5 Essential Benefits Freshwater Pearl Powder Gives Your Skin

The ultimate guide to getting the most out of this mineral-rich natural healer.

Modern scientists, estheticians, and Tang Dynasty Chinese Empresses agree:

Freshwater Pearl Powder offers transformative benefits to your skin. 

Composed of 95% Calcium Carbonate, Six Essential Amino Acids, and other Nutrient-Rich Minerals, Freshwater Pearl Powder has high bioavailability and can help you solve a dynamic range of skin concerns. 

Even after a decade of studying nature’s most powerful ingredients and formulating artisan skincare that gets visible, lasting results…

Freshwater Pearl Powder remains a staple across the Alitura line (it’s hard to find another ingredient that can fill so many essential roles in your skincare routine).

This sacred ingredient has been meticulously sourced & synergistically blended into our Clay Mask, Pearl Cleanser, and Meteorite Scrub.

How Freshwater Pearl Powder Benefits Your Skin

To give you a high-level overview…

Products with Freshwater Pearl Powder can be useful if you want to:

1. Help reduce the appearance of wrinkles & fine lines
   

2. Help maintain a healthy skin barrier & regulate oil production

3. Help exfoliate and even skin texture

4. Help repair & rejuvenate damaged skin cells

5. Help protect skin cells from environmental stressors & free radicals

6. Help reduce the appearance of scars (acne scars in particular)

Each of these benefits can help you brighten your radiance and even the tone of your skin (one of the initial functions of this time-tested ingredient, going back to traditional Chinese beauty practices).

And getting into the science, there are 5 key ways that Freshwater Pearl Powder helps nourish, condition, and repair your skin.

Let’s get into it! (If you want an even deeper dive into the science, we’ve linked articles, research, and sources throughout)

 

#1 - Supports Skin Barrier Function

The ultimate goal of your skincare routine should be to nourish, support, and (most importantly) do no harm to your natural skin barrier. Optimal skin health begins & stops here.

You probably know that calcium (Ca2+) is critical for strong bones and even healthy fingernails… but did you know that Ca2+ ions also benefit your dermis & epidermis (the two main layers of your skin)?

According to this research, calcium is essential for:

• Helping regulate keratinocyte differentiation & skin barrier formation

• Maintaining permeability barrier homeostasis

• Supporting intercellular junction formation

Improving keratinocyte function will help you regulate sebum (oil) production (for those of us who struggle with acne, this is a big win). If dehydration is more of a concern, this can help you find more balanced hydration levels.

When your skin barrier is at its healthiest, typically that’s when we start to see visual improvements in tone & texture.

The following four benefits we’re about to cover all tie back to supporting, nurturing, and repairing your skin barrier with the help of Freshwater Pearl Powder. 

 

#2 - Enhances Collagen Production & Skin Regeneration

The skin is your body’s biggest organ… and collagen holds it all together (these connective tissues make up “70%-80% of the dry weight of our skin”). As collagen production declines with age, our dermis can lose its mechanical & structural integrity (a common source of wrinkles, fine lines, & age spots).

Freshwater Pearl Powder can help with this…

Nacre (which you probably know as “mother of pearl”) is a complex biomineralized structure. Applied topically, its calcium carbonate base, protein fibers, and acid-rich compounds can help promote tissue regeneration through collagen types I and III production. 

When our skin experiences stress, our skin cells need to communicate with each other to stimulate new growth, repair, and healing. 

Fibroblasts (essential mesenchymal cells) help keep all the different cell types on the same page (like that ONE friend in the group chat who always makes the plans). Unfortunately, the total number of these fibroblasts decreases by approximately 35% in older skin.

Once those cells lose their ability to communicate… that’s when wrinkles and fine lines can become more pronounced.

Freshwater Pearl Powder’s nacre component has been shown to help stimulate proper physiological functioning in skin fibroblasts and promote the migration and proliferation of these mesenchymal cells.

When our skin’s cellular “project manager” is rejuvenated, our cells have a much easier time with collagen formation and skin regeneration — helping enhance the elasticity & youthful appearance of our complexion.

 

#3 - Offers Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Enhanced collagen production (essential for anti-aging treatment) is great. But what can Freshwater Pearl Powder do for easily irritated skin?

In skincare, magnesium has been shown to be a powerful anti-inflammatory. This mineral is a key element in Freshwater Pearl Powder, which can help:

• Soothe acne & sensitive skin

• Reduce redness & irritation

• Calm inflammatory skin conditions like eczema & rosacea

This magnesium content can also help reduce our C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, which can help decrease inflammatory markers. 

In this area, not all Pearl Powder is created equal.

These anti-inflammatory properties are particularly notable when the pearl powder is properly processed to nano-size particles, allowing for enhanced bioavailability of the active components and better cellular penetration.

 

#4 - Provides Antioxidant Protection

Maintaining healthy, hydrated, youthful-looking skin requires the protection of antioxidants.

