Recently, you've probably seen the word "adaptogen" on an Instagram ad or smoothie menu, promising you better skin and hair, and probably thought yeah, right. Because 1. It looks like a made-up fairytale word that someone tried to make sound more scientific, and 2. a potion that could literally make you more beautiful is pretty much too good to be true — except it's not. The buzzy word has been floating around the wellness community for a while now, and has recently started to become more relevant in the beauty world, too. But what exactly are "adaptogens," and why is everyone all of a sudden so obsessed with them?
Basically, adaptogens are plant extracts that help your body resist damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological. They have a whole plethora of nutrients in them, and your body takes what it needs and eliminates the rest.
"Adaptogens help the body to be in harmony with it’s environment by adapting to stress and change," says Amanda Chantal Bacon, founder of Moon Juice. "Mineral-dense adaptogens allow your body to absorb nutrients most efficiently, maintaining the body’s optimum energy and metabolism, increasing immunity and libido, easing inflammation, and balancing depression and anxiety." All of these things, when applied the right way, can help your whole body — including the health and appearance of your skin and hair.
We're all familiar with the phrase "beauty is only skin deep," but with adaptogens the sentiment takes on an entirely new meaning. These products can help restore and replenish your skin from the inside out, and will give you a whole new healthy glow while also giving your body the nutrients it needs.
Here are three adaptogenic brands to help you get started in treating your skin, body and hair the way they deserve to be treated.
1. Moon Juice
Moon Juice Moon Dust Sampler Sachet, $30, Nordstrom
Moon Juice's "Moon Dusts" not only have the cutest packaging ever (I mean, look at that font!), but they're also meant to enhance literally every aspect of your life, including your #beauty. "Moon Dusts combine the properties of each adaptogenic to work synergistically at the deepest levels to heal and enhance your beauty, brain, body, sexual energy, sleep, and spirit," says Chantal Bacon. "These transformative formulas are alchemized with the most potent organic and wild-crafted herbs, adaptogenic plants, and bioactive minerals available."
Drop the dusts in hot water or a cup of almond milk for a little something extra in your morning beverage. The beauty dust is meant to expand your glow from within, and promotes glowing skin, eyes, and hair by stimulating cellular restoration, preservation, and longevity.
2. Allies Of Skin
Allies Of Skin 24/7 Kit, $297, Barneys New York
Allies Of Skin's products are unique in that they're topical, so instead of drinking or ingesting them, you rub them directly on your face. They function as "nutrient reservoirs" for the skin, which means that it supplements your skin with the nutrients it needs to regenerate and repair itself. It works the same way as a multi-vitamin supplement, and the body takes what it needs from it. Your skin is smart enough (go skin!) to know what it needs: If it's dehydrated, the hydrators and moisture-magnets will be activated; If you're in a polluted city, the antioxidants will kick in to protect from free radical damage.
3. The Beauty Chef
The Beauty Chef Glow Advanced Inner Beauty Powder, $70, Amazon
The Beauty Chef's products are touted as the world's first "Inner Beauty Powder" (love) and they're pretty much magic. It has a super-food beauty blend with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and probiotics to improve gut health and enhance the skin from the inside out. The whole premise is that good skin begins in your belly. The gut is where 70 percent of your immune system lies, it’s where we metabolize hormones and make nutrients that feed our skin, nails and hair. Drinking our way to faster growing nails? Sign us up.
Images: MoonJuiceShop/Instagram; Courtesy of Brands
