SEPTEMBER 2019 37 SHAPE.COM
Hover your phone’s
camera over this
smart code to shop
for products with
these ingredients.actually a fundamental part of
Ayurvedic medicine.” The ingredi-
ent has been used in cosmetic skin
care for decades, but it was cata-
pulted into the spotlight only
recently, with research highlighting
its antiaging powers. “We now know
that bakuchiol triggers the same
response from skin cells as retinol,”
Dr. Nazarian says. “It increases cell
turnover and boosts collagen and
proteins, which helps smooth and
prevent wrinkles, fade spots, and
even out skin tone.” On top of being
nonirritating, this natural wonder
has some other prime advantages
over retinol: “Bakuchiol is vegan and
safe to use during pregnancy and
breastfeeding,” says Dr. Nazarian,
who still recommends checking
with your doctor before starting
a new product during pregnancy.
“Plus, unlike retinol, the ingredient
doesn’t make your skin more sensi-
tive to sunlight, so you can apply it
during the day.” It seems the only
area in which retinol outperforms
bakuchiol is at treating acne. “But
the ingredient is showing evidence
of possibly improving breakouts,”
Dr. Nazarian says. “It just hasn’t
been studied fully enough.”
CBD oil for inflammation
If the number of CBD-infused
beauty and wellness products out
there has you feeling dazed and
confused, we get it. The ingredient
has made its way into everything
from moisturizer to manicure oils,
claiming to work all sorts of magic.
But experts say the buzz surround-
ing the ingredient’s skin benefits
is legit. “Studies indicate that top-
ically applied CBD oil can reduce
inflammation,” says Ron Robinson,
a cosmetic chemist in New York
City and the founder of BeautyStat.
What exactly is it? CBD stands for
cannabidiol, an active compound
found in the two cannabis plants,
hemp and marijuana. CBD oil is
derived from hemp. It’s not an ille-
gal substance under federal law, and
it will not get you high (that’s THC,
a different cannabis compound).
The oil has been used topically for
ages as a natural pain reliever, and
recently CBD has been examined
for its role as an anti-inflammatory.
Two anecdotal studies (not per-
formed on people)—one published
in 2014 in the Journal of Clinical
Investigation and the other in 2016 in
Experimental Dermatolog y—found
that applying CBD oil to the skin
helps reduce inflammation. These
studies examined how this relates
to controlling acne and eczema, not
skin aging, but “an ingredient that
helps control inflammation can
potentially help with skin aging,”
Dr. Gohara says.Gotu kola for sun damage
A member of the parsley family,
this medicinal herb has been revered
for thousands of years in Asia as
a wound healer and a treatment for
skin conditions like psoriasis. It may
also help ward off skin aging. In a
2013 animal study that examined
gotu kola’s wound-healing capabil-
ities, the ingredient was shown to
increase skin’s collagen production.
“ When you have a cut, fibroblasts
create the scar tissue that heals the
wound, but they also make collagen
and the proteins that rebuild skin,”
Dr. Nazarian says. “Gotu kola trig-
gers a skin response that can ulti-
mately lead to fewer wrinkles. It’s
also an anti-inflammatory, so it can
decrease the inflammation caused
by pollutants and UV exposure that
contributes to skin aging. All in all,
gotu kola is helping combat, repair,
and maybe even protect against skin
damage.” While doctors note that
human trials are needed to deter-
mine whether these indirect repair
benefits can lead to visibly better
skin, “I for one am very excited about
the ingredient,” Dr. Nazarian says.