5 min read
When it comes to skincare ingredients, we truly believe antioxidants are underrated essentials! They are multi-taskers that take care of ageing, sun damaged, stressed and dull skins. Silymarin, an antioxidant, is a tried and trusted ancient ayurvedic botanical. It has been used in traditional medicine for over two thousand years. At Sachi Skin, Silymarin is used because of its heritage and clinical benefits, and it is weaved into both our Triphala Pigmentation Corrector and our Pro Resilience Serum for added restoration benefits.
If ancient clinical skincare excites you, Silymarin is one that is worthy of your attention. It is a plant extract taken from the milk thistle plant and has long been clinically used to treat liver disease. Recent studies have shown cosmetic benefits as well, that include antioxidant and sun protection abilities for hyperpigmentation and acne prone skins.
Benefits of Silymarin
Environmental protection
It is a potent antioxidant and anti-lipid peroxidative (this means it helps balance the lipid/sebum in your skin - great news for blemish prone skins), helping it to fight against chemical and environmental stressors, protecting the skin barrier, reducing signs of ageing and brightening the skin.
Photoprotection
Topical Silymarin shows strong absorption of UVB rays and protects skin from acute sunburn. In one study, Silymarin was even reported to absorb UVA and UVB spectra between 295 to 400 nm to display an SPF value of 6.07. Although this does not make it a substitute for sunscreen, it does show fantastic photoprotective benefits.
Anti-inflammatory
Silymarin is rich in polyphenols, which are potent anti-inflammatories for the skin, helping reduce reddened states of the skin.
Which skin state is it best suited for?
Blemished skin
Oxidative stress from pollutants aggravate blemishes and cause reddening. Oxidation of sebum alters the quality of sebum (sometimes referred to as sticky sebum or lipid peroxidation of sebum). This in turn can lead to an ideal environment for C.acnes bacteria to thrive. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powers of Silymarin helps calm blemishes, and even reduces the appearance of blemishes. This is supported by a clinical trial that showed that topical applications of Silymarin reduced the number of acne lesions compared to a placebo trial. [4]
Ageing skin
Sun damage is a major cause of ageing, and the topical application of 4% Silymarin has been shown to protect the skin from UVB rays and increase moisturising effects by reducing Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL).
Hyperpigmented skin
The polyphenols in Silymarin carry potential to reduce hyperpigmentation through the inhibition of the tyrosinase enzyme that produces melanocytes in the skin. This is shown by a study where a facial cream containing Silymarin significantly reduced skin melanin compared to the same base formulation without Silymarin.
How to effectively incorporate Silymarin into your routine?
Both our Triphala Pigmentation Corrector and Pro Resilience Serum carry Milk Thistle Seed Oil (which contains the Silymarin compound) and Silymarin Extract to support skin defence and repair. We cannot wait for you to experience transformational skin results with these two in your routine.
Wishing you happy, healthy skin days!
References
- Vostálová, Jitka, et al. "Skin protective activity of silymarin and its flavonolignans." Molecules 24.6 (2019): 102 2.
- Zhao, Jifu, et al. "Inhibitory effect of a flavonoid antioxidant silymarin on benzoyl peroxide-induced tumor promotion, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in SENCAR mouse skin." Carcinogenesis 21.4 (2000): 811-816.
- Nield, G. L., and R. Ippersiel. "Open evaluation of silymarin cream in the management of facial redness associated with rosacea." COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY-CEDAR KNOLLS- 15.8 (2002): 15-20.
- Al-Anbari, Haidar Hamid, Ahmed Salih Sahib, and Ahmed R. Abu Raghif. "Effects of silymarin, N-acetylcysteine and selenium in the treatment of papulopustular acne." Oxidants and Antioxidants in Medical Science 1.3 (2012): 201-207.
- Rasul, Akhtar, and Naveed Akhtar. "Anti-aging potential of a cream containing milk thistle extract: Formulation and in vivo evaluation." African Journal of Biotechnology 11.6 (2012): 1509-1515.
- Rasul, Akhtar, et al. "Assessment of anti erythmic and skin whitening effects of milk thistle extract." African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 5.20 (2011): 2306-2309.
- Altaei, Tagreed. "The treatment of melasma by silymarin cream." BMC dermatology 12.1 (2012): 1-6.
- Hahn, Hyung Jin, et al. "Instrumental evaluation of anti‑aging effects of cosmetic formulations containing palmitoyl peptides, Silybum marianum seed oil, vitamin E and other functional ingredients on aged human skin." Experimental and therapeutic medicine 12.2 (2016): 1171-1176.
