A wise person once said ‘self-care is self-love’.
Often people associate self-care with grand gestures like vacations and expensive gifts. What they don’t realize is that it also extends to things like exercise, hygiene, and a proper diet.
A great example of self-care would be how we treat our skin. It is the largest organ of our body and is the biggest barrier between our vital organs and outside elements. By absorbing important nutrients and rejecting impurities, your skin plays a vital role in maintaining your bodily functions.
Hence, we must ensure that our skin remains in tip-top shape at all times.
We’ve experimented with a multitude of skincare ingredients, routines, and trends over the years. And while we usually find faults with many of them, Spirulina is one ingredient that we really can get behind.
Mentioned below is everything you need to know about it.
What Is Spirulina?
Spirulina is a natural algae that is applauded for its stores of nutrients and proteins. This plant derives its name from the words ‘spiral’ and ‘helix’ due to its spring-like physical features.
One of the differentiating factors between the Spirulina and other plants is its location. While regular plants are grown in the soil, this ingredient can only thrive in fresh or saltwater.
Though this alga was originally found and scavenged from the wild, today it is produced in large Spirulina farms.
The beauty of this ingredient is that it can be directly applied to your skin or can be eaten along with your daily meals. Due to its incredible amino acid profile and healthy proteins, it is a great edible option for vegetarians.
How Does Spirulina Benefit the Skin?
To put it simply, Spirulina contains a large number of anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting and detoxifying properties. This enables the skin to rejuvenate itself at a quicker pace and fight against external threats.
Mentioned below is a detailed explanation of the skincare and overall health benefits that come with using Spirulina.
Spirulina Detoxifies the skin
Like a sponge, your skin is prone to absorbing heavy metals and toxins throughout the day. This can make it seem dull, lifeless and prone to breakouts.
Spirulina mediates this by improving the rate of cell turnover, which enables your skin to heal itself faster. It also eliminates the free radicals present in your skin and gets rid of all toxins.
Furthermore, this ingredient prevents Candida overgrowth, which is the main cause of many infections and acne outbreaks.
Spirulina promotes anti-ageing
The selenium, vitamin E, and tyrosine nutrients present within the Spirulina alga are primarily known for their anti-aging properties.
Here, vitamin E and tyrosine conduct the work of antioxidants and eliminate the free radicals and any other toxins that cause the skin to age. Selenium, on the other hand, protects the body from the ill effects of oxidative stress and decreases the occurrence of wrinkles and fine lines.
Spirulina can reduce cancer
Spirulina has a proven history of halting the formation of cancer in the body and is filled with immune-boosting properties.
Unlike animal products, the proteins provided by this ingredient assimilate well with the system and do not encumber the body with waste products.
It is also filled with phycocyanin, a pigment that contains anti-cancer properties. This pigment works by restricting the body’s excessive cell division and strengthening the immunity of the person.
Spirulina aids in the weight loss process
In most cases, weight loss oriented diets aren’t balanced ones. This means that it doesn’t include all the necessary nutrients required for the individual to function properly.
Often, the first sign of an unhealthy diet is the dulling of one’s skin. Incorporating Spirulina into your daily meals is a great way to prevent this. This ingredient is loaded with fatty-acid GLA, chlorophyll and beta-carotene amongst other nutrients which can fill in the gaps of your nutritional requirements.
In short, including Spirulina in your daily meal plan is a great way to stick to your diet without putting the health of your skin and body at risk.
Spirulina tones your skin
Your skin contains a lot of collagen which is responsible for its elasticity and healthy appearance. Due to factors like age and extreme sunlight, free radicals develop within the skin. They break down the collagen levels and give your skin an unhealthy sheen.
Spirulina contains a ton of calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B-12, phosphorus and iron which eliminate free radicals and help your skin maintain its healthy feel.
It also helps prevent flabby skin by decreasing the metabolic waste product from the body and strengthen it as a whole.
Spirulina can help cure allergies
Spirulina is an effective supplement when treating allergic rhinitis. Research shows that consuming this product daily has been found to reduce major symptoms such as itching, nasal discharge, sneezing, and congestion.
Spirulina can improve the elasticity of your skin
In addition to fighting off the free radicals and detoxifying your skin, this ingredient can also improve its elasticity. Its incredible profile of amino acids which includes proline, glycine, and mineral copper, helps build your skin’s collagen levels, thereby, improving its elasticity.
Spirulina protects the skin
Spirulina works not just as a treatment, but as a protective layer too.
This ingredient is filled with anti-aging properties that prevent your skin from reacting to various viruses and infections. By doing this, it helps your skin retain its youthful, healthy look.
Spirulina helps prevent dark circles
The detoxifying elements present in this product can help improve the dark circles and the shadows under the skin. It can also help prevent the irritation that forms in the eyes and dry eyes.
Taking care of your skin should be a mandatory part of your daily routine. And by using Spirulina daily, we’re sure that you’ll have no problem maintaining your skin’s health.
