PEARL POWDER - THE SECRET OF HEALTHY AND GLOWING SKIN
How to use pearl powder to get the most out of it. Add pearl powder to your diet.
INNA CODRU , SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
I have always been fascinated by the seas and oceans. Bright blue immensity and dark depths at the same time make one marvel at such a scale, inspire fear and reverence for the one who created it all. When most of our planet is under water, and 95 percent of the oceans are not explored, there is a feeling of some unknown wonders hidden in the depths of the sea. And then recently, in one of the TV shows, I heard about pearl powder. It was a good opportunity to learn more about him.
Equal to my love for the sea and the sun are adaptogens. The adaptogenic realm... a variety of many herbs and other products of the earth that skillfully smooth our negative emotions, balance hormones and reduce inflammation, all of which are one of my favorite topics to discuss, but more on that later.
That's what I'm talking about, there's just such a thing as an adaptogen of the sea, and I'm just about to talk to you about it! My friends, meet... PEARL - oceanic adaptogen.
WHAT IS PEARL POWDER (pearl powder)?
Pearls (yes, exactly the one your grandmother used to wear a necklace 😆), from the amazing water depths, are the secret of the sea and which has often been used in cosmetology and medicine in recent times. The beads, shimmering with fluorescent light, are ground into a fine powder and used both externally and ingested as a BIO supplement by people all over the world.
Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, is known to have used pearls in her beauty treatments. The royal children of the pre-colonial Philippines were fed pearl powder to keep their skin bright, luminous and firm. Similarly, pearls have been used throughout human history and in many European countries, especially among royalty and wealthy families for both their beauty and their health benefits.
But no cultures have used the pearl in as many different ways as the two major schools of Oriental medicine: traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF PEARL POWDER IN TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE?
For centuries, since at least 320 BC, pearls have been used in traditional Chinese medicine. Wu Zetian, the only female empress in Chinese history, used pearls to make herself look like no one else could. Skin health was extremely important in traditional Chinese culture, and the pearl was part of an elite natural medicine for prolonging life and youth.
This luminescent powder has been used not only directly to improve skin health, but also as a balancing adaptogen. In Chinese medicine, pearls are regarded as a powerful stabilizer (Shen) to soothe brain disorders like any good adaptogen. In traditional Chinese medicine, if one is struggling with anxiety or stress and even overexertion at work, pearls are one of the ingredients in many tonics.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF PEARLS IN TRADITIONAL INDIAN MEDICINE (AYURVEDA)?
In traditional Indian medicine or Ayurveda, pearl powder is also often used for its anti-aging and adaptogenic properties. Known as Mukta Pishti, pearl powder is used in tonics to reduce fever, improve the digestive system, and relieve inflammation in the body. Pearls have also been an ingredient used in Ayurvedic love potions advertised as an aphrodisiac.
DOES MODERN SCIENCE STUDY THE PROPERTIES OF PEARLS?
More and more modern science confirms( 1 ) the ancient wisdom about pearls. Pearl powder contains more than 30 trace elements, including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, selenium, silicon dioxide and so on. These nutrients are responsible for thousands of different processes that take place in our body, in particular, they are simply necessary for brain health, hormone balance, strengthening the immune system and, of course, for the health and beauty of the skin.
Pearls also contain an abundance of amino acids, some of which are essential amino acids (meaning the body doesn't produce them at all or doesn't produce enough of them, but they are essential for your health). Pearls also contain a special compound known as conchiolin. Conchiolin is what gives pearls their iridescent sparkle.
This unique compound in pearl promotes healthy collagen production( 2 ), resulting in vibrant, beautiful skin. Conchiolin protein has a similar effect to keratin, which is one of the proteins found in our skin and hair that improves skin cell hydration, speeds up cell metabolism, improves blood circulation, and helps repair damaged cells.
IS PEARL POWDER VEGAN?
Like bee pollen, pearl powder is not technically vegan, although many vegans find it acceptable to include nutritional medicines such as pearl powder and bee pollen in their diet.
HOW CAN YOU USE PEARL POWDER?
Because pearls dissolve easily and have a very mild flavor (you may not smell them at all), they make a great addition to your favorite dishes. Personally, I like to include it in my morning smoothie or add it to my tea during the day.
Another great way is to add it to soups or bone broth. The collagen present in bone broth also plays a role in keeping the skin youthful, so by adding pearl powder you are just taking the whole package 😃. There is no limit to what you can do with pearl powder, so experiment and find the recipe you love!
SOURCES and MATERIALS used in the article:
- “Comparison of hydration, tyrosinase resistance, and antioxidant activation in three kinds of pearl powders“. Journal of cosmetic science. 2010 Mar-Apr.
- “Pearlessence.” Centerchem, Inc., 2011 Mar.