This time of year, your skin can feel a little dull and under the weather- probably because it’s due for a nourishment boost! The cure for your skincare woes lies with these incredible, superstar medicinal ingredients that have been cherished for centuries, bringing health and happiness to both the body and mind. These key ingredients that the Glow Recipe team prescribes as absolute must-haves in your skincare arsenal are Ice Plant, Tremella Mushroom, and one of our personal favorites, Ginseng.

A beautiful ice plant bloom; Image: Kelly Cookson

Ice Plant

This unique ingredient is true to its chilly name. The ice plant, native to South Africa, grows in a harsh, moisture depleted environment, building up the strength and vitality to effectively retain the nutrients and moisture it needs to survive. Naturally, ice plant extract works to lock in important elements in this same way; the ingredient keeps skin feeling constantly hydrated, instantly cooled, and always replenished. One of my favorite ice plant-packed products that I love to feed my skin, especially during the dry winter months when I know the harsh, cold air will be stripping it of its natural moisture, is the Blithe Crystal Ice Plant Pressed Serum. This combines a bouncy moisturizer and a serum in one product, perfect for those with oily or combination skin for its easy, lightweight absorption. It helps to cool and soothe the skin while also retaining hydration and a high concentration of antioxidants deliver a brightened, naturally radiant glow.

Tremella Mushroom

AKA white jelly fungus and snow fungus, is a traditional mushroom that has many applications in Asian countries. Often included in herbal remedies for coughs and colds, as well as in traditional dishes, this medicinal ingredient has also been utilized by royalty in Korea for centuries as a secret tool for the skin! It is said to aid in anti-aging and maintaining that youthful glow that Korean women are so famous for. Tremella mushroom, in its most commonly seen form, is unique on its own. Often sold in marketplaces as an herbal remedy to replenish body fluids and slow down signs of aging and stress wrinkles, this mushroom comes dried, and immediately bounces to a jelly-like texture when re-hydrated. The Tremella mushroom has the same effect on dry and depleted skin. Earth’s Recipe, one of Glow Recipe’s curations, offers a bouncy Tremella-infused Energy Boosting Toner that my skin would not survive without. A dose of this essence-like toner gives your tired skin a wake up call, increasing its absorptive abilities, helping it to deliver the Tremella mushroom’s nutrients to the deepest layers of your skin to maintain a firm, youthful, plump appearance.

Ginseng preserved in jars for medicinal purposes; Image: SnippyHolloW

Ginseng

This more commonly known medicinal skincare ingredient is found in everything from tea to immune system enhancing pills, and now your skincare products. Ginseng is packed full of antioxidants that act as an “oxygen magnet,” regenerating depleted cells to create a natural barrier against harmful elements while also keeping your skin looking as young and supple as ever. Ginseng works naturally to enhance the complexion with naturally occurring antioxidants, brightening the skin and improving its elasticity and ability to retain nutrients for a lasting period of time. I love to carry my Ginseng on the go in the form of the uniquely infused Soyedodam Organic Ginseng Mist. With a delicate piece of 100% organic Ginseng hand-placed at the bottom of the on-the-go treatment, this mist delivers an immediate relief to dry and depleted skin, protecting and strengthening it from further damage with a simple spritz.

Check out our co-founders’ latest YouTube video featuring more about these medicinal skincare wonders here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-TPCuZn5-E

Now give your skin a dose of the ingredients it deserves!

Get your glow on,
Sheila