(Beauty)
How Chlorophyll Keeps Your Skin Clear & Glowing
I’m a sucker for a good statistic, so when I read that a bottle of Joanna Vargas’ Daily Serum sells every 11 minutes, I needed to know more. What’s in it? How does it work? Do you offer overnight shipping? Vargas herself happily answered all of my questions and revealed the secret behind the Daily Serum’s success: chlorophyll. Yep, the “plant food” you learned about in ninth grade biology is back; except now, you’ll want to brush up chlorophyll’s skin benefits.
Vargas tells The Zoe Report that the formula for her Daily Serum was inspired by her love of green juice. “Drinking green juice daily helps to oxygenate and hydrate the skin, which means the skin will be better able to rid itself of impurities and bring in nutrients,” she explains, noting that throwing back a straight shot of chlorophyll is on par with having three servings of greens (since chlorophyll is present in all green veggies). “I know great skin is from the inside out, so I thought I should try it from the outside in, too," the celebrity aesthetician, who works with Elizabeth Moss and Sarah Hyland, says.
Her instincts are spot-on. “Chlorophyll can certainly help when thinking of ways to keep your skin looking younger and healthier in a more natural way,” Dr. Devika Icecreamwala, a board-certified dermatologist based in San Francisco, confirms to The Zoe Report. “It’s an excellent source of vitamins A,C, E, and K — these can act to replenish the skin and keep it firm, increase collagen production, and help reduce free radical damage.”
Of course, the skin can only reap those benefits if it actually absorbs chlorophyll, which is why Vargas decided to bottle the plant-based beauty booster in serum form. “A serum made with organic ingredients tends to assimilate into the skin better," she explains. “Serums tend to be much more concentrated than other skincare products to produce a real, visible result." The “visible result” you can expect to see? According to Vargas, “You’ll look like you’re glowing from 10 miles away,” thanks to increased hydration and oxygenation.
Chlorophyll works for all skin types, per Dr. Icecreamwala, even the sensitive and acne-prone. She says the only risk is that chlorophyll may make skin more reactive to sunlight, so always follow up with SPF. “It's the top-selling product in my salon because it works for everyone,” Vargas adds.
Perhaps this universal appeal is why the ingredient is trending in more ways than one: Ingestible chlorophyll supplements are on the rise, too — most notably, via Chlorophyll Water, a new celeb-loved beverage (Jamie Chung and Audrina Patridge are fans) infused with chlorophyll, lemon juice, spearmint, and a slew of skin-healthy vitamins. It's also found in Cocokind’s Chlorophyll Mask (which can be used directly on the skin or stirred into water as a dietary supplement) and Agent Nateur Holi(Youth) Oceanic Adaptogen powder, created in collaboration with functional medicine expert Dr. Will Cole.
“As part of its antioxidant function, drinking chlorophyll can give skin a natural, refreshing glow and promote efficient detoxification,” Amanda Sylvie, a functional and integrative registered dietitian nutritionist, tells TZR. “One might even call chlorophyll an anti-aging remedy, because it is protective against the dermal effects of ultraviolet lights and can reduce wrinkling of the skin.”
Ready to make like a plant and feed your face with chlorophyll? Ahead, the 11 products to try for hydrated, oxygenated, plump, pollution-protected skin that glows.
