The pomegranate, a tree and fruit native to the Mediterranean, has found its way into juices, supplements, and skincare products. It has burst into the health industry for its high concentration of polyphenols, an excellent source of antioxidants. Your skin (and the rest of your body) use antioxidants to prevent and reverse the damage caused by oxidative stress. Pomegranate nourishes your skin from the inside out, especially once you know how and where to use it.
Pomegranate 411
The pomegranate is native to Iran and several countries in the Mediterranean. The round fruits have a hard, smooth exterior and grow on bushy trees that are also known as pomegranates. When you open the fruit, it has bright red seeds that look like juicy popcorn kernels.
The peel, seeds, and juice are rich in polyphenols, specifically gallagic acid, ellagic acid, punicalagins, and punicalins. Preliminary evidence suggests that the antioxidants in pomegranate are safe to eat as well as apply to the skin. These antioxidants help counteract the damage from free radicals, a natural byproduct of the oxidative process. Free radicals break down the bonds between your skin cells and contribute to visible aging.
How to nourish your skin by consuming pomegranate
Pomegranates are more expensive than more common fruits like apples, oranges, and bananas. However, if you can get your hands on them regularly, you can eat the juicy seeds for an influx of antioxidants from the inside, where they’ll be distributed throughout your body.
You can also get antioxidants by drinking pomegranate juice or juice blends with pomegranate in it. The concentration of antioxidants is lower in pomegranate juice. Check that the juice is made with real, natural juice and not just flavoring.
How to nourish your skin by applying pomegranate
In many ways, applying pomegranate extract to your skin is a more practical and affordable way to use this fruit for your skin. Skincare products with pomegranate extract have become much more common as we’ve learned about the benefits of antioxidants for the skin. Applying these products on a daily basis provides those helpful antioxidants regularly. Pomegranate can be used in a number of product types, giving you different options for integrating it into your routine. SkinResourceMD uses pomegranate extract in three protective products:
Total Antioxidant – Vitamin C Facial Serum
Serums offer a higher dose of nutrients than standard moisturizers and lotions. This velvety serum offers a high dose of antioxidants, starting with vitamin C. However, it also contains extracts of pomegranate, Ginkgo biloba, chamomile, and green tea leaf. Pomegranate, chamomile, and Ginkgo biloba add more antioxidants, and the Ginkgo also provides added hydration. Green tea extract can help treat acne and enliven the skin.
This serum has several sources of antioxidants to cover a range of different antioxidant types. The more types your skin has access to, the better prepared and protected from free radicals it will be.
Oil Free Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer
This facial moisturizer brings much more than hydration to your skin, though it does that with ingredients like shea butter. It also has a long list of antioxidant ingredients, including pomegranate extract.
This lightweight moisturizer also contains Ginkgo biloba, chamomile, and green tea leaf extracts that add to the overall antioxidant content. The combination of moisturizers and antioxidant ingredients strengthens the skin by keeping it supple as well as giving it the nutrients it needs to resist free radical damage.
Total Skin Moisturizer
Total Skin Moisturizer is a gentle moisturizer designed for use on the entire body, including the face. It has pomegranate and Ginkgo biloba plus sunflower oil to provide antioxidant protection. Pomegranate provides polyphenols, while sunflower oil brings another powerful antioxidant, vitamin E, into the mix.
Hydration comes from jojoba seed oil, aloe, and green tea leaf extract. The combination can soothe skin conditions, such as psoriasis, acne, and eczema, along with general moisturization. Total Skin Moisturizer also contains citric acid to act as a gentle, natural exfoliant that also firms and boosts the elasticity of the skin. Exfoliants help dead skin cells slough off, revealing the healthy, radiant skin underneath.
Make pomegranate a daily part of your (skin’s) life
Eating or drinking the occasional pomegranate juice provides antioxidants from the inside, while skincare products can give you a daily dose of antioxidants from the outside. Serums are a great way to get an initial boost, while moisturizers hydrate the skin, keeping it flexible and supple. Pick and choose how you’ll use pomegranate, but make it a regular part of your skincare routine for happier, healthier skin.
