It’s harvest time in Arizona and we are ready to celebrate prickly pear. This desert superfood holds plant rich and nutrient dense health benefits created by evolving in the harsh desert environment. Prickly pear is also one of our Sia Skincare Superstars.
How do you know when prickly pears are ripe?
Please don’t grab a prickly pear cactus. Instead, watch the fruit color change from green to a solid red or yellow color. This is the most important indicator, and often only indicator, as to the fruit's ripeness.
According to our friends at Arizona Cactus Ranch, harvesting prickly pears is best done in the late summer when the fruit has turned to a deep magenta color and has no green remaining. The peak season for prickly pears is late summer through early winter.
The Prickly Pear Glow
Prickly pear is great for all skin types and especially great for mature skin. Prickly pear seed oil has a high content of essential fatty acids which help calm down any inflammation and redness especially for those prone to rosacea. It is easily absorbed into skin and penetrates quickly without leaving any greasy residue. The oil of prickly pear helps to address signs of aging and provides immediate skin-softening that finishes with a dewy glow.
Prickly pear contains the highest level of betalains in the world. These phytonutrients are found in rich colored fruits and have amazing anti-inflammatory properties that help promote skin elasticity and help stimulate collagen production. If your skin is prone to skin conditions that cause redness and swelling, betalains can help alleviate these symptoms.
Is there such a thing as too much prickly pear in your skincare?
Since prickly pear is a very alkaline ingredient, it does have to be formulated to work well with your skin's barrier. Fortunately, you’ll get all the amazing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in a well-balanced formula that is healthy for skin.
The Value of Sustainability
The desert harvested prickly pear we use is sustainable. We buy it from a local farm right here outside of Tucson, Arizona Cactus Farm, where they're actually planting the cactus. Prickly pear cacti are also grown outdoors, so you're getting all the benefits of the intense Arizona weather and in the concentrated nutrients it provides. No pesticides are used on this sustainable farm.
Prickly Pear Will Change Your Life
If you would like to try your first Prickly Pear offering, our founder has a recommendation:
“Well I love the Prickly Pear Serum. I call that one the kitchen sink, because it works for everyone. It's a gentle daily use product but you can really see results in a couple of days in terms of clarity and brightness and smoothness in the long term.
The youth preserving serum also has Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and MSM…it has all the stuff you want in one product!”
Prickly pear isn't only used for beauty products.
Juiceries sell drinks with prickly pear in them because the prickly pear borders on being a superfood. In addition to skincare, go ahead and introduce prickly pear in your life in different ways. You’ve probably seen it in cocktails but take a shot of prickly pear juice straight or mix it into a smoothie!
We’re so fortunate to have so many powerful and beautiful ingredients at our fingertips. We invite you to add prickly pear into your skincare routine and show off that Sia glow!