Milk thistle has centuries-old skincare and detoxifying health benefits. A popular plant (and a cousin of daisies) grown primarily in the countries of the Mediterranean, milk thistle contains active ingredients that help it protect the skin, increase moisture, and soothe irritation.
At Furtuna Skin, wild, organic milk thistle grows on our sustainable farm. We hand-select the portions of the plant we use in our products, ensuring that only small amounts are chosen so the plant can continue to grow wildly.
Our milk thistle grows in soil that has been untouched for over 400 years, making it the purest and most natural source available for our products.
Together, we’ll explore the science-backed uses of milk thistle for your skin and the kind of benefits you might experience.
Five Milk Thistle Benefits for Skin
Let’s get down to business. We search the land, not the lab, for the best ingredients for your skin. Milk thistle is a powerful plant that can help support skin health even during aging.
Here’s how.
1. Antioxidant Properties
You hear a lot about antioxidants these days, but if you aren’t sure what they are or what they do, you might not realize how badly you need them.
Antioxidants help support skin cell health during exposure to stressors like UVA and UVB rays, pollution, cigarette smoke, and artificial lighting sources.
Signs of skin damage can include:
- Photoaging
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Sunspots or dark areas on your skin
- Sagging skin
- Uneven skin tone
- Rough skin texture
Antioxidants work like a shield to protect your skin cells from damage. Research shows that milk thistle is an even more potent antioxidant than vitamin C or vitamin E, two of nature’s antioxidant heavy hitters.
2. Anti-Aging
The aging process changes your skin. As we age, our skin begins to slow down the process of cellular rejuvenation; with this, collagen and elastin production also slows down. This means it takes your cells longer to renew than when you were younger.
The cell turnover rate is about 28-30 days as a young adult. As you enter your 30s and 40s, the rate increases to 40-50 days. The longer it takes your cells to turnover, the more signs of skin aging you’ll notice.
Signs of aging can include:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Sagging skin that has lost its elasticity
- Dull, dry complexion
- Sensitivity like rough patches or blemishes
Milk thistle helps support your skin during the aging process by helping to keep your skin looking youthful on a cellular level.
3. Hydration
Most of us have dry skin. Read that again. Even if your skin feels naturally oily, chances are it is dehydrated on a deeper level. When your skin is dehydrated, it sends a signal to your sebaceous glands to ramp up sebum production. The result? Even oilier skin.
Many products can cause dryness and leave your skin with blemishes and irritation. Milk thistle works to help your skin restore its natural moisture levels back to homeostasis. Loaded with linoleic fatty acids, it helps create a barrier on the epidermis that locks moisture in, so your skin stays hydrated and moisturized all day.
The cell membranes that support your skin cells and make them sturdy also get a boost from the linoleic acid contained in milk thistle extract. By fortifying these membranes, your skin cells are better able to function and protect against moisture loss and external stressors.
4. Skin Conditions
Some skin conditions can leave your skin feeling red, itchy, and uncomfortable. Many creams have formulations that cause excess dryness, even if they’ve been created to help soothe your skin.
At Furtuna Skin, we look to nature for the skin healing solutions available. Milk thistle is a natural remedy for certain skin symptoms because it contains the polyphenol filicinin. This powerful plant compound helps bring relief to irritated skin and works well for any skin type.
5. Blemishes
One of the many benefits of milk thistle is its soothing effect on problematic skin. If you suffer from breakouts, you’ve probably tried products that leave your skin feeling more stressed. The enzymes in milk thistle can work to soothe irritation, gently remove dirt and oil from pores, and help clarify skin.
Natural Benefits, Zero Side Effects
You can use milk thistle to reverse the signs of aging, protect your skin against free radical damage, and soothe skin irritations. The best part is that the milk thistle we use at Furtuna Skin has been grown on our farm in soil brimming with nutrients and free of chemical disturbances.
We use our unique Soundbath® technology, a method of extraction that uses sound waves to gently extract plant botanicals from their stems and leaves so that the vital compounds in the plant remain intact once they are added to our products.
Our Face & Eye Serum provides a highly concentrated dose of milk thistle along with other powerful botanicals that work synergistically to deliver results you can see. Used regularly, you’ll notice smoother, softer, and more radiant skin in less than 30 days.
Your skin can thrive when you support it with the ingredient's nature intended it to have. Trust Furtuna Skin to deliver the highest quality products with ingredients that support your skin’s health from the inside out.
Sources:
Milk Thistle - StatPearls | NCBI Bookshelf
Silymarin as a Natural Antioxidant: An Overview of the Current Evidence and Perspectives - PMC
Comment