Cranberry Skin Care

December 1, 2019 | by Aurora Solis

Festive holiday berries for the skin

Cranberries can be found on holiday dinner tables around the country this time of year. This bright, juicy berry is a seasonal staple! From holiday tree décor to fruity sauces and cocktails, we just can’t get enough cranberries during the winter. And for good reason! Cranberry is full of amazing health and skin benefits! Here are a few reasons why you should craft a cranberry-based treatment this season:

Cranberries grow on an evergreen-like shrub in the marshes and wetland of northeastern North America. Growing in low bushes with wiry green stems, you will find bustles of pink flowers signaling the presence of berries. These deep red berries are somewhat egg-shaped.

Once ripe, they are water-harvested between September and November, just in time for the holiday season! The harvesting process exposes the berries to sunlight, further ripening their high nutrient-profile. In fact, ripe cranberries were often used by early indigenous people as medicine because of their nutritional benefits.

“Cranberries are packed with vital skin nutrients.”

A Super Berry

Cranberries have among the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any fruit or vegetable – even higher than common grocery store staples like strawberries, broccoli and spinach.

Additionally, cranberries are a great source of vitamins C, E and K. They are also rich in manganese and fiber. Also a rich source of essential fatty acids, cranberries are often used in beauty and skin care products to treat dryness, boost radiance and improve the look of elasticity.

Cranberry Skin Care Benefits

Cranberries are packed with vital skin nutrients. Here are just a few ways that cranberries contribute to overall healthy skin:

1. ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION

Cranberries have a high antioxidant content. Antioxidants are essential for protecting the skin from environmental aggressors. These ripe red berries are especially full of polyphenols, vitamin C and vitamin E, which all help guard against free radicals and signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.

Vitamin C is particularly essential in the production of collage, which gives skin strength and firmness. Because our bodies lost the ability to manufacture Vitamin C millions of years ago, dietary and topical Vitamin C is our only source of this essential nutrient. According to SF Gate, one cup of unsweetened cranberry juice provides 23.5 milligrams of Vitamin C, or 31 percent of the daily recommended value for women.

2. ESSENTIAL HYDRATION

Cranberries are the only berries with the ideal ratio of fatty acids omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9. This ratio enables cranberry seed oil to absorb effortlessly into skin, allowing its antioxidants to penetrate more deeply and providing skin with intense hydration. These essential fatty acids are key to keeping the skin’s moisture barrier intact, locking in hydration and keeping out environmental irritants. By keeping skin plump and hydrated, cranberry works wonders for rough, dry and aging skin.

3. GENTLE ACNE FIGHTER

Cranberries are also a good source of flavonoids and surprisingly – beta hydroxyl acid! This gives cranberries astringent and antiseptic properties which help reduce oil production, clear pore blockages and minimize the appreance of pores.

Cranberries also have trace minerals including potassium, manganese, and anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent collagen break down and can blunt breakouts for those prone to adult acne.

Vitamins C, B3 and arbutin also contribute to improving the appearance of problem skin by brightening the look of scars and dark marks left behind by breakouts.