Can Agave Be Used in Your Skin Care Routine?
Agave has been used for many purposes dating back to ancient times in Mexico, but did you know that agave is a highly underrated skin treatment? Today I'll talk about the agave skin benefits and explain why it's one of the most under-rated topical applications your skin is missing out on!
Where Does Agave Come From?
I've definitely covered this topic before, but for anyone surfing on in for some agave skin care advice and not for the typical tequila reviews that I post, I'll gladly go over it again.
Widely known as the plant that is used to make tequila, the agave plant can be found growing in select parts of the world. You'll find the agave plant in the Southwestern United States all the way down to the Northern parts of South America. The blue agave plant is where most of the popular sweeteners are derived from, and when it's extracted you don't get the raw nectar. It's processed quite a bit before you can use it to sweeten your food or beverage of choice, and it comes out to about 60 calories per tablespoon. I personally use agave as syrup on my pancakes, I use it to sweeten my coffee (but only if it's a horrible coffee that needs sweetening!), and my son loves it on any brand of waffles that can be heated up in the toaster.
The ancient Aztecs believed the Gods had given them this plant as a special gift. Originally, agave nectar was used as flavoring for food and drinks but of course, what put agave on the global map is it's use in tequila.
Way back in time, the Aztec folks used agave as a remedy for skin issues. I like the idea agave can be used topically as a natural remedy for skin in addition to treating a variety of skin conditions and wounds, and fast forwarding to today's era, there are a number of agave skin creams on the market with all sorts of intended uses.
Benefits of Agave for Skin
Agave offers a wide range of benefits for skin including all of the following.
- Giving skin a plump appearance while decreasing the appearance of fine lines
- Freshens skin by breaking down dead cells
- Decreases blackheads, pimples and acne
- Offers anti-aging properties
- Calming irritated skin
- Decreases the appearance of wrinkles
- Provides vitamins including provitamin A, B1, B2, K, D and C
- Keeping skin supple, soft and moisturized
- Works as a gentle exfoliant
- Soothes irritated skin
- Brightening the skin
- Helps skin wounds heal
- Contains anti-inflammatory properties
When the agave is mixed with other ingredients, it provides skin with gentle exfoliation. Both dry and dull skin can be brought back to life beautifully with agave.
Anti-Aging Properties of Agave
Agave contains saponin. This is important because this substance is one of the most effective to stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin. Fibroblasts are stimulated resulting in a substantial boost in hyaluronic acid production. Many companies include agave in natural cosmetic and skincare products for this reason.
As the body begins to age, the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin diminishes. The result is a loss of elasticity leading to sagging skin, fine lines and wrinkles. Since saponin stimulates the natural production of hyaluronic acid, the result is smoother and softer skin. At first, I was skeptical when I learned all of this. However, the research doesn't lie, and if you check my sources below you can read a lot more information on the skin benefits of agave. The majority of this research comes from none other than WebMD.
Agave and Acne
The main reason agave can help with acne is that this liquid is rich in fructans. This compound can increase metabolism and fight insulin resistance to improve acne. Agave is also rich in enzymes and antioxidants. When the stem of the plant is cut, sap will start to collect in the area. As the plant tries to repair itself, the result is a nutritional substance with a lot of power.
Agave Face Serums
Agave has become a popular ingredient for face serums to provide tighter and more youthful-looking skin. This is accomplished by diminishing visible premature again signs including fine lines and wrinkles. These serums are formulated specifically for the restoration of skin texture, tone and hydration. Some of these serums contain advanced peptides and tequila leaf extract to enhance skin vitality and smoothness.
Agave face serums renew the look of aging and tired skin, improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and brighten and rejuvenate skin tone. The result is more radiant, fresh and vibrant skin.
Agave Honey and Skin
Agave nectar is often used for numerous health benefits for the skin. Skin issues are consistently treated through traditional medicine including eczema, psoropharyngitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis. Some scientific studies have show agave offers benefits as a skin moisturizer. According to recent research, the honey found in agave contains antioxidants capable of protecting the skin from damage caused by free radicals.
Some people can improve the health of their skin simply by using agave topically. This includes anyone suffering from moderate or even severe psoriasis, so if that's you, head on over to CostCo and pick up a big stock of agave and report back if it works! I'd love to hear agave before and after stories!
This research has been published to demonstrate the high capacity of agave as a natural antioxidant. Agave contains two extremely important amino acids, valine and leucine. Both are essential for a healthy immune system. This means the honey found in agave is not only useful for youthful-looking skin, but for treating certain skin conditions as well.
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