Dr. Crutchfield in New Beauty Magazine Q & A’s

How can plants be as effective as synthetic skin care ingredients?

Many times plants can provide a better treatment over synthetics.  Nevertheless it’s not necessarily the origin, it’s the concentration and purity of ingredients that make them work best.  Sometimes the amount of an ingredient in a plant is very small,  yet even in small amounts the results can be very effective or the plants can be harvested and the products concentrated for a better result.

How do plants work on the skin?

This is a huge question and there are as many answers as there are compounds found in plants.  Some can act as anti-inflammatories, some can act to improve skin tone and decrease skin congestion, some can be used to fade away dark spots.  Some can be purely rejuvenative.  The list of plant ingredients and their effects on the skin is voluminous.

What are some of the most effective plant based ingredients?

Alpha hydroxy acids work very well to improve the quality of the skin.  Arbutin and kojic acids are great at fading away dark spots.  Beta hydroxy acids are good at treating acne.

What are plant stem cells and why are they important?

Plant stem cells have the ability to develop into many different plant cell types and as a result they contain special proteins that can have rejuvenative effects and may reverse the signs of aging.  There are several plants that have stem cells that are beneficial including edelweiss, swiss apple, lilac, grapes, algae and raspberries. The actual cells are not put on the skin, only extracts from the cells that contain ingredients that can produce younger and healthier looking skin.

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How can plants be as effective as synthetic skin care…