The adaptogenic kingdom, the diverse array of herbs and other earth medicines that help maintain balance in brains, skin, hormones, and inflammation. It is a favorite tool of many experts—holistic and not. Pearl powder is a one of these go-to adaptogens that hails from the sea. But how much do you know about it? For some, you may be well familiar or use it in your own routine already (in that case, consider this a brush up); for others, you likely need a bit more context. Here, all you need to know. Truly, the span of cultures who use this powder is vast: Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, was known to use pearl in her beauty regimen. The royal children of the pre-colonial Philippines were fed pearl powder to keep their skin bright, clear, and firm. Similarly, pearl was used throughout European history among royal and wealthy families for its beauty and health benefits. But no cultures have used pearl is such a concerted way as the two largest schools in Eastern medicine: traditional Chinese medicine and ayurvedic medicine. This luminescent powder was not only used directly for skin health but also as a balancing adaptogen. In Chinese medicine, pearl is seen as a potent mind (shen) stabilizer, calming the mood like any good adaptogen. In TCM, if someone is struggling with anxiety or stress and tension, pearl is a go-to tool in many shen or mind adaptogenic tonics. Also, if you are vegan take note. Similar to bee pollen, pearl powder is technically not vegan, although many vegans find it acceptable to include food medicines like pearl powder and bee pollen in their diet. It’s often also found in gentle face scrubs (versus having harsh nut powders or beads). If you want to DIY a scrub or mask, simply sprinkle in a bit of your pearl powder into rose water and mix until you create a paste. Apply for about 10 minutes, before rinsing off using small circular motions. A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
