Ingredient Focus: Linoleic Acid

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Here at Pure Beauty, we make it our business to know exactly what’s in the products we sell so that we can make targeted recommendations for our clients’ skincare needs. One ingredient we’ve seen popping up a lot lately is linoleic acid, also sometimes referred to as vitamin F. Linoleic acid is actually an essential fatty acid, which means it’s essential for human health but isn’t created by the body.

Linoleic acid, or vitamin F, provides moisture and plumpness without making the skin feel heavy or weighed down. It fortifies the skin’s barrier, helping to fend off UV rays and air pollutants such as smoke, both of which cause free radical activity that can result in wrinkles and signs of ageing. It also lightens sun induced hyperpigmentation, making it an excellent all-rounder in the skincare game. It’s found in a number of naturally occurring oils, such as sunflower seed oil, hemp oil, grapeseed oil, and prickly pear seed oil.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of some of our favourite products which contain vitamin F. 

Medik8 Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil

Oils are perfect for cleansing the skin as they can melt away dirt and make-up without stripping away the skin’s own barrier. This cleansing oil from Medik8 features an optimised ratio of essential lipids to replenish the skin’s natural defense barrier. This leaves the complexion soft, supple and protected from everyday irritants. The Omega-6 (yet another name for linoleic acid!) helps to rebalance the skin’s lipid levels to encourage a healthy complexion. 

Dermalogica Melting Moisture Masque

This mask from Dermalogica starts as a balm but melts to become a highly hydrating oil for your face. Activated by skin’s natural heat, this luxurious mask delivers a satisfying melting sensation as it penetrates skin’s surface layers to deeply nourish and rehydrate. As well as containing linoleic acid, which helps protect against skin-damaging free radicals for healthier-looking skin, it also contains micro-algae. This marine algae contains hydrating properties which help soothe and protect skin against the drying effects of pollution

Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Body Cream

It’s not just the skin on your face which benefits from the use of linoleic acid. This body cream from Elemis contains sesame oil which is hugely rich in linoleic acid and antioxidants, and has a well-balanced lipid profile, providing excellent emollient and skin softening properties. The unique infusion of exotic Tahitian monoi oil, a blend of tiare flowers soaked in coprah oil, is fragranced with frangipani flowers to leave skin feeling beautifully soft, supple and delicately scented.

Evolve Organic Beauty Superfood 360 Serum

This lightweight serum from Evolve Organic Beauty is pretty unique in that it can be used by all skin types and ages! The formulation is packed with highly effective natural superfoods which deliver comprehensive skin protection and rejuvenation benefits including improvement in skin tone, wrinkle depth, texture and luminosity. The linoleic acid contained is sourced from cacay oil, obtained from the seeds of a majestic Amazonian tree. Cacay oil is also packed with bio-retinol to support the skin barrier layer and to lock moisture into the skin.

Medik8 C-Tetra Luxe

The final product on our linoleic list is this lipid Vitamin C enhanced radiance serum from Medik8. As well as being packed with vitamin F and C, it contains vitamin E, which protects the skin from free radicals as well as optimised red ginseng, which boosts the serum’s brightening powers while stimulating collagen production. It’s also got a dose of squalane, which  helps to restore the skin’s natural defensive barrier while deeply hydrating the skin. What more could you ask for?!

Reset for Spring – Use These Ingredients NOW to See a Difference in Your Skin!

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Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

While we might still be firmly in the grips of winter, many of us are already starting to think forward to the warmer, brighter days of spring. This may involve trying to improve our fitness, giving your house a thorough decluttering, or possibly getting control of your complexion before the warmer weather arrives. If you are concentrating on the latter, using products containing the following five ingredients between now and the start of spring (although maybe not all of them at the same time!) is sure to reset your skin and give you the complexion of your dreams:

Vitamin C

Adding vitamin C to your skin care routine can not only brighten your complexion but also protect against skin damage caused by sun exposure and harmful free radicals. This potent antioxidant is commonly used in face cleansers, serums, oils, and moisturisers. Skin Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum is a great place to start, and we’d also recommend adding REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, which is a light gel cream moisturiser to hydrate and illuminate your skin.

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a natural acid derived from plants. It’s made up of tiny molecules that can easily penetrate your skin barrier, helping to make it a particularly effective anti-ageing ingredient that promotes good skin health. Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is packed with this acid and will help renew dull, uneven skin tone and remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last ten years, you’ve likely heard of hyaluronic acid as it’s in so many different skincare products – with good reason! It is a powerful component that both binds moisture to the skin and is suitable for all skin types and ages. It’s found naturally in the skin, although production reduces as we age. When added to skincare, it helps to hydrate the skin, gives a plumper, wrinkle-free appearance and makes your complexion look more radiant. For an easy introduction to hyaluronic acid, we recommend Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask.

Bakuchiol

We’ve written about bakuchiol before, and it’s an ingredient which is worth mentioning over and over again! Retinoids are potent ingredients which encourage faster turnover of surface skin cells and boosts collagen, as well as improving skin tone and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. However, for some, retinoids are a little TOO powerful for their sensitive skin and can cause irritation and discomfort. Bakuchiol is a gentle, naturally occurring alternative, found in This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, which is perfect for those with sensitive skin. 

