Ingredient Spotlight: Lemon Rind Extract
East 29th started in the kitchen while preserving lemon rinds and exploring the physical and mental health benefits of adding lemon rinds in various forms into our daily lives. A typical toss-away when consuming lemons, the results created an understanding of our hero ingredient, lemon rinds, which helped clear up my eczema and, most importantly, boosted my mental clarity while consuming. This began my focus on being softer inside and out.
As a professional makeup artist in the TV & film industry, I understood the importance of prepping skin (as it's the only living and breathing canvas) and maintaining skin health while dealing with skin that longed to be cared for, like yours, just on a much larger scale. I realized including lemon rinds in our skincare products could help prepare our skin for many issues many of us face today (eczema, acne, hyperpigmentation, sun damage). Leading to the creation of the Vital Serum, Valia Cleanser, and Verse Lotion Mist.
Ironically enough, the deeper I was into my makeup career, the less makeup I wore. After watching my texture disappear and a completely even tone appear, I found my skin at the center of daily conversations, asking which foundation I wore that would 'flawlessly' last long filming hours. I'd have to explain I wasn't wearing any, which resulted in creating my products for more than myself.
Lemon rinds are high in antioxidants and potassium, which assist in creating a smooth electrical transmission in our brain and the nervous system that helps reduce depression and anxiety. So, in addition to the welcomed mood boost while consuming, when used in your skincare routine, lemon rinds improve skin clarity by cleansing, exfoliating, and brightening dull skin while targeting age spots and sun damage, removing dead skin cells, stimulating new skin growth and promoting elasticity.
The Benefits of Lemon Rind Extract for Skin
1. Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
The high level of powerful antioxidants that are present in lemon rind extract work great as an anti-aging ingredient. The ability of the fruit extracts to stimulate collagen production helps to prevent fine lines and wrinkles in the form of premature aging. Lemon rind also lends to a youthful, glowing complexion.
2. Improves loss of elasticity
The Vitamin C in the lemon rind extract helps stimulate collagen production, which can help with the skin’s natural loss of elasticity. Improving collagen levels and stimulating elastin makes the skin plumper and firmer. You’ll notice that with use over time, the skin will retain the elasticity that makes it bounce.
3. Acne fighting
Lemon rind extract is good for acne-prone skin due to its anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and antifungal properties. All of those bacteria multiply to cause acne and blemishes, along with excess oils in the skin. Cleansing products that contain lemon rind extract, like our Valia Cleanser, remove bad bacteria and detoxify the skin.
4. Helps improve hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation on our skin can be caused by sun damage, aging, or acne scars. Lemon peel extract acts to inhibit tyrosinase production, which will not only help to prevent new dark spots but can also fade them in the process leading to a more even skin tone.
5. Fights off free radicals that damage the skin
Lemon rind extract combats free radicals and oxidative stress, which can lead to premature skin aging and damage caused by environmental pollutants. Incorporating lemon rind extract into skincare can enhance our skin's defence against harmful particles in the air.
6. Brightens dull skin with vitamin C
A glowing radiance in the skin is boosted by the natural vitamin C or ascorbic acid contained in lemon rind.
7. Exfoliation
Lemon rind contains citric acid that can help exfoliate away dead skin cells and improve skin rejuvenation. Since lemon rind is considered an alpha-hydroxy acid, it chemically exfoliates the skin with every use. The natural exfoliant of lemon rind promotes faster skin cell turnover, which really does help to make our skin extra soft and smooth.
8. Reduces excess oil in the skin
The citric acid in the lemon rind can help to dissolve away excess oils that can cause blackheads and clogged pores. With normal usage, there is less of an overproduction of oil in our skin. Fewer oils accumulating on the skin trapped in our pores will aid in pore reduction and make them look smaller and smoother.
Our lemon rinds are dehydrated and then rehydrated allowing us to only have 0.05% oil in our formula (therefore it does not cause phototoxicity after applying and stepping out into the sun).