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The 5 Best Natural Skin Care Ingredients According To Loads Of Research
Skin care is ever-evolving—with innovations developing at breakneck speed. While we love following along with these breakthroughs, we sure do love to revisit the classics. There are so many wonderful natural ingredients that have been used for decades due to the simple fact that they are effective.
And in case you needed more proof—they also have loads of research to back them up.
For dullness: Aloe vera
Even if it's most famous for its role as a sunburn soother, aloe vera has been used for centuries for a range of skin care, health, and medicinal purposes. The reason it's so beloved is because it's chock-full of nutrients: Research shows that it contains more than 751 (and perhaps up to 2002) different active compounds, including vitamins, minerals, sugars, enzymes, salicylic acids, and amino acids.
To start: It's an excellent hydrator. The ingredient is a natural humectant, which means it attracts moisture to the skin. Research has shown it has the ability to increase the water content3 of the outermost layer of skin (called the stratum corneum). Although, it does not decrease transepidermal water loss, which points to its role as a humectant—rather than as an emollient or occlusive. (Read: The ingredient should be used alongside thicker botanicals such as shea butter, oat oil, coconut oil, and so on.)
But we really love it for its brightening abilities. According to one study, one of the components of aloe (called aloesin) was found to be effective in treating UV-induced and post-acne hyperpigmentation4. Another study found that the topical application of aloesin can directly inhibit hyperpigmented skin from producing more melanin, the pigment that, when overproduced, causes dark spots to form.
For dry skin: Coconut oil
There are more than a few reasons coconut oil is touted as a holy grail in natural skin care. First up: Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids that nourish and smooth the skin.
It's particularly helpful for those with dry skin, as coconut oil is super moisturizing5: Research shows it can help increase moisture levels in the skin6 (it has an occlusive effect, meaning it seals in hydration), as well as improve skin barrier function7—perhaps that's why those with eczema flares and psoriasis typically find it so skin-soothing8.
For inflammation & aging: Green tea
Green tea is supercharged with polyphenols—an astonishing 30% polyphenol antioxidants by weight. The most notable of the bunch is the catechin epigallocatechin gallate9 (or EGCG), which research shows has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties10.
Studies found that topical application of polyphenols can help repair skin, protecting it from sun damage and even reversing signs of skin aging11 (like dark spots, fine lines, and wrinkles).
For sensitive skin: Oat extracts
Considered one of the gold standards for sensitive skin, oat (in its many forms, such as colloidal oatmeal and oat oil) is beloved by derms and estheticians for its ability to soothe reactive skin.
Colloidal oatmeal is so helpful, in fact, that it's earned approval as an FDA over-the-counter treatment as a skin protectant. Due to its high lipid and antioxidant content, colloidal oatmeal can help protect the skin barrier12 and even protect against oxidative stress. Colloidal oatmeal has many different nutrients within it, but some to note are vitamin E, avenanthramides (an active in oats that has major anti-inflammatory benefits), and ferulic acid. It's even a derm-recommended treatment for inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema13.
Oat oil is another excellent extract. Not only is it conditioning for the skin, but it has been shown to improve ceramide production in the epidermis14.
For oil-control: Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil has become one of the most popular skin care ingredients, largely due to the discovery that its chemical makeup is actually pretty close structurally15 to our own natural oils.
Not for nothing, it's also rich in beauty-boosting ingredients like vitamin E, vitamin B complex, copper, and zinc. These nutrients give the oil its anti-inflammatory properties17.
17 Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411014000078
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17026654
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5843359/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30671361/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15724344/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24320105/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19134433/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679539/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27634207/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2813915/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25607907
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22777219/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25651930/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/jojoba-oil
- https://www.jaad.org/article/S0190-9622%2806%2901198-4/fulltext
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/
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