When applied to your skin, Freshwater Pearl Powder can significantly increase two crucial antioxidant enzymes:

• Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity

• Glutathione (GSH) levels

This helps neutralize free radicals (when left alone, these can diminish the health and appearance of our skin), helps suppress lipid peroxide production, and helps protect against oxidative damage to cell membranes.

Been out too long in the sun? These properties can help improve & restore the appearance of your skin after UV damage, while also helping reduce UV-induced photoaging, as evidenced in clinical studies.

 

#5 - Assists Wound Healing & Scar Reduction

Pearl Powder was commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to help treat wounds and scarring, and now we have the science to show how “mother of pearl” can impact the healing process.

A 2019 study had this to say, affirming what a Chinese doctor would have prescribed many years ago:

“Nanoscaled pearl powder accelerates wound repair and regeneration in vitro and in vivo.”

Pearl Powder’s rich antioxidants, antiaging agents, and anti-inflammatory agents all play a role in this process. According to the research, its minerals & nutrients can help promote collagen production, enhance angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels), and promote fibroblast migration (aiding cellular repair).

Pearl Powder’s ability to help increase migrating fibroblast cell numbers (in this 2019 study, by up to “three times relative to a control”) cannot be overstated, as this mesenchymal cell is essential to the healing process.

This (in part) explains the incredible transformation of our lead formulator & CEO, Andy Hnilo, who turned to natural skincare to recover from a life-changing accident that left his complexion covered in deep scars.

 

Where To Find Freshwater Pearl Powder Skincare Products

The Clay Mask

Our first offering, The Clay Mask, combined Freshwater Pearl Powder with 4 nutrient-rich clays, Grass-fed Colostrum, American Ginseng, Organic Kelp Powder, and 10% L-Ascorbic Acid. This was the formula that healed & rejuvenated Andy’s complexion. By design, this powder-to-cream Mask allowed Freshwater Pearl Powder’s unique and potent abilities to shine.

From deep wounds to pesky acne scars, some of our customers have shared their own stories of rejuvenation.

 

The Pearl Cleanser

Andy was so captured by Freshwater Pearl Powder…

He made it the heart (and marquee ingredient) in Alitura’s Pearl Cleanser. This is a daily solution for washing away impurities and enjoying fresh, balanced skin… an elixir that benefits from Pearl Powder’s affinity for skin barrier support.

When cleansing your skin, the goal is to effectively clear out your pores WITHOUT stripping away your natural skin barrier (a delicate balance many of the most common cleansers fail to achieve). The Pearl Cleanser, supported by other barrier-enhancing botanicals and active ingredients, helps you achieve optimal levels of purification, nutrition, and hydration with every cleanse.

 

The Meteorite Facial Scrub

If you were to remove ALL of the nutrients, minerals, and essential amino acids from Freshwater Pearl Powder…

The shape and structure of these ultra-refined granules would STILL make for a highly effective (and eco-friendly) exfoliant. 

With gentle precision, Freshwater Pearl Powder helps polish your complexion, clearing away brightness-dampening impurities and dead skin cells. Combined with Moroccan Meteorite Powder (yes, you read that right) & Bamboo Stem Cells… Freshwater Pearl Powder plays an essential role in our Meteorite Facial Scrub, helping even, brighten, and nourish your complexion.

 

Freshwater Pearl Powder In Skincare — Frequently Asked Questions:

What Is Freshwater Pearl Powder?

Freshwater Pearl Powder is Nacre (or, “mother of pearl”), refined into a fine dust. Used in traditional Chinese Medicine, skincare, and cosmetics for thousands of years, this ingredient can help offer a dynamic range of benefits, thanks to its nutrient-rich composition. Freshwater Pearl Powder is made of 95% calcium carbonate, six essential amino acids, and trace minerals that can help support optimal skin health.

How Is Freshwater Pearl Powder Used?

Freshwater Pearl Powder can be found in supplements, traditional Chinese medicines, and (for our purposes) topical skincare products. Always consult your doctor before beginning any new treatment.

Is Freshwater Pearl Powder Safe?

Freshwater Pearl Powder is generally considered very safe for topical use, with extensive safety studies showing no harmful effects. The Freshwater Pearl Powder we use is properly sterilized, finely ground, and free from impurities to maximize quality, safety, and results. As with any new treatment, consult your doctor before use.

How Is Freshwater Pearl Powder Produced?

Fully-formed pearls are carefully harvested from freshwater mussels, thoroughly washed with distilled water, and dried at a high temperature. Clean pearls are then crushed and ground at room temperature.

Where Can I Find Freshwater Pearl Powder For Skincare?

You can find Freshwater Pearl Powder in Alitura’s Clay Mask, Pearl Cleanser, and Meteorite Scrub.

 

Disclaimer: Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure, or prevent disease. If you have a pre-existing skin condition, please consult a physician prior to use.