Should You Be Using Prickly Pear for Your Skin?

There’s no need to scour the desert for an oasis when the skincare hidden gem you’ve been looking for is right in front of you – prickly pear.

Prickly pear oil holds the key to a radiant complexion, effortlessly helping you achieve a glowing and healthy look. Keep on reading to learn more about the remarkable benefits of using prickly pear extract for skin.

• What Is Prickly Pear?
• What Benefits Does Prickly Pear Offer for Your Skin
• What Nutrients Does Prickly Pear Have?
• How to Use Prickly Pear in Skincare
• Level-Up Your Skincare with Prickly Pear

What Is Prickly Pear?

Have you ever seen a cactus with oval-shaped orbs sticking out from it? Then you must’ve stumbled upon a prickly pear! A prickly pear, also known as a cactus pear, is native to North and South America and is rich in:

• Antioxidants
• Vitamins
• Minerals

Prickly pear fruit can be a range of different colors depending on their species, from white, yellow, purple, red, green, or even brown.

For hundreds of years, people in these regions have used prickly pear for its healing medicinal qualities, like whooping cough, healing wounds, and numerous other health benefits. Sure, it can be a little intimidating to eat or use fruit from such a spiky plant, but there are a ton of benefits to using prickly pear seed oil in treatments and serums or other parts of the plant for a range of health and skin care benefits.

What Benefits Does Prickly Pear Offer for Your Skin

Prickly pear oil or extract offers a whole range of skincare benefits. Its hydrating properties replenish moisture. That’s why you can often find prickly pear extract listed as a common ingredient for moisturizers and cleansers, while its antioxidant-rich nature fights signs of aging to:

• Brighten skin tone
• Reduce dark circles
• Enhance complexion

It's also been found to stimulate the growth of new cells, which leaves you with a revitalized and fresh appearance. The best part about using prickly pear in your skincare routine is that it comes from a natural source that has been trusted for generations.

What Nutrients Does Prickly Pear Have?

At first glance, it's hard to imagine just how nutrient-rich these prickly fruits really are.

This desert fruit is loaded with vitamins, like vitamin C, which supports collagen production, keeping your skin looking radiant. It also has vitamin E, which is known for its moisturizing and antioxidant properties, promoting skin elasticity and helping to prevent premature aging.

Prickly pears are rich with antioxidants like flavonoids (a fancy word for plant compounds) that help reduce inflammation and protect against environmental damage. The list doesn’t stop there.

Prickly pears are filled with minerals like magnesium and potassium to support skin hydration and regulate cellular processes, promoting a glowing and healthy complexion. These nutrients work to nourish, hydrate, and protect your skin, leaving it radiant and youthful.

Prickly pear benefits skin in so many ways, and by weaving it into your skincare routine, you’ll get a natural boost of essential nutrients.

How to Use Prickly Pear in Skincare

Prickly pear is an up-and-coming skincare staple that is not only known for its hydrating properties and antioxidant-rich compounds, but it serves as a natural solution to nourish and rejuvenate your complexion.

Don’t wait to take advantage of all the benefits it offers. You’ll find it’s easy to work this ingredient into your skincare routine.

What Forms Does Prickly Pear Skincare Come In?

Luckily, there are only a handful of different forms of prickly pear skincare products that you can choose from, making it that much easier to incorporate into your daily routine. We get it; having too many options is intimidating sometimes, so here’s the breakdown that’ll help you decide what’s best for you.

Prickly pear seed oil, which is extracted from the seeds, is a pretty popular choice and one that seems to be on the rise. It’s rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, and essential fatty acids, and the lightweight texture of the oil makes it an ideal moisturizer, leaving your skin feeling hydrated without any heaviness.

Prickly pear extract, which is derived from the fruit itself, is packed with a concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. You’ll find that prickly pear extract is often used in serums and creams, stepping in as a key ingredient in anti-aging skincare by brightening your complexion and combating signs of aging. The extract is also found in a lot of skin-redness products as it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties.

