Botanicals and Antioxidants: Nature’s Best Tools for Healthier, Radiant & Youthful Looking Skin

By Niki St. Pierre –

Everyday our skin is challenged by fatigue after long hours at work, overexposure to solar radiation after a full day in the sun, or even jetlag from red-eye flights. Any one of these occurrences can initiate and accelerate premature aging. Let’s not forget the adverse impact of skin aggressors as smoke and pollution – the unfortunate result of living in modern-day towns and cities – as they also contribute to premature aging as well.

Needless to say, your skin can go into overdrive to reverse visible signs of aging caused by our contemporary lifestyle. Luckily nature has provided us with some powerful tools as botanicals and antioxidants to help combat the visible signs of aging and help put a handle on premature aging. Whether in a cream or serum, botanicals and antioxidants represent essential nutrients and are becoming increasingly part of cosmeceutical products that help reduce fine lines, wrinkles, blemishes and dark spots.

Botanicals have long been known for their healing properties and now are being turned to more and more for rejuvenation. Botanical extracts include ingredients such as seabuckthorn, palmarosa, licorice, rosehip seed, pomegranate, chamomile, ylang ylang, everlasting, jasmine and rosemary. Many botanicals are also potent antioxidants that are effective at combating skin-aging free radicals. Kenneth Beer, M.D., Erin Kellner, M.S., and Jacob Beer, authors of “Cosmeceuticals for Rejuvenation,” note that the anti-inflammatory properties of licorice extract have been shown to be just as effective as mild topical steroids.

Antioxidants on the other hand are found in everything from green tea and acai berry, to vitamin C and E (of the Vitamin E family, tocotrienols are the most potent form) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA). Other potent skin antioxidants include CoQ10, lycopene and astaxanthin. According to a study by Fuji Health Science, astaxanthin has been shown to protect against skin-aging radicals, support skin renewal, and increase hydration and elasticity.

Look for these ingredients in the products you use and be smart about it. For example, if a product has CoQ10 and it is not a deep yellow to orange color then most likely it does not contain a high enough concentration of CoQ10 to deliver results. Cosmeceuticals rich in botanicals and antioxidants are ideal for use in the following ways:

• As part of a daily skin care routine for preventative care and defense against skin-aging free radicals
• As a pre- and post-support for cosmetic procedures such as glycolic peels and microdermabrasion
• After a deep cleansing facial
• As an intensive treatment to improve skin tone and restore youthful glow

Certainly, in spa services as chemical peels and microdermabrasion, to name a few, can help remedy some of the damage induced by our lifestyle, stress and inflammation. However, following these facial treatments with a concentrated serum infused with botanicals and antioxidants can help replenish and strengthen the skin and produce almost immediate results.

You should make it routine to apply the right cosmeceutical before sleep. During sleep is when your skin is most receptive to change. The night is the time when the body focuses on repairing damage from the day making it the optimal time to provide it a good boost of vitamins, antioxidants and botanicals.

No matter your age, using an intensive skin care treatment super-charged with botanicals, high-potency vitamins and antioxidants will help prevent future damage, and be one of your best tools for rejuvenating and restoring your skin naturally.

Start your search for botanical cosmeceutical skin care treatments at NIKI SAINT PIERRE BOTANICAL COSMECEUTICALS. THE DAILY NUTRIENTS is a cutting-edge line of restorative serum concentrates made of 100% active ingredients, the finest organic and active botanical extracts, super-antioxidants and dermatologically proven actives. THE DAILY NUTRIENTS infuses the skin with essential, repairing and de-aging cellular nutrients.

Each of the collection’s three concentrates – Anti-Aging Daily Nutrients, Radiant Skin Daily Nutrients and Clear Skin Daily Nutrients – is formulated with up to 50 active ingredients that work to resolve different skin conditions. In addition to super antioxidants, the skin benefits from high-potency vitamins, repairing botanical extracts, stimulating flower essences, amino acids, essential fatty acids and rare flower essences. Free of parabens, mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, synthetic coloring, PABA, and not tested on animals.

THE DAILY NUTRIENTS work to repair existing damage and prevent future environmental damage for adults of every age. Replenishes nutrients, moisturizes, and detoxifies for healthier, radiant youthful looking skin.

Visit www.nikisaintpierre.com or our www.facebook.com/nikisaintpierre fan page to learn more about our products and revolutionary approach to skin care.