| The anti-aging industry constantly brings a new | | | | amino acids that heal and maintain cells in the |
| 'magic' ingredient to their products that are | | | | human body. Deficiency of any one of these key |
| proclaimed to reduce wrinkles. It is difficult to | | | | amino acids can cause skin to look coarse and |
| understand the reason for this continuous search | | | | wrinkles. Pearl powder also contains proteins which |
| for new ingredients. There are many herbs that | | | | renew skin cells and vitamin B Complex and |
| have stood the test of time which are used | | | | Polysaccharides which strengthen the muscles and |
| successfully in various countries to treat many | | | | the metabolism. |
| skin problems. Some of them have been | | | | Ginkgo Biloba tree is one of the world's oldest |
| researched by scientists; others have gone | | | | living tree species, believed to have survived for |
| through natural trials conducted by millions of | | | | 250 million years. Individual trees have lived 1000 |
| people speaking different languages that have | | | | years. It first originated in China and Japan. After |
| observed the herbs to have the same properties. | | | | surviving atomic bombings of Hiroshima and |
| The beauty industry is not very keen on using a | | | | Nagasaki, Ginkgo Biloba's resistance to all kinds of |
| common herb, even if it has been proven by | | | | pollution, viruses and fungi became legendary. |
| thousands of years of trials. The multinational | | | | Ginkgo Biloba has revitalising, stimulating and |
| companies want the WORD - a 'magic' | | | | firming qualities. It is a powerful antioxidant. It |
| ingredient...something that can be patented to add | | | | improves blood circulation and protects capillaries. |
| a cloud of mystery to the products. A WORD | | | | The main chemical substances in the leaves of |
| that will make people to buy their product. | | | | Ginkgo Biloba are the flavone glycosides and |
| A few years ago 'collagen' was the WORD. It is | | | | therpene lactones. The flavonoid components |
| true that collagen is naturally present in the skin | | | | enhance the proliferation of normal human skin |
| and it makes the skin look younger and softer, | | | | fibroblasts and have been proven to have collagen |
| but there's a big deception here... | | | | activating properties (Journal of Drugs and |
| The 'magic' ingredient doesn't work. If you apply | | | | Dermatology, Nov. 2007). |
| collagen topically it just sits on the surface of the | | | | Sea Buckthorn - known as one of nature's most |
| skin and DOES NOTHING - it can't be absorbed | | | | incredible medicinal plants. The ripe berries of Sea |
| by the skin simply because its molecules are | | | | buckthorn contain more than 190 varieties of |
| much bigger than the skin cells. You couldn't push | | | | bioactive substances. They include 6 different |
| an elephant through the eye of a needle, right? | | | | vitamins, 22 fatty acids, 42 kinds of lipids and 36 |
| The collagen must be made by your own body. | | | | kinds of flavoinoids and phenols. Sea buckthorn |
| Currently "nano" technology seems to be taking a | | | | berries cannot be matched in the plant kingdom |
| leading position in the 'magic' word contest. Yet | | | | for their content of Pro-Vitamin A (carotenoids), |
| the leading experts with a background in natural | | | | Vitamin E and Vitamin K. Sea Buckthorn berry |
| therapies warn that some of these products used | | | | promotes cell tissue regeneration. It has proven |
| by many brands of cosmetics and cosmeceuticals | | | | effective in the treatment of burns, skin ulcers, |
| are becoming known as 'universal asbestos'. | | | | acne and dermatitis. Russian cosmonauts use Sea |
| Prof. Samuel Epstein, a professor emeritus of | | | | Buckthorn Oil for protection against radiation burns |
| occupational and environment medicine at the | | | | in space. |
| University of Illinois in Chicago who is also the | | | | Rosehip Oil is extremely high in essential fatty |
| chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition | | | | acids. Fatty acids are key building blocks of cellular |
| warned about the public health hazard posed by | | | | membranes that allow efficient transportation of |
| these products. | | | | nutrients from the extracellular space into the |
| Nanoparticles can easily penetrate the skin and go | | | | intracellular environment where metabolism takes |
| straight into the underlying blood vessels producing | | | | place. |
| toxic effects. They can cause nerve damage and | | | | Lotus Seeds contain a special protein-repair |
| disorders in the brain. In the web interview | | | | enzyme, a factor contributing to their remarkable |
| conducted by Dr. Mercola, Prof. Epstein warns | | | | longevity. The process of continuous repair of the |
| that these are "the most dangerous types of | | | | seed is similar to what takes place in the human |
| products in the whole cosmetic industry". | | | | body. Insufficient levels of the repair enzymes |
| According to Prof. Epstein, in 2008 a British Royal | | | | speed up protein degradation which affects |
| Commission warned "that products that contain | | | | collagen production. Clinical trials showed that Lotus |
| nanoparticles pose very high toxic risks". | | | | Seed Extract helps reduce the appearance of fine |
| Do you want to risk your health and become | | | | lines and wrinkles by 50%. |
| subject to experimental practices or would you | | | | Gotu Cola (Centella Asiatica/Hydrocotyl) has been |
| rather use products that are based on herbs that | | | | used to promote the healing of surgical wounds, |
| are well known to present no health risk while | | | | burns, tissue inflammation and psoriasis. Studies |
| offering the most effective anti-aging properties? | | | | have shown that Gotu Cola can increase collagen |
| A short summary of properties of herbs provided | | | | synthesis. It can also strengthen capillaries by |
| in this article may be found useful to people | | | | repairing damaged connective tissues surrounding |
| searching for natural products. | | | | them. This restores tissue firmness and skin |
| Pearl Powder | | | | elasticity. |
| Using pearls in skin care is not a new idea. It is | | | | Ginseng boosts the skin's metabolism and |
| believed that the women of the far-east owe | | | | replenishes nutrients the skin needs. The active |
| their pure, clean, and glittering skin to their | | | | components called ginsenosides are responsible for |
| traditional usage of pearl products. For centuries, | | | | the revitalisation and reactivation of epidermal cells |
| Asian women have used powder made from | | | | and collagen synthesis. |
| crushed freshwater pearls to maintain their | | | | Pomegranate contains one of the most powerful |
| youthful appearance. The last Empress Dowager | | | | free radical scavengers, Ellagic acid. The Ellagic acid |
| of China not only used pearl powder on her face, | | | | strengthens the cell membrane, making it less |
| but she ingested it daily. She was famous for her | | | | susceptible to free radical damage and prevents |
| beautiful skin even at the age of 74. | | | | water loss from cells. Pomegranate works as a |
| What is so special about Pearl Powder? | | | | very effective sunscreen. |
| The nacre of a pearl contains the same essential | | | | |