Using the correct ingredients in generous proportions makes all the difference between an effective formulation and an ineffective one. One of the monumental undertakings in the formulation of skincare is understanding the properties of invaluable ingredients and blending them in the correct proportions to make a potent product that also has a pleasing fragrance to it.
In this article we explore six of nature’s ingredients that stand out as being the best for use in full body moisturisers.
1. Calendula Oil
Calendula is a light, nourishing oil that is extracted from the calendula flower and contains omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants that help hydrate skin and reduce inflammation, making it ideal to use as a face or body moisturizer.
Calendula oil increases the overall appearance of the skin by increasing collagen production, which helps with skin elasticity and decreases fine lines and wrinkles. It also contains vitamins A, C, and E that nourish and protect your skin from environmental damage.
It is an effective sunscreen, spf 8+ to be exact. It is also great at healing burns, preventing scars, and treating eczema.
Moreover, calendula oil is beneficial in the treatment of wounds, acne and psoriasis dermatitis bruising and insect bites.
The flowers of a calendula plant—also known as pot marigold—are used to extract oil. This is one of the most popular natural remedies in alternative medicine, and is considered to be safe enough to use on children. While calendula oil can soothe diaper rash, it’s often recommended that you dilute it with a carrier oil such as coconut oil before application, since pure calendula oil may irritate sensitive skin.
2. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil, unlike many other oils and moisturizers, coconut oil has a high percentage of lauric acid, which is antibacterial and helps kill harmful bacteria that causes skin blockages. It also soothes inflammation that comes with it.
Coconut oil has naturally moisturising properties that are perfect for keeping your skin feeling soft and supple. It acts as a natural protection barrier, locking in moisture to nourish your skin and leaving it looking youthful. This is because coconut oil mimics our own natural oils, balancing out any excess oils and providing long-lasting hydration. Coconut oil is also hypoallergenic, so it's great for sensitive skin.
Coconut oil is known to remove dead skin cells, leaving you with softer and smoother skin. It does so by penetrating deep into your pores, releasing dirt and toxins that cause acne and breakouts. Coconut oil is also beneficial because it’s not drying like regular cleansers are. Using coconut oil as a cleanser can help reduce inflammation of your skin, which reduces redness and flakiness.
Coconut oil is a powerful anti-aging remedy. It speeds up cell turnover and strengthens skin cells, which protects against wrinkles and sagging. Coconut oil has been proven to speed up wound healing and reduce scarring. These properties are also great for people with psoriasis or eczema because they help repair damaged skin.
3. Jasmine Oil
Jasmine oil is added to body lotions and other beauty products because of its soothing, relaxing scent and moisturizing effect on the skin.
Jasmine oil improves the elasticity of the skin by boosting collagen production. Collagen is a protein that keeps your skin firm and smooth, but it naturally breaks down as you age. When you use jasmine oil regularly, your body will produce more collagen, giving you firmer, smoother, supple and young-looking looking skin.
Jasmine Oil will calm the puffiness in skin through its anti-inflammatory properties. The ability to reduce inflammation is especially useful in preventing inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
Jasmine oil is a well-known aphrodisiac. By massaging a bit of jasmine oil into your skin (try mixing it with coconut oil) not only does it have an intoxicating smell and make you feel more amorous, but you can also increase circulation and help heal damaged cells! This could result in clearer skin and even better moods!
Applying jasmine oil on your skin can also help with preventing menopause symptoms and instill emotional wellbeing.
4. Mango Butter
Pure mango butter, also known as mango oil, is a wonder skin food that can help treat skin issues such as acne, eczema, and dermatitis, while also aiding in weight loss and speeding up the metabolism.
Mango butter is a rich source of healthy fatty acids like oleic acid and linoleic acid. These oils are both wonderful for aging skin, as they help retain moisture and nourish dry, itchy patches.
Mango butter supports collagen production by preventing its breakdown; additionally, it contains essential fatty acids which nourish aging cells and promote healthy cell function.
Collagen is essential to healthy, smooth and elastic-looking skin. Mango butter is an excellent natural source of vitamins A and E as well as linoleic acid, which work together to reduce wrinkles, acne scarring and other damage that contributes to aging.
Mango contains salicylic acid and antioxidants, which are known to protect from sun damage.
Most notably, vitamins C and E are in rich supply in mangos. A 2012 study from a trusted source suggests that, when combined, these two ingredients may provide some protection for your skin against environmental damage.
5. Passionfruit Oil
Passionfruit oil, also known as Marajuka oil is extracted from the seeds of the fruit and is a major source of minerals, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Due to these nutrients, the passionfruit oil assists in the replenishing and restoration of the skin’s hydration.
The Passionfruit oil has a high content of linoleic acid which has a vital role in maintaining skin health. This also enables it to be a great moisturiser with anti-inflammatory activity due to acne and rosacea and moreover reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Thanks to the high fatty acid content, it penetrates the skin to bring moisturizer much more effectively than other oils.
The high content of the antioxidant lycopene helps to improve skin tone and works with vitamin C to help promote collagen production and therefore it is great at healing cracked and damaged skin.
It's light texture with protective properties works to prevent moisture from leaving the skin and moreover balances the texture of the skin so that it is not too oily.
6. Shea Butter
Shea butter is fat extracted from the shea tree and used due to its high concentration of vitamins and fatty acids.
Shea butter has significant levels of vitamins A and E, which means it promotes strong antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are important anti-aging agents. They protect your skin cells from free radicals that can lead to premature aging and dull-looking skin.
Shea butter products have demonstrated to decrease anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity such the killing of spores of the fungi that causes athletes foot and ring worm.
Shea butter contains triterpenes. These naturally occurring chemical compounds are thought to deactivate collagen fibre destruction. This may minimize the appearance of fine lines and result in plumper skin.
It is thought that shea butter stops keloid fibroblasts — scar tissue — from reproducing, while encouraging healthy cell growth to take their place. This may help your skin heal, minimizing the appearance of stretch marks and scarring.
By boosting collagen production and promoting new cell generation, shea butter may help reduce what researchers call photoaging — the wrinkles and fine lines that environmental stress and aging can create on skin.