Women in Japan pride themselves on having healthy, beautiful skin – taking every possible precaution to keep it in tiptop condition. The face is considered a reflection of inner personality, beauty, and health – so there is a lot of attention paid to overall quality, texture and tone of skin. In Japan, the attitude towards achieving healthy-looking skin is to spend time and care.
These are the 6 key ingredients the Japanese swear by for sensational skin
1. Mushrooms
Packed with antioxidants, mushrooms help protect skin against environmental aggressors and free radicals, which in turn helps with signs of aging and visible damage. A natural anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, they can help heal and calm stressed skin, and they also boost blood circulation to restore your gorgeous, natural glow. Mushrooms are also known as one of the 18 Health Foods For Beauty too.
2. Rice bran
A staple in Japanese culture, rice is so much more than a base for your sushi. Japanese rice bran, known as komenuka, has been used for centuries by Japanese women and is still a staple skincare ingredient thanks to its deep moisturising abilities. Geishas were known to use leftover water from washing rice to then wash their faces in a bid to get smooth, supple, and luminous skin. Rice bran is bursting with fatty acids and squalene – an essential fat that makes up 12% of human sebum. This makes it extremely effective on very dry, ageing, and even super sensitive skins. It’s also rich in vitamins B and E and gently exfoliates whilst hydrating and promoting cellular turnover.
3. Green tea
Abundant in antioxidants, it’s one powerful protector and is rich in a variety of phytochemicals, polyphenols, enzymes and amino acids. It works wonders for soothing stressed and irritated skins whilst its anti-ageing properties prevent wrinkles and fine lines. It’s also great for detoxifying and keeping skin hydrated, and it’s been proven to help banish blemishes. No wonder the likes of Kareena Kapoor and Gwyneth Paltrow swear by it. Even if you’re not a tea drinker, you can apply it topically and still reap the benefits. Use green tea as a toner by letting two cups cool after brewing, then apply it to your face with a cotton ball. This natural alternative can give you glowing skin and reduce the size of pores. Check out 8 Green Foods For Healthy Glowing Skin.
4. Collagen
Most of us think of collagen coming in the form of fillers or pills, but in Japan it’s consumed as a drink. Women across the country boil beef and chicken tendon to make their own beauty-boosting beverage, as – unlike creams which work solely on the epidermis (outer layer of skin) – ingesting an ingredient works from the inside out to target the deeper layer of skin (the dermis).
Collagen is a protein that gives skin structural support and is key in maintaining firm, supple skin. It slows the formation of fine lines and wrinkles, improves elasticity, and helps retain moisture. The good news is we naturally produce collagen. The bad news is that as we get older we produce less of it. Therefore, it is no wonder the Japanese have developed yet another helping-hand to keep them young and beautiful.
5. Seaweed
Packed with vitamins and minerals, the goodness from this green stuff is quickly absorbed by the body due to its cellular structure being so similar to that of our skin. Not only does this super sea-vegetable restore moisture levels in the skin, but it also firms it, slows ageing, boosts cell generation and helps with detoxification – all while purifying and improving skin texture and tone.
6. Pearls
Abundant in calcium, magnesium, and zinc - which help rebalance skin, promote regeneration, and reduce breakouts – pearls act as a potent antioxidant and are able to boost the body’s own production of enzymes. Pearls also pack a serious anti-ageing punch as they’re rich in amino acids and proteins, which help preserve collagen and even increase its production.
Source : FridayMagazine
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