Ultimate Beauty
Ultimate beauty from within
EVERYONE WANTS SOFTER, SMOOTHER SKIN and a clearer, younger-looking complexion. We’d all like naturally healthy, shiny hair and strong, pliable nails.
If you are genetically fortunate you will have all this and more, for the rest of us mortals, we need to take great care in our lifestyle choices – and maybe a few nutritional supplements.
Nutritional supplements do not replace the need for plenty of water, a good balanced diet and regular exercise, but can offer a daily guaranteed amount of the key hair, skin and nail nourishing nutrients.
Think of these kind of supplements like using a cleanser or moisturizer. Keep them by your toothbrush and use them daily as part of your beauty routine – and see the difference.
Look for a formula that has been developed specifically to complement a daily topical beauty routine.
An ideal formula includes vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants and essential fatty acids to help protect against the damaging effects of excess free radicals, and guarantee adequate levels of the building blocks of healthy skin, hair and nails.
Viridian’s Ultimate Beauty Complex & 100% Organic Ultimate Beauty Oil offers an exclusive combination of the most promising nutrients to help increase the skin’s ability to retain moisture and help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, boosting suppleness and hydration. These nutrients also help improve and maintain the appearance of hair and nails.
Here we describe the key skin, hair and nail care nutrients available on our website.
MSM
MSM (methyl sulphonylmethane) is a naturally occurring form of organic sulphur found in all living organisms. It is present at a low concentration in body fluids and tissue. Research suggests that a minimum concentration in the body may be critical to both normal function and structure of skin, hair and nails.
MSM is found mainly in common foods, including: milk (where it is found in high concentrations), meat, fish and a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains. However, when foods are processed, heated or dried, the essential MSM is readily lost. Therefore, unless a person’s diet is composed primarily of milk and raw foods, it is unlikely that he or she is receiving enough MSM for proper health. Studies have suggested that the level of MSM in the body drops as we age.
Sulphur plays an indispensable role in human nutrition that is unfortunately often overlooked. It is an essential dietary component responsible for maintaining the bonds between certain amino acids. It has a critical role in maintaining the integrity of connective tissue.
Ester C
Ester-C is a patented, gentle, non-acidic form of vitamin C. Vitamin C is essential for the healthy production of collagen, which is required for bone, skin, and tendon formation.
Zinc
Zinc is found in every cell of the body and is a component in over 200 enzymes. In fact, zinc functions in more enzymatic reactions than any other mineral. Several double blind studies have shown zinc yields similar results to tetracycline in superficial acne and superior results in deeper acne. Zinc is required for the effective release and utilisation of vitamin A from liver storage. Vitamin A is a highly beneficial nutrient in acne treatment protocols.
Pine Bark Extract
Certain vitamins and minerals can be called nutritional cosmetics, such is their beneficial impact on the health and vitality of skin, hair and nails. One of the most popular, researched and effective nutritional cosmetics is pine bark extract.
Pycnogenol (Pine bark extract) is a naturally-occuring complex of several water-soluble, highly bioavailable, antioxidant nutrients including compounds known as bioflavonoids, fruit acids and proanthocyanidins (OPCs).
OPCs effectively protect collagen structures in several ways. They reinforce the collagen matrix of connective tissue, protect against free radical damage, and inhibit collagen damage caused by inflammation and infection. OPCs have been shown to be effective in cases of psoriasis and the hyper-pigmentation disorder melasma (chloasma).
Grape Seed Extract
Grape seed extract is also an excellent source of OPCs (see above). Good clinical evidence has also shown OPCs to be effective in treating venous insufficiency, varicose veins, capillary fragility (thread veins) , and disorders of the retina. OPCs protect against free-radical damage, suggested to be a major cause of the ageing process. The antioxidant effect is 50 times greater than that of vitamin C and E. A major advantage of these molecules is that they are taken up into the cell membranes and protect against both water- and fat soluble free-radicals.
Horsetail Extract (Silica) Horsetail Extract (Silica) Named Horsetail due to its bristly appearance, this herb is rich in silica, an important mineral which strengthens connective tissue, skin, teeth, ligaments, bones, hair and fingernails. This traditional herb has been used since Greek and Roman times for skin inflammation, ulcers and wounds.
