For us Australians, the winter is just around the corner. And our desire to draw power from nature to nurture our skin at this time of the year is ever stronger.
Want proof? Just type in the words Natural Skincare for Winter in Google and you will find 112 million, if not more, search results under half of a second. Yep, you read it right, 112 million. At least that’s what we have got when we did our search.
Given that natural skincare for winter is a THING, what do we know about the natural ingredients that go into our products?
What are the top natural skincare ingredients for harsh winter?
In this article, we share five ingredients that are commonly used in the natural skincare industry with a particular focus on dry skin. Now let’s take a look at the goodness that these ingredients have to offer – in alphabetical order.
1. Argan Oil
Let’s start with argan oil; not just because it sits on the top alphabetical spot, but also because it is genuinely a beautiful natural ingredient for our skin.
Argan oil was all the rage back in 2015 and 2016 and for a good reason.
When we talk about argan oil, we can’t help but thinking of Morocco. That’s because argan oil comes from the kernels of the argan fruit, which are produced by the argan tree that grows almost exclusively in southwest Morocco. While we beauty lovers use argan oil for our skin and hair, Moroccans also eat it. For centuries, Moroccans have been including argan oil in their diet in a similar fashion that we use olive oil in our food.
Compared to other heavy oils such as coconut oil and olive oil, argan oil has smaller molecules and therefore, can penetrate our skin easier and deliver its moisturising, healing and anti-ageing benefits. Argan oil is particularly beneficial for people with dry skin. People with an oily complexion should test it out before incorporating argan oil into their regular skincare routine to avoid breakouts.
2. Avocado Oil
Avocado, we should not be surprised that this delicious cooking ingredient also does wonder to our dry, irritated and ageing skin. Armed with vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, avocado oil is known for its regenerative and soothing properties and is well absorbed by our skin. Studies have shown that avocado oil also promotes collagen generation while reducing inflammatory cells during the wound-healing process. This is why we have included avocado oil in our Organic Hydrating Facial Moisturiser formulation for dry and sensitive skin.
3. Jojoba Oil
Native to Southwestern North America, the jojoba bean is a highly valuable plant because it produces the golden liquid known as jojoba oil.
Research has shown that jojoba oil has a similar property to human skin sebum, a protective wax ester layer that kills nasty bacteria and viruses while locking the moisture in. So in reality, jojoba oil is more of a wax than an oil. Because of its unique property, jojoba oil can penetrate deep into our skin with ease and deliver vital nutrients required to deep skin layers where skin repair takes place.
And you have guessed, the golden liquid delivers more. Jojoba oil is antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoallergenic. Wait, there is more. Jojoba oil also contains vitamins A, D and E, which are all important for skin healing – particularly important for dry and mature skin.
4. Safflower Oil
Does your skin suffer from dryness? Maybe your skin is blotchy and inflamed? Safflower oil may give you some relief.
Safflower is an annual plant that produces thistle-like yellow/orange/red flowers. Like many other fabulous natural ingredients, safflower has many uses in many industries. For example, we extract vegetable oil from safflower seeds for cooking. Ancient Egyptians used safflowers to dye their textiles.
And of course, safflowers are loved by the skincare industry because of their high linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid) content. Better still, safflower oil is more affordable than argan oil, yet still offers similar benefits to our dry skin.
5. Shea Butter
Shea butter, another popular natural skincare ingredient, is extracted from the seed of shea trees, which are indigenous to West sub-Saharan Africa. Shea trees are a valuable plant as every part of the tree offers health or social benefits.
Children in Ghana often use shea tree hard nutshell in games. Mixed with palm oil, the sap from the shea tree can be used to make adhesives. Shea tree leaves are also used to treat headaches and eye infections in some communities. For centuries, traditional African communities have enjoyed the benefits of shea trees have to bring.
Of all it can produce, shea butter is the most popular product made from the shea tree. In its raw and unrefined form, shea butter is famous for its moisturising property that benefits a wide range of skin conditions such as eczema, rash and dry skin.
But watch out. Only with a careful extraction and refinement process that shea butter can keep its amazingly beneficial properties. This is why we only use high quality and unrefined shea butter to make our beautiful Organic Hydrating Facial Moisturiser.
Now you know more about some of the top ingredients that go into making natural skincare products, make sure to visit this article to learn more about how to use moisturisers correctly to look after your skin.
We hope this article has made choosing your skincare a little bit easier. Do you have a question or two about natural skincare yourself? Send us your questions and let us pull our collective brainpower together and help answer the question.
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