If you’re in the mood to really treat yourself, prickly pear masks and balms are becoming a lot more popular and give you another boost of nourishment.

Whether you decide to go the route of oil or an extract, prickly pear skincare products offer hydration, anti-aging benefits, and a natural glow, making them versatile additions to your skincare routine.

Adding Prickly Pear to Your Skincare Routine

Loaded with antioxidants like flavonoids, polysaccharides, vitamins and minerals, prickly pear cactus extract and oil does wonders for sensitive skin, offering soothing, hydrating, and protective benefits. You can often find it in skin products for pigmentation, thanks to its powerful vitamin C ingredients that help you achieve a glowing, even complexion.

The most common type of product is a prickly-pear-enriched oil that you can apply to your skin twice a day once you’ve cleansed your face. These serums can have a range of targeted purposes.

If face oils aren’t your thing, upgrade your cleanser and moisturizer with Colorescience's Barrier Pro™ Essential Moisturizer and 1-Step Cleanser. This powerful duo harnesses the benefits of prickly pear to hydrate and refresh your skin every day.

Are There Any Potential Concerns When Using Prickly Pear?

Even though prickly-pear-infused skin products tend to be generally safe for most people, there is always a risk of experiencing an allergic reaction or sensitivity, especially if you’re prone to other fruit- or plant-based allergic reactions.

While these reactions are pretty rare, it's in your best interest to test out a patch on your skin before fully diving into a prickly pear skincare routine. Start by simply applying a small amount of the product to a discrete area of your skin, like your inner arm, and watch it for any adverse reactions over the next 24 hours.

Taking this simple precautionary step can help make sure that prickly pear products are compatible with your skin, allowing you to enjoy their benefits to the fullest with confidence and peace of mind.

What Are the Best Prickly Pear Extract Skincare Products?

Excited to finally understand what all the hype is about the new prickly pear skincare trend? Try out some of our curated favorites.

Whether you're looking for deep hydration, anti-aging benefits, a radiant, glowing complexion, or just to simply get on the bandwagon to see what all the excitement is about, you won’t look back after trying these skincare solutions.

Moisturizer with Prickly Pear Extract

Developed in collaboration with skin health professionals, Colorescience's Barrier Pro™ Essential Moisturizer takes your skincare routine up a notch, addressing specific skin needs with a blend of carefully chosen ingredients. Its protective formula protects against environmental stressors like sun damage, leaving your skin not just moisturized but refreshed and invigorated.

This moisturizer enhances your skin's ability to attract and lock in moisture for lasting benefits. Beyond moisturization, it combines barrier health with photo-protective benefits, enhancing your skin’s resilience. It also defends against HEV (blue) light and optimizes sunscreen application.

Cleanser with Prickly Pear Extract

The Colorescience Barrier Pro™ 1-Step Cleanser is a game-changer for your skincare routine. It’s not just a cleanser; it's a skincare staple that truly goes beyond the surface.

This cleanser has a unique formula that effortlessly removes the grime of makeup, debris, and your daily mineral sunscreen all in one go, making it easy for you to effectively cleanse in one simple wash.

At its core, it’s not just a cleanser; it's a multi-benefit solution that helps boost your skin barrier. Enriched with prickly pear extract, it actively supports your skin's barrier, leaving it soothed, hydrated, and nourished with antioxidants, polysaccharides, vitamins and minerals.

The result? A noticeably softer, smoother complexion without having to use any harsh ingredients that may irritate sensitive skin.

Plus, it's oil-free, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, and hypoallergenic, making it a safe choice for all skin types.

Level-Up Your Skincare with Prickly Pear

While skincare fads come and go, we’re sure that prickly pear skincare will continue to stand the test of time. It’s just that now more people are learning about all of the benefits this tiny fruit has to offer. Packed with nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants, this desert gem revitalizes, nourishes, and protects your skin.

For an easy way to incorporate prickly pear into your routine and to experience the next level in skincare, try the Barrier Health Dream Duo for a holistic and rejuvenating journey for your skin.