Women everywhere are now more aware of the anti-ageing process than ever before and as a result the anti-ageing skincare market has rocketed over the past decade. It is now reported to be worth over billions in the UK alone, and scientific ingredients such as pentipeptides and retinol are part of most female's vocabulary these days.
However, whilst scientists toil in their laboratories to discover and create new weird and wonderful anti-ageing ingredients, Mother Nature has some of her own ingredients that are useful and can be found right before your eyes.
Most women love roses, especially red ones delivered in quantities of twelve by a handsome man! It is also claimed that rose has aphrodisiac properties; however the female love affair with roses may be even more intense if there was more awareness of their secret anti-ageing properties. Rose is packed with antioxidants to help promote smooth and glowing skin and both moisturises and hydrates, so is especially beneficial to dry or mature skin. It is reputed that damask roses grown in Turkey and Morocco have the most concentrated levels of antioxidant, along with the most potent smell - especially if hand-picked at dawn to retain as much fragrance as possible. Many of the anti-ageing products made by natural brands use damask rose as a key ingredient.
Tea is another natural ingredient with anti-ageing properties - both the white and the green varieties. For thousands of years, before its skin therapy benefits were discovered, tea has been made into a refreshing drink. However, more than just a drink, it has been discovered that tea can help protect skin cells - in fact many in the Eastern world refer to white tea as "the fountain of youth".
Green tea has been hailed as one of the most potent antioxidants around, fighting free radicals in the environment that can cause so much damage to skin. Green tea includes Vitamins A, C and E, as well as tannins, which can help reduce skin puffiness. Green tea becomes most powerful when used in conjunction with its sister, white tea. Clinical studies have shown that white tea can boost the body's immune function and can help the skin repair itself as well as defending the skin against UVA and UVB damage, and brands such as Origins and Neals Yard now use white tea in certain skincare ranges.
The grape is most famous as the basic ingredient of wine. However, yet again, this plant has anti-ageing properties which are now being harnessed by skincare brands such as Caudalie. Many different parts of the plant have useful properties; grape seed polyphenols contain antioxidants to help neutralise free radicals, whilst Resveratrol is the grapevine's natural defence mechanism, helping to stimulate cell renewal. In addition an ingredient has just been patented, called Viniferine, which comes from the stalk of the vine and which boosts radiance as well as helping prevent dark age spots.
So, whilst science is playing a role in combating ageing, Mother Nature has also got some fantastic ingredients to help turn back the clock - or at least slow down the ticking!