You’re About To See This Under-the-Radar Skincare Ingredient Everywhere in 2021

I literally just got my skin to calm down from an awful winter burn that plagued my skin for much of the latter half of 2020. You know, when your face gets chapped for seemingly no reason aside from mother nature’s elements taking a turn for the worse? To calm down the irritation and restore balanced moisture levels to my compromised complexion, I spent days slathering on all the oils and moisturizers, and when it finally healed, I was ready for a new skincare routine. That’s when I heard about a new skincare ingredient: chebula.

True Botanicals (Olivia Wilde’s fave) just dropped a topical glow-boosting serum infused with chebula (a powerful antioxidant derived from Terminalia chebula Retzius fruit that boasts impressive anti-inflammatory superpowers) that promises to tackle dullness, hydrate dry skin, soften the appearance of fine lines, and even improve skin’s elasticity. Since my skin was ~finally~ rash-free and I wasn’t battling any breakouts, it seemed like the perfect time to give it a test drive.

Here’s how it works: Basically, every day your body fights off free radicals (pollution, smoke, debris, etc.) When your body is exposed to too much of them, it can cause oxidative stress, which can contribute to everything from a weakened immune system to premature aging. Antioxidants work to counteract oxidative stress in the body. For your body’s health, it’s best to eat antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries or leafy greens like spinach or kale. But when it comes to your skincare, you might consider incorporating a topical treatment that does double duty. Enter Chebula.

Chebula is a cascading antioxidant, which means that once it clears a free radical, its absorption is not lost on your skin after just one application. Instead, it keeps working all day long, to clear free radicals and protect your skin. In fact, chebula’s ORAC antioxidant score is 60% greater than acai — another trendy ingredient that’s had its time in the limelight over the past few years.

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Courtesy of True Botanicals.

True Botanicals Chebula Active Immunity Serum

Chebula Active Serum $90

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While I’ve only been using it for about a week, I’ve already noticed how hydrating it is (my skin’s not begging for moisturizer like it usually is after just one serum application), and you only need about two drops each time you use it, since it spreads quickly all over the skin. Now that chebula is dipping its toes into the mainstream skincare market, you’re likely to see it popping up more and more in products. It’s currently available for presale on the True Botanicals website for $90 and will be available for sale at additional retailers on January 12.