You’ve tried an endless number of natural products in your (seemingly never-ending) quest for glowy, healthy skin, but do you know what the ingredients in those products are actually doing for you?
To help you decode beauty labels (and find out which products you really need for your complexion’s unique make-up) we partnered with British skin-care knockout ELEMIS to create the ultimate guide to superfoods in skin care.
From your classic go-to’s like avocado, to interesting newcomers like broccoli seed and daikon radish, we rounded up all the vegan-friendly ingredients you didn’t know your skin-care regimen was missing.
The common denominator? Every ingredient in ELEMIS’ science-backed Superfood range is made more potent by the presence of a natural sugar-derived prebiotic, which supports the microflora on your skin’s surface to keep your complexion balanced and at peak health.
Because more good bacteria equals happy skin, and happy skin means more “I woke up like this” vibes.
Scroll down to see the superfoods you need to add to your skin-care routine, stat.
To smooth and hydrate: Rosehip + Broccoli Seed Oil
Why you need it: If you want dewy, hydrated skin, you have to feed it hydrating ingredients (yes, even if you have oily skin), which is where these two mega-moisturizers come in.
Broccoli seed oil has omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids for all the nourishing, and anti-inflammatory benefits you need, while rosehip oil helps regulate your skin’s oil production for balanced, radiant skin.
Where to find it: The rosehip and broccoli seed oil in ELEMIS Superfood Facial Oil work their magic to soften and smooth, and with seven other antioxidant-rich superfood ingredients added to the mix of the seriously powerful Superfood Complex, you know you’re getting a super concentrated dose of the good stuff. Plus, the easily absorbed oil doesn’t leave a greasy residue (#win).
For protection: Matcha + Daikon Radish
Why you need it: When you go outside, your skin pretty much gets bombarded with environmental stressors (think smog and pollution). But instead of holing up on your couch in the name of great skin (tempting in February, of course), certain plant-based powerhouses can act as natural protectors.
Case in point: Matcha is chock-full of antioxidants (to help build a protective barrier against damaging free radicals), while the omega-6 and -9 in radishes deeply moisturize for a hydrating shield.
Where to find it: The Supergreen Complex in ELEMIS Superfood Day Cream contains nutrient-dense ingredients like daikon radish, broccoli, and cucumber, which work together to replenish skin. That hydration gets locked in by the antioxidant powers of matcha, goji berry, and ginger ferment for max protection from the elements. Basically, dry winter air has nothin’ on you.
To restore dry skin: Chia + Barley
Why you need it: While you’re snoozing, your skin starts working the night shift to undo the damage done to it during the day. You can make the regeneration process easier by adding ingredients like chia seeds and barley to your bedtime routine—basically, giving your skin the tools it needs to get the job done.
Chia gives your skin a healthy dose of omegas, vitamins C and E, and phytosterols for a more youthful appearance (no Snapchat filter required) and barley supplies amino acids to help stimulate collagen.
Where to find it: The loss of nutrients that are stripped from your skin daily can result in dry, dull-looking skin. ELEMIS Superfood Night Cream uses a Supergrain Complex (featuring small but mighty ingredients like chia, barley, flax, and black seeds) and sweet almond milk for added hydration, to take your skin from depleted to dreamy—overnight.
For nourishment: Kale + Avocado Oil
Why you need it: All the reasons you load your lunchtime salad with veggies apply to your skin care, too. And while we don’t advise face-planting into your salad bowl, using kale and avocado on your skin could come with major good-for-you benefits.
Kale extract is basically a green multivitamin, supplying your skin with vitamins A, C, B6, K, and manganese, while avocado oil rounds out the supplement regimen with skin-plumping fatty acids.
Where to find it:ELEMIS Superfood Facial Wash specializes in flushing out the bad stuff (the dirt and grime that can clog your pores) and replacing it with the good stuff (superfoods like kale, avocado, pumpkin seed, and wheatgrass to healthify your complexion and make you glow).
Add superfoods to your skin-care routine
In partnership with ELEMIS
Graphics: W+G Creative
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