The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup, and Fragrances (22 page)

Protein Peptides

We know these power players as palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl pen-tapeptide, and palmitoyl tetrapeptide. Peptides—amino acids held together by peptide bonds and attached to palmitic or acetic acid—are hot talk in skin care. Two amino acids make a dipeptide, three a tripeptide, five a pen-tapeptide. Argireline is acetyl hexapeptide, comprising six amino acid molecules linked to acetic acid. They work to release wrinkles by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters. The skin becomes stiff, as after a Botox injection. However, there are no independent clinical studies proving the safety of this ingredient. Matrixyl is palmitoyl pentapeptide that links five amino acid molecules. This synthetic peptide imitates the action of matrikines, small peptides formed when the dermis proteins are damaged and degraded. These cell messengers prompt the skin to start repairing itself and heal wounds, leading to increased synthesis of collagen and other skin molecules. Matrixyl is better researched for safety and effectiveness than other peptides: one study found that this molecule is effective in repairing skin photoaging, and more recent studies note that it helps thicken the skin, thus relieving wrinkles. No side effects have been reported, thus making Matrixyl a promising addition
to your DIY antiaging preparations.

Rose
(Rosa damascena, Rosa centifolia)

This gorgeous flower is used in many green beauty preparations. Rose petals are steam-distilled to produce essential rose oil. The hydrosol portion of distillate is used to make exquisite rose water, a highly emollient and soothing fluid. Essential rose oil, also known as attar of rose and rose absolute, contains more than 300 compounds, among them citronellol, geraniol, linalool, farnesol, pinenes, terpinene, limonene, and many others. In recent studies, citronellol has demonstrated antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, probably due to the presence of antioxidant quercetin, discovered in rose petals by German scientists in 2006. This makes rose oil and rose water valuable ingredients in any green beauty preparation.

Saffron
(Crocus sativus)

Although traditional herbal medicine used saffron for centuries, modern medical science only recently discovered cancer-suppressing, mutation-preventing, and antioxidant-like properties in this ancient spice. Medical studies have demonstrated that crocin, the main ingredient of saffron extract, may prevent the development of chemically induced skin cancer.

Sage
(Salvia officinalis)

Common sage is used in infusions that make great deodorants and mouthwashes with a soothing and mildly antiseptic effect. However, sage is known to inhibit milk production and therefore is not recommended for use during breast-feeding.

Sea Buckthorn
(Hippophae rhamnoides)

This bright orange berry is a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, carotenoids, and flavonoids, and it is filled to the brim with the powerful antioxidant proanthocyanidin, which can protect skin from different types of free radical attacks, including ionizing radiation. Thanks to its antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, sea buckthorn extract can serve as a natural preservative in green cosmetic products.

Sea Salt

Sea salt usually has a higher mineral content than table salt. It is commonly used in bath preparations, physical exfoliants, and hair-styling products for its ability to temporarily evict water from hair shafts, making hair stiff and curly.

Shea Butter

This natural butter, extracted from shea nuts (
Butyrospermum parkii
), is an exceptionally good moisturizer and emollient with anti-inflammatory properties. Shea butter is great on its own and truly shines when used in preparations for fading scars, and alleviating eczema, burns, rashes, acne, stretch marks, and even psoriasis. Shea butter provides natural UV protection of approximately SPF6, but you should never rely on shea butter alone for sun protection! You can buy pure shea butter and use it as a face and body cleanser and moisturizer, or you can mix it with active natural ingredients to suit your needs.

Silver

Colloidal silver is a water suspension of ionic silver. Since medieval times, silver has been used as a bactericidal agent that helps heal skin abrasions and burns. Colloidal silver has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for disinfection purposes in hospitals. Colloidal silver sprays are commonly used to treat burns and throat infections. In natural cosmetics, colloidal silver makes a safe and nonirritating preservative with an added anti-inflammatory bonus.

