Pearl Powder

Why Would I Want to Rub Pearl Powder on my Face?!

Let me ask you a question in return first. Why would you want to rub crushed almond shells or little shards of aluminum or salt crystals on your face?

Right, they all act as exfoliants by sanding away dry dead surface cells and leaving your skin with a younger looking glow.

In fact it has been shown that gentle exfoliation is not only beneficial for removing dull surface skin but also stimulates the body to produce new skin more rapidly and even thickens skin thinned by age and environmental stress.

Pearl powder has been used in facial products for centuries, primarily in the Far East where pearls are abundant.

It was thought that the "pearlescent" afterglow was due to the pearl powder being deposited on the skin.

Don't let the fact that you now know the truth dissuade you from trying some of these pearl powder creams. The honest manufacturers will come right out and tell you what the pearl crystals do.

For example, Jenju states in its ads, "Microscopic spheres of freshwater pearls lightly lift the topmost layer of skin to reveal baby-fresh, glowing skin underneath."

Look at the rest of the ingredient list to see what you are getting for your money. Again using Jenju Pearl Cream as an example of a quality pearl cream product, we find many other excellent ingredients.

[ For me, it is another plus when a manufacturer discloses its product's ingredients in its ads, as does Jenju.]

To enhance the pearlescent glow, Jenju adds mica particles in a titanium dioxide base. Mica is light reflective; the titanium dioxide provides a base for reflection and adheres the mica until washed off.

Since skin tones differ, a pure white titanium base imparts the same natural luminous look to all skin tones.

In addition, Jenju Pearl Cream contains Hyaluronic Acid, the strongest Natural Moisturizing Factor available today. This is combined with several botanical oil emollients to maximize absorption, including soybean, grapeseed and Aleurites Moluccana (Candlenut Tree) Seed oils.

Don't think that moisturizing your skin is just temporary. Keeping the skin moisturized (once the body's natural moisture producing factory slows with age), supports the skin's matrix and helps the skin's moisture-producing system repair itself.

Jenju also contains several botanical anti-inflammatories, including Schizandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Green Tea) Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Extract and Lotus Corniculatus Flower Extract. Anti-inflammatories sooth and help the skin to heal.

Antioxidants are very important compounds which diffuse free radicals whether from UV radiation, pollution or the body's own internal processes. Jenju Pearl Cream has a good combination of antioxidants: Vitamin C (in the form of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate and Ascorbyl Palmitate), Vitamin A (in the form of Retinyl Acetate and Retinyl Palmitate) and Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate).

Aminomethyl Propanol is added to adjust the pH of the skin's acid mantle. At a somewhat acidic pH around 5.0, the acid mantle protects the skin and renders it less vulnerable to damage and attack by environmental factors.

The mantle also has strong antioxidant properties and is itself oxidized to protect the skin from oxidation (free radical damage). As well, the acid mantle inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and fungus.

Finally, as a preservative Jenju Pearl Cream contains Phenoxyethanol which is less irritating than most cosmetic preservatives and does not release formaldehyde.

My conclusion is that Jenju has carefully selected the ingredients for its Pearl Cream using ancient wisdom andthe latest science.

With Jenju Pearl Cream, you get a gentle exfoliant that has been used for centuries, the latest in effective moisturizers, soothing anti-inflammatory botanicals, protection from free radical damage and a boost to the skin's first line of defense - the acid mantle.

That's a pearl of a cream in my book.

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.