What are the benefits of Haritaki?
It’s amazing that our skincare ingredients have such a long history, and one of them is myrobal.
This superfruit has been used for thousands of years and has quickly become one of Procoal’s most popular fruits.
We’ll tell you why we’re excited about this powerful ingredient and what benefits it can bring to some of your favorite skincare products.
What is Haritaki?
Myrobalan is a fruit with a variety of beneficial properties – for your hair, skin, and health.
Native to South Asia, myrobalan is used in all areas of daily life, from dietary supplements to skin care to cooking. It is found in parts of India, China, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.
The cultivation process for this precious ingredient is slow and manageable. The seeds are sown in the spring in areas with more clay and sandy soils.
Once the trees start growing, they cannot tolerate temperatures below 16°C, making the process very time-consuming and requiring full commitment.
It’s no wonder that myrobalan is known as the “king of medicines” because it can:
Prevent skin allergies
Reduce and eliminate acne and ulcers
Prevent hair loss and dandruff
Help relieve constipation
Help prevent coughs and colds
Prevent diabetes
Improve overall heart health
Strengthen the immune system
Many also believe that myrobalan has many spiritual benefits and can promote the awakening of the third eye. As a result, it is often used in spiritual exercises and medicine.
There are 7 varieties of myrobalan, each with a different appearance (from green to black) and a sweet, sour or bitter taste.
The Haritaki varieties are: Vijaya, Rohini, Putane, Amruta, Abhaya, Jivanti and Chetak.
All of these varieties have the same beneficial antibacterial and antioxidant properties and are rich in plant compounds such as vitamin C, essential minerals and tannins.
You can see why this ingredient is gaining popularity and is being used in more and more skin care products – from cleansers to face masks.
What are the benefits of Haritaki?
As you can see, we have already introduced you to the main benefits of Haritaki, including the benefits for your overall health. However, we are now focusing on the skin care benefits of this ingenious ingredient.
Benefits of Haritaki for Skin Allergies
In traditional Nepalese medicine, people have used for centuries to make a paste of myrobalan powder and apply it externally to any area of the skin affected by allergies, from rashes to redness. Following this traditional recipe, myrobalan powder is also used in anti-pollution skin care products, such as the Procoal Overnight Mask.
Thanks to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, myrobalan counteracts all environmental influences that the skin may be exposed to, such as:
harmful UV radiation and other harmful free radicals caused by pollution, climate and daily stress.
Thanks to the positive effects of this super fruit, the skin’s natural protective barrier is restored and skin damage is visibly reduced.
Learn more about the overnight mask and its benefits for skin on the Beauty Insiders blog.
Benefits of Haritaki for Acne
Acne and other skin blemishes can also be treated with the aforementioned light green paste made from myrobalan powder.
The antibacterial action rids the skin of bacteria and dirt deposits that often enter the pores and clog them. The common result is the appearance of pimples and blackheads.
In addition, the skin has the potential to become clogged and uneven, further promoting blemishes.
Due to the high vitamin C content in myrobalan, dark spots and acne scars are visibly reduced and less noticeable.
Benefits of Myrobalan for Hair
Myrobalan extract and coconut oil make an effective, rich herbal hair oil. Apply it to the roots of your hair and massage vigorously.
This way you will notice a significant improvement in the health of your hair. Prevents dandruff, head lice infestation, and hair loss.
Benefits of Haritaki for Overall Skin Health
Myrobalan contains many beneficial ingredients such as vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper, and potassium. This ingredient can help with many skin and hair issues.
Due to its natural ability to remove toxins, your complexion will appear smoother, more even, softer, and more soothed.
How long does it take for Haritaki to work?
You will see noticeable changes in your skin after 4-6 weeks. It depends on which skincare products you use that are enriched with this skin-healing fruit.
What I mean by this is that the longer a product is left on the skin, the better the active ingredients can work and be absorbed by the skin.
Products like serums, moisturizers, facial oils, and night masks allow the ingredients to penetrate deeper, thus alleviating skin problems like acne or maintaining a healthy complexion.
It is also recommended to combine these products with other products that contain exfoliating ingredients like AHAs and BHAs.
They remove the outermost layer of dead skin cells, which form a barrier to other products, preventing them from penetrating deeper into the skin.
By removing the cells, the potent myrobalan can quickly and effectively reach the beneficial areas of the skin. For more information, see our blog post on the benefits of AHAs and BHAs for the skin.
Myrobalan is a very effective skincare ingredient. You will be amazed at the results.
To make sure you are using the product correctly and that it is suitable for your skin type, you should do a 24-hour patch test on your arm.
If there are no signs of irritation or redness, you are good to go. If you still have questions, consult your doctor or dermatologist.
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DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
