Ingredient Spotlight: Ginger Root 101

You pair it with your sushi, you use its candy form to curb motion sickness, you’ll reach for a tea infused with it when you feel a cold coming on, a certain Spice Girl named herself after it, and you’ll bake it into cookies shaped like a tiny house around which you’ll construct a gumdrop-adorned winter scene. The uses for ginger root are endless to the point that we start to question if there’s anything it can’t do, so it’s no surprise that the multi-tasking ingredient has crossed over from the food world into the realm of beauty.

As one of Deck of Scarlet’s go-to ingredients, we put together a comprehensive guide on what you need to know about ginger root, how it impacts your complexion, and exactly where you can find it to harness its all-curing powers. The more you know, right?

SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?

Why, it’s exactly what it sounds like, dear reader — ginger root is the root of the flowering ginger plant (which is gorgeous, by the way), and originated in Southeast Asia. It was used in healing, protecting, and blessing rituals, as well as in tonics to help cure just about any ailment. Ginger was considered a luxury item in the Roman empire (you know, until that fell), and in the medieval period, ginger was used in its preserved form to make sweets. Also, fun fact — Queen Elizabeth I may or may not have been responsible for the creation of the gingerbread man.

SO, HOW IS IT GOOD FOR MY SKIN?

We’re glad you asked. Because of the high concentration of antioxidants in ginger root, it can be used to treat a variety of issues like inflamed skin, acne, and excess oil production. Its antiseptic properties help to kill acne-causing bacteria, while acting as an astringent to counteract sebum production. This, in turn, gives your pores a smaller, tighter appearance.

Imparting a more miniscule pore size is one of the reasons we just had to include ginger root in our [MIST]AKE PROOF Blushes and Bronzers. One common issue with blushes and bronzers is that they can emphasize texture and make even pores on the smaller side seem larger. Because ginger root helps to constrict pore size, you’ll get an airbrushed texture every time our [MIST]AKE PROOF formulas make contact with your skin. Better yet, ginger root helps to extend the lifespan of your flawless finish — because excess oil can decrease the wear time of a formula, ginger is the perfect way to counteract sebum production without drying out your skin.

WHERE CAN I FIND IT?

Luckily for you, ginger is a widely used ingredient in skincare, frequently seen in serums, creams, cleansers, and masks that want to tap into its pore-minimizing and oil-controlling powers. Don’t want to give your standing skincare routine an overhaul? We hear you. That’s why we decided to incorporate the do-it-all ingredient into our [MIST]AKE PROOF Blushes and Bronzers, so that your skin is able to drink in its benefits while you put your best (and glowiest) face forward. Explore the full lineup here.

Knowing about what goes into any given formula is an important part of being an educated consumer, and with an ingredient like ginger root, singing its many praises to the tune of a Ginger Spice solo (but not her solo album, sorry Geri) is a task we couldn’t be more enthusiastic to do.