Soy
(Glycine Soja)

Soy is one of the mainstays of green beauty, and it’s the only basic ingredient that should always be certified organic or GMO-free if you find it in an ingredients list. Soybean oil is made of linolenic, linoleic, oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids, which make it a great emollient, and soybean protein isolate can nourish and moisturize skin and hair. Yet, soy is rich in isoflavones, called genistein and daidzein, which are potent phytoestrogens. Women with current or past breast cancer, as well as those with a family history of breast cancer, should be aware of the risks of potential tumor growth when using soy-rich cosmetic products for a prolonged period. At the same time, women in Japan and China, where soy is a dietary staple, have significantly less severe menopausal symptoms and enter menopause at a later age. Soy may have a protective effect on the brain and cardiovascular systems. However, until science knows more about what effect phytoestrogens have on humans, I recommend refraining from using cosmetic preparations containing high concentrations of soy isoflavones.

Witch Hazel
(Hamamelis virginiana)

An extract from the bark and leaves of this plant is highly astringent and antiseptic. Witch hazel is traditionally used for the treatment of sores, bruises, swelling, hemorrhoids, and postpartum tears of the perineum. In cosmetics, witch hazel extract is commonly used in cleansers and toners for acne-prone skin, in aftershaves, and in topical treatments for insect bites. To prepare your own witch hazel toners, look for steam distillates of witch hazel, also called hydrosols or hydrolats, rather than conventional witch hazel, which contains alcohol.

Take Your Vitamins

We all know that taking vitamins orally provides important nutritional benefits. Hundreds of well-designed studies validate the power of vitamins: they make us healthier by boosting our immune systems, control free radicals, and even protect against cancer and heart disease. There are so many health benefits for taking vitamins, especially if you opt for more expensive natural vitamins that contain more bioavailable substances than conventional synthetic pills.

There’s a common notion that rubbing vitamins into the top skin layer of cells will not improve your skin in any way because (1) only low concentrations are used in cosmetic products; (2) the stability of most vitamins decreases as soon as they are exposed to the air and light; and (3) the form of the vitamin molecule (an ester or a mixture of isomers) may not be absorbed or metabolized effectively by the skin. However, recent scientific findings prove that vitamins A, C, D, E, and K are indeed very effectively absorbed by the skin and deliver a host of benefits for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Vitamin A
(beta-carotene, retinol)

Vitamin A exists in many forms: as an alcohol (retinol), an aldehyde (retinal), or an acid (retinoic acid). Provitamins, or natural precursors to vitamin A, include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. In cosmetics, vitamin A as a retinol and beta-carotene is used to help repair and reverse sun damage and to inhibit collagen and elastin breakdown. Some other benefits of beta-carotene include its ability to combat and prevent skin disorders, such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Beta-carotene is effective as a protective measure against melasma because it changes the chemical mechanism of skin pigment cell production.

Vitamin A is available as retinol, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, or beta-carotene packed in softgels and is sold in health food stores and online. Retinol is most effective but most irritating, while beta-carotene, retinyl acetate, and retinyl palmitate are better tolerated by sensitive skin. Vitamin A mixes well with most creams and lotions in the following proportion: 10,000 IU per ounce of base product. Do not exceed the recommended dosage. Since beta-carotene is fat-soluble, it accumulates in the fat tissues in our body, and excessive vitamin A intake (more than 10,000 IU a day) can lead to dangerous side effects.

Vitamin B3
(niacin, or nicotinic acid)

Deficiency in vitamins of the B group can result in many beauty woes, not to mention other serious consequences. Lack of vitamin B1 may lead to edema (swelling of bodily tissues); vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency causes chapped lips, seborrheic dermatitis, and high sensitivity to sunlight; not getting enough vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) may cause dermatitis; while deficiency in vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) can result in acne.

Among vitamins of the B group, only one has been proven effective when applied topically. Vitamin B3, or niacin (nicotinic acid), is a potent skin rejuvenator. A 2007 study in Tucson, Arizona, reported that when applied topically to photodamaged skin, niacin repaired the skin barrier by increasing the stratum corneum thickness by approximately 70 percent and decreased water loss through the skin by approximately 20 percent while increasing the rates of skin cell renewal (Jacobson et al. 2007). Earlier studies have proven that niacin can smooth out wrinkles, reduce inflammation in acne and rosacea, and even hold back the development of UV-induced
skin cancers.

