Bamboo is becoming more popular in skincare world, especially in the last few years. This is because bamboo contains some of the most effective ingredients for keeping your skin healthy and beautiful. Additionally, the whole plant also can be used as an alternative to other, less eco-friendly skincare ingredients. All-natural and sustainable, bamboo skincare products are an ethical way to improve and maintain your skin.
Bamboo Skincare Products Are Full Of Antioxidants
You probably already know that antioxidants are good for you, but do you know how they work? In short, they neutralize free radicals in your body. Free radicals are atoms that have an unpaired electron, which makes them ready to react with anything. When they’re on the loose, free radicals will react with your cells, damaging their molecules. This is where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants give free radicals something easy to stick to, so that they don’t attach to your cells. This means you can use antioxidants to prevent aging on a cellular level!
These free radical reactions are one of the causes of outward signs of aging. They can cause wrinkles and dark spots on your skin. The solution? Antioxidants, of course! Bamboo-based antioxidants smooth wrinkles and lighten dark spots. They also heal acne scars and calm redness from breakouts. Antioxidants are a must-have ingredient in creams and serums, and bamboo skincare products are loaded with them.
Bamboo Skincare Products Contain Silica
Silica might be the miracle ingredient you have been missing. Why? Because silica can help your body make more collagen.
Collagen is a part of skin responsible for elasticity and smoothness. Aging and sun damage both can reduce collagen in our skin, making us look older. To reverse wrinkling and improve skin texture, you need to increase the collagen in your skin. By adding bamboo to your skincare regimen, you give your body the tools it needs to increase collagen production, naturally. With daily use, bamboo-based skincare ingredients with silica give you a long-lasting, natural glow.
Bamboo Is An Ethical Source Of Squalane Oil
If you’re looking for natural moisturizing ingredients, you can’t beat squalane. Squalane is a version of squalene, which is the oil your skin produces. Even though it is all natural, the squalene our bodies produces can react and break down, causing inflammation, breakouts, and other skin problems. Squalane, however, is more stable and less likely to break you out. It is a good ingredient to add to the oils your skin already makes. If you are a person with oily, acne-prone skin, squalane oil is a great way to lock in moisture and protect your skin, without triggering a breakout.
Squalane oil has a troubled history. It was traditionally harvested from sharks, which contributed to overfishing in our oceans. This also means products using shark-sourced squalane oil are not vegetarian or vegan. Luckily, we can now get squalane oil from plants such as bamboo, sugarcane, amaranth, and olives. Of these, bamboo is a fast-growing and sustainable option.
When buying products with squalane, always check the label (or call the company!) to make sure you are buying an ethically sourced product.
Bamboo Is A Biodegradable Physical Exfoliant
Physical exfoliants improve your skin by scraping off dead cells. Exfoliating makes your skin look healthier by showing off your skin’s healthy side. It also makes sure your other skincare actives can penetrate into your skin. Many exfoliating products contain microbeads, which are tiny plastic pieces. Unfortunately, these plastic bits are too small to be filtered out with other solid matter after they go down the drain. They go right through sewer systems and into our waterways, where they are picked up by animals and plants. When you use products that have plastic microbeads, you contribute to the problem of plastics in the food that we eat. But what’s the solution for someone whose skin loves physical exfoliation? The answer is crushed bamboo.
Bamboo can be ground very small, to the same size as microplastics, and have the same exfoliating effect on your skin. Unlike plastic, however, bamboo is an organic material and 100% biodegradable. This means that when you wash your bamboo skincare products down the drain, they will break down the same way that food particles do. If your skin likes physical exfoliation, bamboo exfoliants are a great, eco-friendly way to gently polish your skin.
Bamboo Is A Sustainable Source For Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is another popular bamboo skincare ingredient. It works by trapping toxins and other substances, so that they are not able to wreak havoc on our bodies. Activated charcoal has a wide range of uses as a purifier, such as treatment for poisons, in water filters, and now, in skincare.
When used in cleansers and masks, activated charcoal binds to dirt and impurities in the skin. When you wash off the product, these pore-clogging substances are then rinsed down the drain. Using products with activated charcoal is a great way to shrink your pores and remove excess oil. As with all bamboo skincare ingredients, activated charcoal is environmentally friendly and sustainable.
With all the ways you can bamboo, it’s no surprise that it’s getting so popular in the skincare world. It is a sustainable source of antioxidants, a natural source of silica, and a vegan source of squalane oil. It also provides a biodegradable way to physically exfoliate and to make activated charcoal. Many of our favorite skincare ingredients can be made from bamboo. It grows very quickly, making bamboo sustainable and ethical. It is also vegan and biodegradable. In other words, bamboo skincare products are products you can feel good about!