7 Goji Berry Benefits for Skin

Stroll the aisles of your local health food store, and you’ll likely come across a small, red, dried berry known as a goji berry. This superfood has been embraced for centuries thanks to its health-promoting properties.

A single goji berry contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients. It’s no wonder traditional medicinal practices believe this berry has a strong health impact. 

But goji berry benefits don’t stop there. The same nutrients believed to benefit the immune system and promote vitality are also beneficial for your skin. Goji berries can improve skin hydration, slow the signs of aging, and protect your skin from external stressors. 

Are you looking to learn more about goji berry benefits for the skin? Read on to learn all about these powerful berries, their numerous benefits, and our favorite product to introduce goji berries into your skincare routine.

• What are goji berries?
• 7 benefits of goji berries for skin
• How to use goji berries for skincare
• Top products with goji berry
• Incorporate goji berries into your skincare routine

What Are Goji Berries?

Goji berries, also known as wolfberries, are small, red berries native to Asia and Africa. These berries are considered “superfoods.” While not a nutritionally recognized category of food, “superfoods” typically refer to foods that are low in calories but high in nutrients. Goji berries include nutrients like:

• Vitamins: Goji berries contain both vitamins A and C

• Minerals: These berries are rich in iron and potassium

• Amino acids: Amino acids are the foundation of all proteins in your body. Goji berries contain several amino acids, including proline, betaine, and taurine

• Antioxidants: Antioxidants fight oxidative stress in your body. You’ll find antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols in goji berries.

• Fatty acids: Fatty acids are a vital energy source. Goji berries are an excellent source of hexadecanoic acid, linoleic acid, and myristic acid.

 Traditional medicine has long used goji berries to promote health and longevity. These berries are believed to benefit the immune system, detoxify organs, and promote overall vitality.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, goji berries are used as a tonic for the liver, kidneys, eyes, and lungs. They are made into herbal formulas and are often used in soups, stews, juices, and other foods.

7 Benefits of Goji Berries for Skin

Goji berries offer more than essential nutrients – they can enhance your health from the inside out. The same compounds that are known to boost immune function and vitality also promote healthy, youthful skin. Let’s explore the numerous skin benefits of goji berries.

Rich in Antioxidants for Anti-Aging

Have you heard of antioxidants? These naturally occurring molecules protect your cells from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when you’re exposed to free radicals from pollution, stress, and other sources. Over time, oxidative stress can cause signs of premature aging, like fine lines and wrinkles.

Antioxidants, like those contained in goji berries, work to neutralize free radicals and protect against oxidative stress. While they can’t reverse existing signs of aging, antioxidant foods like goji berries can help to slow down future aging. 

Boosts Collagen Production

Another benefit of goji berries is their collagen-promoting properties. Collagen is the primary protein in the human body. It’s in your muscles, bones, organs, and skin, to name a few places.

Collagen contributes to youthful skin by giving it structure and elasticity, helping with hydration, and playing other essential roles in skin health.

As you age, your body’s collagen quality and production naturally decline. Along with that decline comes sagging or loose skin, wrinkles, and other signs of aging. The best way to ward off collagen loss and the aging that comes with it is to increase your consumption of nutrients that support your body’s natural collagen production, like Vitamin C.

Vitamin C encourages collagen-producing compounds known as fibroblasts to increase collagen production, leaving you with firmer, more elastic skin. Goji berries are an excellent source of Vitamin C. 

Hydrates and Nourishes Skin

Goji berries also support your skin barrier, the outermost layer of your skin. The skin barrier plays many protective roles, including regulating your skin’s hydration. 

Fatty acids and amino acids, like those found in goji berries, are essential for maintaining the skin’s protective barrier. Amino acids are a crucial component of the skin barrier's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), a blend of compounds that act as humectants, drawing moisture into the skin.

Fatty acids further support the skin barrier by providing nourishment. Together, these compounds help maintain smooth, healthy, and hydrated skin.

Protects Against UV Damage

UV rays are another source of oxidative stress. Like pollution and stress, sun exposure can also lead to premature signs of aging. Goji berries’ antioxidant properties can play a significant role here, too. They help neutralize free radicals from the sun’s rays and prevent future aging.

That said, antioxidants alone aren’t sufficient protection against sun damage. Not only can UV rays cause signs of aging, but they can cause burns and cancer, too. For full-spectrum protection from UV damage, daily sunscreen is a must. 

Brightens and Evens Skin Tone

Do you struggle with dull or uneven skin tone? Goji berries can help with that, too. Vitamin C inhibits melanin production, the pigment that causes dark spots and hyperpigmentation. Skincare products with goji berries can lighten dark spots and even skin tone for a brighter complexion.

Fights Acne and Inflammation

The fatty acids and carotenoids contained in goji berries also offer antibacterial properties. These compounds can help reduce breakouts and combat redness and skin irritation by inhibiting the growth of bacteria, fungi, and yeast on your skin’s surface.

Goji berries’ antioxidants can also help reduce inflammation, leaving you with calmer skin. 

Strengthens the Skin’s Natural Barrier

In addition to regulating moisture loss, the skin barrier protects against environmental damage from UV radiation, pollution, and other factors. The antioxidative minerals in goji berries, including zinc and selenium, can help strengthen the skin’s barrier and neutralize environmental damage.

Incorporate Goji Berries into Your Skincare Routine

With so many essential nutrients, it’s no wonder that goji berries’ health benefits also extend to your skin. Use goji berry products day and night to unlock their full potential for hydration, protection, anti-aging, and more.

Colorescience Barrier Pro™ Essential Moisturizer combines goji berry extract with other powerful ingredients like squalane, hyaluronic acid, and snow mushroom for healthier, youthful-looking skin. Add this moisturizer to your skincare routine to harness the benefits.