Niacin is used in cosmetics for its antiaging and skin-whitening properties. Niacinamide is a key ingredient in such upscale antiaging creams as Hylexin and Shiseido Future Solution. Niacin is often sold in pharmacies and health food stores, but it may contain fillers and anticaking agents. You can prepare your own niacinamide-rich skin cream by adding one teaspoon of pure niacinamide (sold online) to 4 ounces of cream or lotion.

Vitamin C
(ascorbic acid)

Of all the topical vitamins, ascorbic acid probably has the best track record. Vitamin C in its various forms protects us from free radicals that form during sun and pollution exposure. Ascorbic acid is also necessary to synthesize collagen, and it is known to inhibit the synthesis of the skin pigment melanin, probably by preventing skin cell damage before melanin synthesis can be triggered by UV exposure. (You will learn more about the sun’s effects on skin in Chapter 10, “Green Sun Protection.”) Numerous studies have demonstrated that ascorbic acid, especially in combination with vitamin E, can even repair past damage to your skin by age and sun. Ascorbic acid and its derivatives promote wound healing and reduce inflammation and skin swelling. The latest findings regarding vitamin C suggest that it can be a very effective skin lightener, similar to hydroquinone, but without the side effects. Another important quality of vitamin C is its ability to stabilize sunscreen ingredients, making sun-protective formulations even more effective.

To use vitamin C in your DIY preparations, look for L-ascorbic acid, not calcium ascorbate. You can buy pure ascorbic acid online or use powdered vitamin C, such as Philosophy Hope and a Prayer. The most effective topical form of vitamin C is anhydrous, or waterless. During a study on human skin, scientists found that vitamin C has the greatest healing potential when applied to damaged skin in dry form (Heber et al. 2006). But we all know that vitamin C stings like crazy. Pour a drop of lemon juice on a fresh wound and see what happens! For this reason, you can dissolve vitamin C in pure vegetable glycerin, glycerin-rich organic personal lubricant, a pure dimethicone such as Monistat Chafing Relief Powder Gel, or a very oily cream like Weleda Skin Food in the following proportion: ½ teaspoon of vitamin C to ¼ cup of base product. Use the preparation quickly and watch out for a yellowish tint that signals vitamin C oxidation and loss of efficiency. Vitamin C serums can be irritating, so always perform a patch test before using. Nonirritating forms of vitamin C include tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, both available online.

A blend of vitamins C and E truly shines as a skin protector: these vitamins support each other and deliver a double whammy against free radicals (Burke 2007). Vitamin C blends really well in vitamin E–rich facial oil.

Vitamin D

This important vitamin, which is synthesized in our skin during sun exposure, has been proven to reduce the risk of many autoimmune diseases, but topical use of vitamin D is still under investigation. Dermatologists at the University Hospital Leuven in Belgium found that topical vitamin D in the form of calcipotriol is helpful in psoriasis treatment (Segaert, Duvold 2006).

Vitamin E

This is the most common vitamin used in skin care. Vitamin E in the forms of tocopherol and tocotrienol is a fat-soluble antioxidant found in our bodies. Since it’s fat-soluble, it helps protect fatty components of cells from free radical damage that builds up over a lifetime of pollution, sun, and cigarette smoke exposure. This vitamin also offers a protective barrier for the skin when used topically. As a skin care ingredient, it helps heal skin wounds, nourish the skin, and prevent stretch marks. To reap the benefits of vitamin E, use the natural form of this vitamin, which contains both tocopherols and tocotrienols, even though it may cost more than the synthetic version. Vitamin E mixes well with most cleansers, creams, and lotions. One or two standard-size gelatin-packed softgels will make an excellent addition to your lotion or body oil, and you can add vitamin E to lip balms to heal your lips tortured by too much wind, frost, or sun. Just pinch a small hole in a softgel, squeeze out the oily substance, and blend with the base product in the following proportion: two 400 IU vitamin E softgels per ounce of lotion or oil. Do not increase the amount of vitamin E or it will leave a yellowish cast on the skin and stain your clothes and bed linens. Use up the product in one month because vitamin E becomes unstable when exposed to air. You can apply vitamin E oil or squeeze vitamin E from the capsule on your lips whenever you have a bout of dryness, some nasty sores, or plain chapped lips. Works like magic, but I prefer my manuka honey!