The Queen of Gems is Also The Queen of Skincare

 

“The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens.”

– Grace Kelly

Pearls are the oldest gems in the entire world. They’ve been coveted since long before written history – so the details of their discovery are forever unknown. Mystical, rare, and incomparably beautiful, they’ve always been seen as a symbol of prosperity and wealth. But their true value goes far beyond appearance – because these powerful gems carry an abundance of benefits, and can do wonders for the body, mind, and skin.

Pearls have had an important place in Chinese history since as early as 2300 BC. Revered for their medicinal abilities, they were used widely as an anti-inflammatory, relaxant, and detoxifying agent. Chinese royalty also cherished the gem for their unparalleled skincare benefits. The Empress Dowager Cixi was known to apply them topically to bring luster and health to skin, while Empress Wu Zetian preferred to ingest them. This practice has remained popular in Chinese culture to this day, particularly among pregnant women (the hope here is to pass down radiant, flawless skin to their children). 

In the past few years, the popularity of pearls in skincare has grown alongside the rise of Korean beauty as more and more people learn the benefits of pearls. As an ingestible, it’s being mixed into coffees, teas, and tonics to stimulate the body’s natural collagen, even skin tone, and strengthen hair, skin, and nails. As a topical treatment, it’s being added to creams, moisturizers, and foundations for a myriad of anti-aging benefits – which is what we’ve done with Come Closer Skin-Perfecting Foundation. 

So, how exactly do pearls work in a foundation that’s made for Asian skin? If only we knew where to begin.

First off, pearls are an unusually rich source of calcium, which slows the development of melanin to help brighten complexions and fade dark spots. And since Asian skin is known to have significantly higher amounts of melanin, it’s very prone to hyperpigmentation – making pearls one of the best ingredients for our skin. 

These gems are also chock full of amino acids, which do a number of things when applied topically. They help to smooth microscopic wrinkles, minimize pores, enhance elasticity, and improve texture – all of which leaves skin smooth and supple, with a youthful glow. They also contain nacre, which stimulates skin to produce collagen, and over 30 minerals, which maintain skin’s health. Pearls are a powerful natural moisturizer, and contain polysaccharides, which speed up metabolism and firm facial muscles, plus many proteins that strengthen skin’s resiliency.

Given their rarity, purity, power, and history with Asian culture, it’s no wonder we knew we had to include pearls in our foundation’s formula. And we’re beyond happy with the results. Thanks to the skincare benefits of our star ingredient, Come Closer doesn’t just cover imperfections, but heals them with continued use. The gem’s ability to fade hyperpigmentation and promote cellular repair is one of the many ways we were able to tailor our formula to Asian skin’s specific needs – helping to make Come Closer as rare as pearls themselves.