Fashion

Kale: Now In Your Makeup Drawer

by Erin Mayer

Between kale chips, kale smoothies, and kale brownies, the leafy green is pretty much all we're eating these days. Kale is already in our salads and our baked goods, but the craze doesn't stop there. The über-popular veggie continues to take over our lives, making the move from refrigerator to vanity with kale face serum.

Kale is great for our bodies, so it makes sense that it would work wonders on our skin too. But as the farmer's market staple furthers the quest for world domination, the question that comes to mind is this: when will it end? Will we soon be sleeping in cocoons made of kale leaves to combat aging? Okay, probably not. But how necessary are these fancy ingredients in our face serums? I'm not sure we really need salad accoutrements in our makeup. You wouldn't buy Italian dressing face serum, so why is kale any different? Mostly because kale has major health cache. It may not be proven to help your complexion just yet, but we know kale has vitamins that benefit our bodies. Including those vitamins in face serum can't hurt.

I'll probably keep my kale in the vegetable crisper, but for those of you who want a makeup cabinet that resembles your favorite stand at the greenmarket, here's a roundup of serums with foodie-friendly ingredients.

Kale

Citrus + Kale Potent C + E Serum from Eminence has an ingredient list that reads like a salad recipe: spinach, broccoli, avocado, lemon, grapefruit, and, of course, kale. Available June 1st, the product can allegedly "visibly brighten and lighten sun-damaged skin, prevent inflammation, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles." At $110, however, the serum is a tad pricier than your average healthy lunch.

Truffle Oil

Not just a decadent garnish anymore! Skin & Co Roma's Truffle Therapy Serum contains, yes, truffle oil. You can't sprinkle this on your grilled cheese sandwiches and freshly popped corn as you might with real truffle oil, but a few drops on your face could have an anti-aging effect. Truffles, apparently, "help stimulate the production of the enzyme superoxide dismustase, which is said to help stimulate cell regeneration, destroy free radicals, and make skin look younger, smoother, and plumper." Who knew?

Wheat Germ

Wheat germ was probably one of those things your mom tried to sneak into your foods growing up so you wouldn't notice and throw a fit. Wheat germ oil is something adult you should add to your makeup routine, stat. The superfood is rich in vitamin A, D, and E, as well as essential fatty acids, lecithin, protein, minerals, and vitamin B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, and F. The above product, Kate Somerville’s Quench Hydrating Face Serum, is good for keeping your skin hydrated.

Goji Berries

Even if you've never eaten a goji berry in your life, you can still reap the benefits of the fruit with WEI Goji Berry Age Defense Serum. I'm unclear as to why the goji berries are an essential ingredient in this face serum, but they're a superfood so they must be anti-aging, right?