In any Chinese supermarket and department store, you will find a choke full of creams, lotions, and toners with pearl powder as an active ingredient. Affectionately called “Pearl Powder Cream,” Chinese woman adores the beautifying power of pearl powder.
The medicinal use of pearl powder has been around for over 2000 years in China. Throughout the Chinese history, from Three Kingdom time, Liang Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, and to Qing Dynasty, the healing power of the pearl powder can be found in more than 19 herbal medicinal books by herbal legends in different times.
Pearl power is cherished by ancient Chinese for its skincare power. According to the “Mystic Farmer’s Herbal Handbook,” pearl powder “calms spirit and clarifies eyes; used as a skin scrubber, the herb removes the dead skin and callus; if used on skin, the herb improves and whitens skin tone, removes pimples, and smooth the skin; and if ingested, the herb treats diarrhea and liver diseases.”
Chemically, pearl powder contains 18 amino acids, taurine, and calcium. Pharmacologically, pearl powder has been shown to strengthen immune system, induce sedation, and increase cardiovascular function.
Pearl powders on the market are made from pearls from Hyriopsis cumingii (Lea), Cristaria plicata(Leach), and Pteria martensii(Dunker). Good quality pearl powder are finally powdered, white, and not shiny. The pearl powders are generally available in any Chinese herbal stores and sometimes in Asian supermarkets. You can also buy the product online.
Pearl powder can be used as a supplement. One of the ancient formulation often used in China is mixing pearl powder with honey and drink as a tea. Here are some recipes that you can make your own pearl powder skincare product.
Pearl powder cream
You can pretty much mixed the pearl powder into any skincare product you are using now to provide that “pearly” beautifying power.
Pearl powder toner
I mixed the pearl powder into my home-made toner. You should be able to find recipes for toner in my previous posts. After washing my face but before applying any cream/lotion, I mix a little pearl powder with a few drops of my toner, pat the mixture over my face as a face treatment, and followed by my regular moisturizer, and sunscreen.
Pearl powder mask
In my previous post, I talked about peel masks. You can use the store bought ones or the home made ones. In the regular peel mask, you can add pearl powder and honey, pearl powder and milk, and pearl powder and Aleo vera gel to make your very own pearl powder peel-off mask. For the mud based mask, any kind you are using, you can add pearl powder to spice it up.
Pearl powder clarifying powder
Mix equal amount of coix seed powder, moon bean powder, and pearl powder together. Add a few drops of glycerin or honey, a little water, and egg white to make a paste with smooth consistency. Spread over your face, wait until dry, washing off or towel off with warm water with a splash with cold water at end. Pat dry. This mask is good at shrinking pore size and is excellent treatment for pimple prone skin type.
Pearl powder flower gel moisturizing mask
Soak seaweed alginate with two table spoon of flower water. You might want to warm the mixture a little until the alginate gel is completely swelled and dissolved to provide a transparent mixture having a soft semi-fluid gel texture. Mix into the gel about 0.2g of pearl powder (or whatever the amount you see fit) while stirring in one direction. Add more flower water as need to make sure that you end up with a soft semi-fluid paste. I like to drop in two to three drops of essence oil of whatever the flower water to you are using. For example, if you are using rose water, add rose oil; if you are using lavender water, use lavender oil; and if you are using jasmine water, use jasmine oil. Use your imagination—you can pretty much use any flower or plant extract you see fit here. Many plants and flowers have specific therapeutic effect; my advice would be to choose according to your skin condition of the time. For example, if your skin feels dry, use rose water; and if your skin feels oily and have pimples, use mint water. You should be able to find information about the skin type and flower water compatibility in my posts.
Spread the gel over your face, wait until dry, washing off or towel off with warm water with a splash with cold water at end. Pat dry. Use the mask as a deep hydrating mask.
Pearl powder whitening mask
Mix pearl powder with the powder of Baizhi, Baifulin, Baiji, and Bailian. Add a little glycerin or honey, water, and egg white into the mixture to make a consistent soft paste. Spread the paste over your face, wait until dry, washing off or towel off with warm water with a splash with cold water at end. Pat dry. The mask is good at removing pimple, whitening skin, improve skin tone, and removing dark spots.
Thanks for reading.
Connie
www.cherruby.com
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