Niacinamide

Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly minimise enlarged pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen the skin’s surface. It can be found in Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, along with hexylresorcinol to help fade dark spots and shiitake mushrooms, which are rich in beta glucans, to help to brighten skin.

Don’t Skip Your Brussels Sprouts This Christmas!

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acid, alpha lipoic acid, antioxidant, antioxidants, Brussels sprouts, cells, collagen, compounds, prebiotic, probiotic, skin, sprouts, superfoods, vitamin, Vitamin C, vitamin K

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When it comes to Christmas dinner, almost everybody has their own favourite part of the plate. For many of us, it’s the roast potatoes, while others like to savour the turkey, but some people out there (believe it or not) actually like the Brussels sprout part of the meal the best! Despite the fact that many people find them slightly bitter and not the easiest veg to eat, there are actually a bunch of reasons that you shouldn’t be skipping the Brussels this year, many of which will hugely benefit your skin and complexion. Here are five reasons why you should make sure you don’t leave a single Brussels sprouts on your plate this year.

They’re Packed With Prebiotics

Most of us have heard of probiotics, but not everyone knows what prebiotics are. If you think about probiotics as being the seeds of the good bacteria that you want to grow in your tummy, then prebiotics are like the compost in which you would plant those seeds in order to get them to grow. Sprouts contain high levels of insoluble fibre and it’s within this that the pre-biotics can be found. This is all part of protecting your microbiome, which is hugely important. 

They’re High in Vitamin C

Brussels sprouts are full of nutrients and contain significant amounts of vitamin C. In fact, gram for gram, Brussels sprouts contain nearly 50 per cent more vitamin C than an orange. Just four to six Brussels sprouts contain the adult daily requirement for vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important vitamin for the skin as it can help to brighten the complexion, reduce hyperpigmentation and boost collagen production through the process of collagen synthesis.

They Contain a HUGE Amount of Vitamin K

Another hero vitamin which can be found in abundance in Brussels sprouts is vitamin K. Often used to help skin recover from surgery or cosmetic procedures like laser treatment, vitamin K is believed to help cuts, wounds and bruises heal considerably faster than usual. It’s also a star ingredient in many eye creams with studies showing it can help brighten dark circles and boost skin elasticity.

They’re Rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are protective compounds that reduce oxidative stress in your cells, and as a result may help lower your risk of chronic disease and can also help to slow the signs of ageing. Brussels sprouts are rich in antioxidants, compounds that contribute to healthier cells and a lower risk of cancer, making them the perfect superfood to enjoy all year round. 

They Contain Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid, like so many great skincare ingredients, is an antioxidant produced naturally by your body. However, the quantities produced are at such a low level that people are increasingly looking for ways to supplement their levels of ALA through other sources – and that’s where your Brussels sprouts come in! When applied topically, Alpha Lipoic Acid penetrates the surface layers of the skin and begins to work its magic. The skin has a brighter, more youthful appearance and benefits from the cellular protection that ALA offers.

Our Best Organic Products

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Many of us have made the transition to using organic produce in our cooking, in order to avoid eating things which contain potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides which large-scale food producers so often turn to, so it makes sense to also switch to using beauty products which contain the same conscientiously sourced ingredients, too. Both Elemis and Dermalogica offer products which contain organic ingredients, and here are five of our favourites:

Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream

Shower and bath products are probably the thing which we use the most and usually over our whole body, so it makes sense that we’d want this product to contain the best ingredients possible. This nourishing shower cream from Elemis contains a mix of organic oats and essential oils such as lavender, camomile, geranium and palmarosa to cleanse and enrich the skin whilst adding a layer of moisture to dry skin.

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier

Spot-prone, oily skin can be really hard to control and finding powerful products which contain organic ingredients can sometimes be tricky. However, this Clearing Mattifier from Dermalogica contains organic silicones which melt gently into the skin to help minimise fine lines, retexture the skins surface leaving it smooth, all while controlling shine and leaving your face shine-free.

Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water

One of the things we love about this Micellar Water from Elemis is how effectively is manages to remove make-up while being incredibly gentle on the skin, and this is thanks in no small part to the organic English rose water is contains. It removes dirt, make-up and impurities but still maintains the natural protective barrier of the skin, giving you a clean but perfectly balanced complexion.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

This formulation from Dermalogica is designed for extremely dry or prematurely ageing skin and offers a level of moisture which is much needed when the skin starts to lose elasticity. The organic silicones provide a layer of protection from external damage, helping to protect, repair, strengthen and improve smoothness of your skin.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

When your skin is starting to show signs of ageing, you need powerful ingredients to reverse those signs, which is why Elemis created this mask which combines targeted enzymes which encourage the breakdown of dead skin cells and promotes cell regeneration. It uses various fruit acids, including organic Acerola cherry acid which effectively exfoliates the skins surface adding to the resurfacing efficacy of the mask.