Japanese Skincare Ingredients Have Been Proven To Reduce Wrinkles

An age-old standby of Japanese skincare has proven to be beneficial for preventing wrinkles, sagging and other signs of skin aging. The standby is wakame kelp. Here’s what you need to know about it.

Wakame kelp is a kind of seaweed that was originally native to the Sea of Japan, but has now spread around the world. In some areas, it is thought of as a nuisance.

The underwater plants are similar to forests. They can interfere with passing boats, but they are great places for small fish to hide and feed. Wakame was introduced into other parts of the world as a part of the neutraceutical health food movement. Nutraceuticals are nutrients that can improve your health; they have pharmaceutical activity.

You probably know what health foods are. They are described in many ways. Some people think of them as nutrient dense. In respect the number of calories they contain, they provide a large amount of nutrients. If you eat wakame, you will get omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iodine, B vitamins and a variety of antioxidants, including one called fucoxanthin.

One of the traditional uses of wakame in Japanese skincare was for the prevention of sunburn. Some modern research indicates that fucoxanthin may act as a minor sunscreen. Of course, the benefit could also have been due to the thickness of coloring of the kelp. But the molecular activity of fucoxanthin does seem to inhibit pigmentation, which can be caused by sun exposure.

The most exciting thing that modern researchers have found is that extracts from wakame inhibit the breakdown of hyaluronic acid. You may have heard of hyaluronic acid. It has become a popular ingredient for anti-aging creams and lotions.

One of the reasons for the popularity is that low levels of hyaluronic acid are known to accompany the aging process. Another traditional use of wakame in Japanese skincare was as a beauty preserver, to keep the skin smooth, moist and wrinkle-free.

Smooth, moist and wrinkle-free skin does have high levels of hyaluronic acid. But using a cream containing the compound does not improve skin levels. Using a cream containing wakame does.

Wakame extracts are not the only recent addition to the list of beneficial anti-aging ingredients. There is also a nano-emulsion form of coenzyme Q10 that reverses wrinkles and an active protein called Functional Keratin that stimulates collagen production.

Now that you know a little more about the traditional uses of wakame in Japanese skincare, you might want to learn more about those other anti-aging ingredients.

By: Gordon P Hall

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