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About the Author
Asti Renaut
Asti Renaut (BHSc. Comp Med, BA, Adv Dip Nat, Adv Dip Herb Med, MNZAMH)
Asti Renaut is a degree-qualified medical herbalist and naturopath with over ten years clinical experience. Asti practices in Christchurch, New Zealand, treating a wide range of health issues. She especially enjoys working with infants and children, and finally has one of her own to practice on! One of the cornerstones of Asti's practice and philosophy is the importance of education and sharing information. She believes that empowering clients to understand their own bodies and health, and giving practical tips and tools to use from the garden and kitchen are just as important for wellness as qualified professional care.
The beauty of using natural plant remedies to improve the appearance of your skin is that they will also improve its health and vitality. Instead of covering up or peeling off or injecting your skin with strange things, utilising botanical extracts from New Zealand grown plants can not only make your skin look gorgeous, but also make it more robust and healthy.
We all know that living as we do in the southern regions, we are exposed to high levels of ultra violet (UV) radiation, which causes oxidative damage to our skin, leading to wrinkles, dryness, age spots, and changes that can possibly lead to growths and skin cancers. UV increases oxidation in the skin which causes an increase in the destruction of elastin and collagen. It also stops our skin from producing its own natural antioxidant enzymes.
Plants to the rescue! Using high-potency antioxidant plant extracts can protect our skin against sun-induced oxidative damage and the premature aging of our skin. Green Tea is one of the most well-researched plants for reducing oxidative damage to the skin and all its ill-effects. The polyphenols in Green Tea help to reduce fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation changes.
Clinical studies have shown that Grape Seed and Kiwifruit skin extracts keep your skin more hydrated and moisturised - 16% more to be exact. Studies also show the extracts are able to improve skin elasticity, reduce redness, and decrease melanin production (that causes dark spots). And apart from improving the appearance of skin, these extracts are also shown to increase your skin’s function as a natural barrier.
Improving hydration is a key component of any skin restoration programme! Hoheria, also known as Lacebark, was traditionally used to soothe, soften and heal tissues, especially the skin.
These extracts are key for anyone with signs of sun-damaged skin. Whether you have had too much sun in the past or are frequently exposed to it now, daily use of a cream to improve your skin’s resilience and reverse existing damage is a positive step to take.
Beauty is indeed from the inside out; in this case, using a cream with a selection of locally-grown extracts that increases the antioxidant protection inside our skin cells.
We should be very grateful that in this ozone-depleted corner of the world, we have an abundance of botanical matter on hand to help protect us from the very real cosmetic and health effects of sun damage. Choosing a skin cream that is naturally rich in antioxidants, and which has been proven to reduce all signs of sun damage, means we are doing the best for our skin and our health both now and in the future.
