In the last five years, kale has gone from a forgettable plate garnish to the star of Beyonce's wardrobe. Whether you roll your eyes at the thought of it or have it as a part of your daily diet, you can't deny that the superfood is everywhere. I'm not just talking about your smoothies and salads either — kale's beauty benefits have landed it a spot as a major ingredient for new skincare products. If you haven't already included it into your beauty regime, you definitely will after you learn of its many, many beauty perks.
So, what's the deal with kale exactly? What makes it so good for you in the first place? "With one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants, kale goes miles in keeping your skin looking fresh and youthful," Joe Cloyes & Greg Gonzalez, founders of Youth To The People (a kale-centric skincare brand) tell me. Thanks to its Vitamins A, C, E, and K, kale has the ability to bust free radicals, repair sun damage, rebuild skin cells, and improve skin elasticity, say Cloyes and Gonzalez. It can also boost mood improvement, memory enhancement, and reduce anxiety. Not too shabby for a leafy green, no?
It was for these reasons, along with a few others, that Cloyes and Gonzalez decided to make a skincare brand centered around kale and its many beauty benefits. "When we started to talk about crafting our own skin care line, where superfoods and science would meet, there was no question that we’d use kale," they explain to me over email. "We’re California-born and raised, and we’re no strangers to health crazes and trends. But as kale became a staple in our diets, both cooking it and juicing it, we realized right away that kale wasn’t just a hyped-up superfood. Kale is the real deal. A health hero."
One of the best parts about Youth To The People's products is that if you aren't a fan of digesting kale, you can still reap the vegetable's glowy rewards by applying it topically onto your body. Cloyes and Gonzalez tell me that their products isolate kale's benefits for the skin so that all the antioxidants that fight disease when you eat kale will instead repair sun damage, banish free radicals, and maintain your skin health when applied topically. Their products also include spinach and green tea, two ingredients that have also been found to improve skin firmness and dial up your complexion's glow.
As of now, Youth To The People offer three kale-packed products — a face cleanser, a serum, and a moisturizer. You can purchase them as a set or individually.
Age Prevention Set, $124, youthtothepeople.com
While you may not need more than these three products to keep your skin feeling and looking fresh, Youth To The People's journey in creating superfood-packed skincare products has only just begun. "There are a few products really close to being ready for launch and we’ll likely be able to reveal them by the end of the year. As for what’s after that, stay tuned," Cloyes and Gonalez say.
To stay updated on their latest launches, follow them on Instagram.
Images: Youth To The People