Iron (Bisglycinate)
It has been suggested that iron deficiency is related to hairloss. Iron Bisglycinate is a gentle, non-constipating iron supplement that has been shown to be four times more bioavailable than the commonly prescribed ferrous sulfate. Research has shown that iron bisglycinate has superior absorption and bioavailability, as it does not irritate the gastrointestinal system.
Beta Carotene (from Dunaliella Salina Algae)
Carotenoids represent the most widespread group of naturally occurring pigments in nature. There are over 600 carotenoids with only 30 to 50 having vitamin A activity. Carotenes are intensely coloured (red and yellow) group of fat soluble compounds. Beta carotene would appear to have the highest pro-vitamin A activity. Prolonged vitamin A deficiency results in a number of symptoms including increased rate of infection and the characteristic signs of follicular hyperkeratosis (build-up of cellular debris in the hair follicles, giving the skin a goose-bump appearance; occurs most on the back of the upper arm). Beta carotene appears to act as a natural pre-tanning aid and having protective effects against UV damage. Carotenes are also potent antioxidants.
Copper
Copper is an essential trace mineral, involved in several key functions including tissue health. Copper is one of the building blocks for collagen and elastin, the proteins that provide structural integrity and elasticity for tissues organs and bones. It is also a component of two important enzymes: Superoxide dismutase (a super antioxidant) and Dopamine beta-hydroxylase – an enzyme that helps regulate the metabolism of vitamin C.
Biotin
Biotin is one of the more-recently discovered B-vitamins and is best-known as the vitamin that helps produce healthy hair and retard greying. It also offers benefits to brittle nails.
Selenium
Selenium is a potent antioxidant mineral, needed by the body in trace amounts. Due to intensive farming methods, selenium is largely absent from the soil and therefore not found in our foods at appropriate levels. Selenium is thought to have detoxifying properties, helping the body rid itself of heavy metals including mercury and cadmium.
Essential fatty acids
EFAs are required for the health and maintenance of cellular integrity and membrane fluidity. Look for nutritional oils that are first-cold-pressed to maximise nutrient levels; nitrogen-flushed to maintain freshness and Soil Association certified organic – better for the environment, better for you.
Goods fats, such as those found in Golden flax seed, hemp seed, avocado, evening primrose and pumpkin seed oil, offer numerous health benefits. Our obsession with fat-free diets has left many people with chronic deficiencies in EFAs, leading to various symptoms including dry, flaky skin, eczema, excessive wrinkling, brittle nails and dry, flyaway or splitting hair.
Flax seed oil
Flax oil provides the anti-inflammatory fatty acids necessary for maintaining healthy and flexible cell membranes as well as exerting anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties.
Hemp seed oil
Medical researchers at the University of Kuopio, Finland, have found evidence of the positive effects of hemp seed oil on eczema. Results showed a remarkable reduction in dryness, itching and an overall improvement in the symptoms while they were using hempseed oil. The ideal ratio of essential fatty acids found in hemp seed oil helps stimulate the optimum formation of hair, skin, and nails – all being derived from the same stem cell line.
Avocado oil
Avocados are the highest fruit source of vitamin E. Vitamin E is known to slow the ageing process and protect against heart disease and common forms of cell damage by neutralising free radicals.
A recent study showed the significance in including avocado when eating a salad and salsa – the avocado lipids (fats) helped extract the carotenoids (and significantly increased absorption) from the salad and salsa in greater quantities than if no avocado was included in the meal. Avocados are also the highest fruit source of a specific carotenoid called lutein. Other phytochemicals found in avocado include glutathione and beta-sitosterol, both of which have heart protecting factors.
Evening primrose oil
Evening primrose oil contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which helps the metabolism of certain anti-inflammatory agents in the body, useful in relieving various conditions including dermatitis and eczema. Cold-pressed oils have been shown to contain the greatest antioxidant activity.
Pumpkin seed oil
Pumpkin seeds are a rich source of essential fatty acids. The four dominant fatty acids are Palmitic, Stearic, Oleic, and linoleic acid. HPLC analysis of the powerful pigments found in pumpkin seed oil reveal a number of carotenoids – the main components being Beta carotene and lutein.