We've a lot to thank nature for. From the air we breathe to the food we eat, the natural world around us is responsible for the general function of planet earth. It’s no wonder the power of nature has seeped into the skincare space, with many beauty products harnessing nature’s finest ingredients, in attempt to promote stronger, healthy-looking skin.
The world of natural ingredients isn’t the easiest to navigate. Many products out there have tapped into nature’s benefits, making it difficult to know where to start, let alone which formulas are worth investing your money in. No strangers to natural formulas, we’ve cherry-picked our top 5 natural-origin ingredients to effortlessly transform your skincare routine.
1) Turmeric
Straight from the spice rack into your skincare, turmeric has been hailed as a hero ingredient by many in the beauty industry. One of the main components in turmeric is curcumin, said to be packed with potent antioxidants.
Turmeric can also deliver brightening benefits, working to restore a youthful glow. However, if you have sensitive skin, it’s always best to do a patch test before incorporating turmeric into your routine.
The Kora Organics Moisturiser lends complexions an instant radiance boost. It helps to minimise the appearance of dark spots and dullness, supported by a blend of liquorice, noni fruit, and of course the star ingredient – turmeric. Topped with marine micro algae to help plump the skin, the moisturiser helps to leave complexions looking bright and fresh.
If you’d rather experience turmeric’s benefits from the inside-out, try a premium supplement, like the KIKI Health Organic Turmeric Powder. This powder features naturally-occurring curcumin and powerful turmeric actives to help create balance from within. Simply add a teaspoon the formula to your juices, smoothies or food.
2) Probiotics
Typically, probiotics are most associated with gut health, but have changed the skincare game in recent years. An important part of our moisture barrier, our skin’s microbiome can become imbalanced for many different reasons – from diets to environmental factors, like pollution or ageing. As our largest organ, our skin’s microbiome requires as much support as possible. Enter probiotics!
“Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that help good bacteria grow and fight off bad bacteria,” says Antonia Knox, Head of Brand at Aurelia London. Naturally, many skincare brands are committed to using the power of probiotics in topical treatments, like nourishing moisturisers and soothing serums.
Aurelia London’s Probiotic Concentrate is packed full of probiotic ingredients in their purest form. The concentrate helps to nourish and rejuvenate, starring the brand’s signature probiotic peptide to protect, balance and soothe your skin. “At Aurelia London, our probiotic technology is a non-live extract that works in a unique way to tackle cellular inflammation. Most other probiotic brands focus only on the microbiome or skin flora, and work to rebuild and strengthen the skin’s microbiome by essentially helping the good bacteria grow.”
Aurelia’s natural formulations are:
- Sustainably grown & sourced
- Gentle to your microbiome
- Suitable for sensitive skin
- Kind to the ocean & reef safe
3) Oats
We all know the benefits of oats from a dietary perspective – they are thought to be a good source of carbohydrates, proteins and fibre, supporting a healthy, balanced diet. Brands have employed the use of oats in skincare, hoping to mimic their advantages in handy topical formulas. Oat-enriched formulas may help to soothe, nourish and hydrate your complexion, while offering strong support for the skin barrier.
Committed to natural skincare formulas, Aveeno tend to consider oats as a staple ingredient across its range of gentle, result-driven products. Colloidal oatmeal (pretty much the same oats you’d eat for breakfast), is made up of beneficial components, like proteins, vitamins, minerals, lipids and polysaccharides. This makes oats a great option for dryness or itchiness.
Aveeno® Dermexa skin care range (which the brand created for eczema-prone skin), features a signature blend of colloidal oatmeal, oat extract and oat oil, making up the brand’s prebiotic Triple Oat Complex. Remember probiotics from earlier? Oats are a type of prebiotic – prebiotics help to feed probiotics, which help the good bacteria in our skin to flourish. They’re the perfect pair for balanced skincare regimes!
Featuring the clever Triple Oat Complex, the Face Calm and Restore Triple Oat Serum helps to restore balance and comfort to dry, compromised skin, while supporting the natural moisture barrier. Dry or stressed skin types should always begin their routine with a gentle cleanse. We recommend BYBI Beauty’s Milk Melt Vegan Oat Cleanser, a jelly-to-milk formula infused with calming oat milk and oat kernel extract.
4) Imperata Cylindrica
Native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Imperata Cylindrica – or cogon grass – is said to have antibacterial and astringent properties. That means the clever ingredient works in skincare to deliver a tightening and moisturising effect on mature skin types.
Chantecaille’s Bio Lifting Mask+ champions this natural ingredient, amongst others, to nourish your complexion. National Education Executive at Chantecaille, Jon Rummins, explains, “The Bio Lifting Mask+ contains an Alga Tensing Blend which provides an instant smoothing and tightening action, Imperata Cylindrica Extract which helps to lock in moisture to the upper levels of the skin. Bio Lifting Mask + also includes Saccaride Isomerate, a natural sugar that acts like a water magnet, locking in moisture.”
What’s more, the formula includes 94.7% natural ingredients, designed to be kind to skin while delivering strong results. Jon Rummins continues, “Bio Lifting Mask+ is a skincare must-have as it transforms the skin in 10 minutes! It’s wonderful to use before a special occasion to provide an immediate lifted, plumper and smoother look to the skin. I’d also recommend leaving it on overnight 2-3 times a week to maintain a youthful appearance - you’ll awake in the morning with a glowing, hydrated and well-rested complexion!”
5) Centella Asiatica
Centella asiatica, otherwise known as cica or tiger grass, is the soothing saviour to enhance your skincare routine. It is a perennial plant commonly found in Asia, and has become a fairly famous beauty buzzword in recent years. We all remember the Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment that gained cult-status on TikTok in 2020. One of the star ingredients across Dr.Jart+’s entire Cicapair range? Centella asiatica!
Cica boasts calming properties that can be effective in lessening the look of redness. The clever ingredient may also help to hydrate and strengthen the skin, offering potent antioxidant benefits.
Centella asiatica is a great choice for sensitive skin types. Choose a nourishing, fragrance-free moisturiser, like the PURITO Unscented Recovery Cream. Enriched with ceramides, niacinamide and 50% centella asiatica extract, the gentle formula helps to minimise the look of redness and uneven tone for a calm, balanced complexion.
For blemish-prone skin, the COSRX Centella Blemish Cream is packed with centella asiatica leaf water to comfort stressed-out areas. Sunflower seed oil and tea tree oil help to lessen the appearance of blemishes, all while nourishing and hydrating your skin.
Not ready to commit to centella asiatica? The Dr.Jart+ Cicapair Trial Kit features three soothing samples for you to try out. And yes, the Colour Correcting Treatment stars in this travel-friendly skincare set!
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