protects skin from water loss by locking in hydration along with vitamins A + C to even skin tone and create a firmer, more dewy complexion.
Our favorite way to give our skin a much-needed drink of water is with Skin-Specific Mists! Spritz after cleansing and before applying serum/cream to lock in hydration and boost absorption and benefits.
PLANT OILS
Flower power is a source for some serious nutrients in skincare (as we’ve already see above!). Plants and flowers found in nature are blooming with benefits that can powerfully heal and beautify the skin.
- Essential Oils: Extracted from plants, EOs are potent and powerful in helping to heal the skin and promote overall health. Rather than using synthetic fragrances, experience the pure aromas as well as the added benefits of essential oils.
- Neroli, Bergamot and Manuka detoxify, calm, clarify and brighten acne-prone skin.
- Blue Tansy, Lavender and Sandalwood work synergistically to soothe, balance and repair sensitive skin.
- Frankincense, Jasmine and Geranium regenerate, rehydrate and naturally plump dry/mature skin.
- Carrier Oils: These superfood oils regenerate and supply the skin with nutrients and essential fatty acids while carrying the beauty benefits of essential oils into the skin.
- Jojoba Oil, Squalane Oil, Tamanu Oil
Our favorite way to feed our complexion skin-loving oils is with Cleansing Oils. Cleanse nightly by massaging oil onto dry skin, remove with warm/wet washcloth and reveal vibrant, glowing skin!
ANIMAL FATS
When looking to nature for what the skin needs, there are a couple of skin-loving ingredients we just can’t overlook. When we only use plant-based products on our skin, we miss out on several nutrients only found abundantly in animal fats.
A beautifying blend of responsibly sourced animal fats and organic plant oils work synergistically to deeply moisturize and nourish the skin. Our skin needs these nutrients and fats together in order to stay strong, healthy and hydrated.
The make up of animal fats, such as tallow from grass-fed cows, make it compatible with our cell biology and deeply nourishing for our cell health. Healthy cells = Healthy skin.
It also helps to retain moisture and water levels in skin, rebuild strength of skin cells, and repair tissues. Research has even proven grass-fed tallow helps to rejuvenate skin and helps to heal severe dry skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema.
- Tallow from grass-fed cows: High in fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K (in balanced combination with their activators) along with vitamin E (4 times as much as grain-fed cows) and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits keep skin calm, clear and youthful.
- Emu Oil: Known for its robust anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it locks in moisture and can be extremely effective in fighting acne and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Our favorite way to feed our skin healing, healthy animal fats is with Skin-Specific Creams. Apply over your serum (or solo!) to seal in active ingredients and protect the outermost layer of your skin.
It may seem like a lot of nutrients your skin needs to thrive, so how can you be sure you’re feeding your skin with everything it needs? A consistent, simple topical skincare routine is all it takes.
- Begin your routine by cleansing with a blend of carrier and essential oils to purify pores
- Replenish with plant waters found in toning mists
- Mask a few times a week with a mineral-rich formula for your skin state
- Massage in a superfood serum packed with vitamins to transform skin
- Finish with a light layer of a cream full of sustainably sourced animal fats and plant-based ingredients
Sounds like a delicious, nutrient-dense menu plan for your skin, doesn’t it? :)
What you put on your skin (and on your plate!) makes a difference and nature is the perfect source for all of the nutrients your skin needs. XO
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