4 essential ingredients for effective skincare product

Four of the most important ingredients to look for are:

But it’s not enough just to see these on the packaging or in the ingredients list. Those lists are ordered by concentration. Ingredients at the bottom of the list might barely be present, so you want to see these powerful oils high up in the list.
 

In the world of natural beauty products, macadamia nut oil is an A-lister. It has a chemical profile similar to sebum, the natural moisturiser your body creates to keep skin supple and protected.

Macadamia oil is renowned for reducing age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. It’s also very stable, with a shelf life of up to two years.

Fatty oils are one of the key reasons macadamia oil is so effective for skincare. It has more essential fatty acids than any other natural oil, including palmitoleic acid and linoleic acid. Palmitoleic acid is found naturally in human skin, helping to keep skin supple and ensuring wounds heal quickly, but the amount reduces as we age causing our skin to droop. The high levels of palmitoleic acid in macadamia nut oil makes it ideal for restoring health and vitality to your skin. Linoleic acid helps to balance sebum production and providing a natural to prevent moisture loss.

What’s more, all those fatty acids help macadamia oil carry nutrients deep into your dermal layers to get the greatest benefit. 

You can enjoy the benefits of macadamia oil skincare with Okana’s Radiant Skin Sorbet Cleanser.

 

Avocadoes don’t just taste delicious smashed on toast, they also provide great health benefits smooshed on your skin. Eating avocados can help keep your skin elastic, but applying avocado oil directly to your skin is even better. The oil contains vitamin E, potassium, lecithin, and many other nutrients that provide amazing skincare benefits.

 Avocado oil is just as versatile in for skincare as avocados are in the culinary world. It can help your skin look and feel better, promote healing and soothe sunburn, and can even be used to treat some skin conditions.

If you have problems with eczema or psoriasis, avocado oil may soothe and heal flare-ups. It can also be used to avoid acne by keeping skin hydrated and clean or to reduce the inflammation and redness that comes with acne.

 

The linoleic acid, oleic acid, and other fatty acids in avocado oil may also accelerate wound healing, and if you’re ever slack about sunscreen application, avocado oil can help with the burn. According to a 2011 review, the vitamin E, beta carotene, vitamin D, protein, lecithin, and essential fatty acids in avocado oil soother and heal sunburned skin.Experience the benefits of avocado oil with an amazing Wholesome Nourish Body Butter.

 

Apricot kernel oil is packed with vitamins A, C and E, as well as numerous valuable fatty acids. It has held a prominent place in natural medicine for thousands of years. In ancient China, it was used to alleviate respiratory problems, detoxify the body, and relieve constipation. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine from India, almond kernel oil is used as a natural beauty treatment — to moisturise dry skin, reverse balding, and reduce wrinkles.

Not all these uses for this oil are supported by evidence but there’s strong research supporting many skincare and health benefits of apricot kernel oil. When applied to the skin, the oil both exfoliates and moisturises, eliminating dry patches of skin and alleviating rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema. 

Just like avocados, apricot kernel oil can also reduce inflammation in acne. But most remarkable of all is the potential for reducing cancer risk — this oil is packed with antioxidants, which can help recuce cellular mutation in the skin.

Give your skin a daily hit of apricot kernel oil goodness with Okana’s High Antioxidant Day Moisturiser.

 

The natural health world is buzzing about the special properties of berries, and it’s no surprise. Berries are emerging as a treatment for respiratory problems, heart disease, digestive tract conditions, and more. 

Many of the benefits come from eating berries — for example, blueberries boost heart health and bone strength, can reduce blood pressure, aid in diabetes management, reduce cancer risk, and improve mental health. But applying berry extracts to the skin is also very beneficial.

All berries are packed with antioxidants, especially the powerful anthocyanins that give berries their colours. This means that any berry extract will help protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun because antioxidants stop unstable molecules from creating inflammation and damaging skin cells.

Berries are also rich in vitamin C, which can be absorbed through the skin and aid in the production of collagen. The vitamin A in berries is a proven wrinkle-smoother and also stimulates fibroblasts — cells deep in your skin that aid in the healthy growth and repair of skin tissue.  

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