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Year after year, standing before your mirror becomes a scarier place. A low simmer of panic begins around the age of 40. Fine lines, crow’s feet, wrinkles… oh my. As time cycles on, your skin appears thinner, duller. Dark spots spring up here and there. And the dreaded sagging begins. Weren’t your eyebrows higher? Have things shifted around, or are you imagining things? With every smile, your face becomes a folding accordion. And OMG, jowls and neck wattle!    

Each sad revelation sends you into a spending tizzy for the latest, greatest expensive solution. But is it helping? Is it truly changing anything or just creating a big hole in your bank account?  Well, the answer to that depends on the ingredients, not the cost. You see, some of the most expensive, popular anti-aging creams are packed with synthetics that can outgas formaldehyde and other nasties.  

Remember, your skin is not just window dressing for beauty. It’s a major part of your immune system and your largest organ. About 60% of what you slather on your skin can enter your bloodstream, including formaldehyde.^{1 2} Now, that’s NOT pretty.

Working with Nature

As you age, it becomes more difficult to absorb enough nutrients from foods. Your skin loses access to natural oils and moisture, looking duller and dryer. Collagen doesn’t receive enough building blocks, and elastin is lost, making your skin thinner and less firm… hello, wrinkles. All this loss and free radicals are the main drivers of aging skin. And since your face is exposed to the elements 24-7, it takes the brunt of effects.

For healthy, vibrant skin, you need nourishment from Mother Earth. Replenishing these natural nutrients can help rewind the clock a decade or two. Those are the true anti-agers, because we all know that when you’re healthy, you look and feel like a movie star. These nutrients support this organ that regulates your temperature, allows you to touch and feel, and protects you from harmful environmental contaminants as your immune barrier.    

Natural Anti-Aging Heroes

Here are a few natural supplement heroes that help revive tired skin. As a bonus, these same ingredients also support healthy hair and nails! Taking these as supplements can help restore your skin to youthful glory.

Sodium Hyaluronate is a natural component of skin tissue and a skin-friendlier version of hyaluronic acid. SH has superior skin-replenishing, soothing, and therapeutic properties. It holds 1000 times its weight in water, making it an effective moisturizer for all skin types. SH is also a powerful antioxidant against free radical oxidation and premature aging.^{3 4}

Selenium Yeast plays a vital role in protecting and producing DNA for healthy skin regeneration. It fights free radicals that damage DNA and removes harmful lipid oxides that can cause inflammation. It stabilizes cell membranes improving skin resilience. And it protects against UVB radiation, reducing dark spot formation.^{5 6}

Horsetail’s (Equisetum Arvense) main component is silicon, critical for making collagen. It also activates special enzymes as the first step breaking down oxidative stress. These two actions improve skin strength and elasticity.⁷ It reduces puffiness, redness, and angry irritations. Its anti-microbial and anti-bacterial activities reduce signs of acne, rashes, and problem skin. As an antioxidant, it fights free radicals that cause signs of premature aging. And it’s packed with calcium, iron, manganese, all critical for healthy, revitalized skin.⁸

Hydrolyzed Collagen is already broken down into easily absorbed amino acids and used as building blocks to strengthen your skin matrix. Studies show it improves skin moisture content, suppleness, firmness, and elasticity. Participants showed better smoothness, fewer wrinkles, and less skin roughness after six weeks. Studies also show it improves damaged skin, including burns and cellulite.^{9 10}

Reishi Mushroom is an adaptogen skin phenomenon restoring balance by improving blood circulation, boosting your immune system, and fighting infections.¹¹ It hydrates deeply, detoxifies, fights premature aging, redness, and fine lines. Reishi contains beta-glucan antioxidants that suck up water from the air into your skin!¹²

MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is an anti-aging superstar that combats wrinkles by decreasing the breakdown of collagen. MSM acts as the “glue” that holds together amino acid chains – aka the building blocks of all tissues, including your skin. It enhances antioxidant activity. MSM soothes itchy, dry skin, reduces redness, irritations, and scar tissue, including acne, cuts, and burns. With 34% sulfur content, it’s excellent at reducing swelling and detoxification. MSM improves cell wall permeability, allowing vital nutrients into cells while blocking toxins, reducing whiteheads, blackheads, and acne.^{13 14 15}

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract repairs, protects, strengthens, brightens, and improves wrinkles, giving you a giant push toward your dream complexion. Aloe’s potent antioxidants and enzymes stimulate repair, rejuvenating aged skin. Its moisturizers alleviate acne and dry, itchy skin.^{16 17 18} Aloin blocks up to 30% of the Sun’s UV rays shielding against DNA damage and premature aging. Aloe stimulates collagen production, strengthening the skin’s elasticity and matrix. A skin-brightening star, aloin and aloesin reduce dark spots by breaking down excess melanin cells and block the further formation of the pigment. Power-packed with skin-nourishing Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B10, B12, C, and E.^{19 20 21 22}

Spirulina is potent nutrition that revitalizes your skin! This green alga is a tremendous source for proteins, carotenoids, B vitamins and E, iron, zinc, copper, and gamma-linolenic acid. Each supports healthy skin rejuvenation. Studies show it enhances metabolism, improving collagen and skin regeneration, and boosts the repair of damaged skin. Its rich antioxidant content combats free radicals that lead to aging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. It protects against toxins and bacteria that cause breakouts. And Spirulina reduces dark undereye circles and dryness!^{23 24}

All the above ingredients score a 1 or BEST at EWG.org. And you can be proud that you’re protecting your health and the environment. Look for an all-natural product that combines several or more of these true anti-aging heroes in a beauty cream, or better yet, a supplement to nourish healthy skin from head to toe. It takes about 27 days to regenerate new skin. So, in a couple of months, standing in front of your mirror could become your new happy place! Natural has never been so beautiful.