If you see a comparable keyword density between skin care sites, chances are their higher ranking is due to inbound links and/or inherited page rank. If their keyword density is higher than yours, there’s a good chance you can increase your ranking with some careful keyword placement for organic search optimization.

Use one of the following free keyword cloud tools to check your skin care site’s actual keyword density:

Visual Results
Use font size and bold-face to get a quick visual of what words have the highest density on the pages you search (without the actual statistics).

Keyword Cloud from webconfs
http://www.webconfs.com/keyword-density-checker.php

Keyword Density Checker from iwebtool
http://www.iwebtool.com/keyword_density

Statistical results
These tools give you actual number of occurrences, percentages of density and other key metrics by keyword.

Keyword Density Tool from SEO Tools™
http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-density/

Keyword Density from Link Vendor
http://www.linkvendor.com/seo-tools/keyword-density.html

Compare two sites
Use this tool to see how your site compares to another.

Keyword Density Analyzer from KeywordDensity.com
http://www.keyworddensity.com/

What do you do with the information once you have it?

• Get a good understanding of what keywords are strongest on your site. You might be surprised that your organic content is pointing search engines in a direction you didn’t expect. Evaluate that and decide if you need to modify your copy and tags/titles, or if it’s something you should use to your advantage and build upon.
• Take a new look for competition. Try searches on the top keywords in the major search engines and see who shows up. Take a look at their sites and see if they truly are competition. Review their offers to see how they compare to yours. Also be sure to read the search engine results set for their site compared to yours…whose is more compelling? How can you change your copy to better grab the potential customer’s attention if your results were to come up side-by-side
• Compare keyword density with your known top competitors. This might give you an idea who’s more likely to come out on top in the major search engines (of course, keyword density is only one factor in the mix – don’t forget that incoming links, overall relevancy, etc., also determine page rank). Use the results to help prioritize the copy you need to tweak in the future, or maybe set your goals to build some new content pages that will make you a stronger competitor in those areas.
• Target online directories where you can submit your site and increase incoming links. To ensure you get approved for inclusion, have a blurb that clearly ties your site to that directory.

• You should use a site that has a Google pagerank of 4 and above because sites with no pagerank will lower the credibility of the PR.
• Approach a site that allows you to optimize the press release for search engines by using header tags, tagging, anchor text and other SEO techniques.
• Keep away from sites that use NoFollow tags. These tags are inserted into website code in order to stop the search engine from finding the site.

So, here are a few press release sites that provide both free and paid distribution services. The list will help you in finding a reliable PR distribution service provider who will get you maximum visibility.

1. PRLog.org – Pagerank 5 / Alexa 16,551- It is an ordinary and functional looking site but results are good. It gives free distribution service for Google News and other search engines. Inbound links are allowed and the site is also properly optimized for search engines. You can schedule the press release.
2. Free-Press-Release.com – Pagerank 5/ Alexa 3,547 – Good Alexa ranking makes this not so good looking site really good. The best part of using it is that you can place banners on the press release that will point to your website. The paid service offered by this website has better ranking and many SEO benefits.
3. OpenPR.com – Pagerank 5 / Alexa 42,088 – This service distribution site is based in Germany. It provides free submission and distribution along with SEO benefits.
4. PR.com – Pagerank 5 / Alexa 27,482 – The domain name is superb but you can say the services are not so appealing. The site has one free basic service and two paid services of $199 and $499. You can give full company profile by taking paid option.
5. NewswireToday.com – Pagerank 5 / Alexa 51,449 – The design of website is not good and you will difficulty in navigation also. It offers common free distribution tools and the premium service will enable you to give logo, product picture and insert other features in the press release.
6. EcommWire.com – Pagerank 4 / Alexa 107,600 – This site has low traffic but it is really good for e-commerce related press releases. You can add three keywords, image and pass a link with the anchor text.
7. 1888PressRelease.com – Pagerank 5/ Alexa 58,760 – The site has good page rank and also gets good traffic. Active links are allowed. If you opt for their paid service, the placement will be better and you will get features like image galleries & permanent archiving.
8. PressMethod.com – Pagerank 4 / Alexa 66,727 – The site gets good traffic. There is a limited list of features for free PR distribution. There is no point in spending additional money to get paid service.
9. PR-Inside.com – Pagerank 4 / Alexa 17,995 – The only reason for which you can use this site is that it is one of the few PR distribution sites that are focused on Europe.
10. I-Newswire.com – Pagerank 3 / Alexa 69,619 – You get free PR distribution option to sites and search engines. If you opt for premium membership, the only difference is that you can add graphics on the PR.
11. 24-7PressRelease.com – Pagerank 4 / Alexa 46,460 – This free press release submission site provides limited distribution service. Active links are allowed.
12. Free-Press-Release-Center.info – Pagerank 3 / Alexa 56,516 – It is a clean looking site and the increasing traffic level will increase the pagerank soon. You can do PR submission and distribution, include one link with the anchor text while availing free service. The paid service enables you to give three links, permanent archiving and has many more features.
13. TheOpenPress.com – Pagerank 4 / Alexa 64,691- You will get free distribution service in plain formatted releases. If yo want HTML-coded release, go for paid option.
14. Merinews.com – Pagerank 5/ 49,687 – It is more of a online news journal that also provides press release distribution service.
15. PRUrgent.com – Pagerank 3/ Alexa 80,402 – You will surely get some useful advice on writing press releases. This site is good looking and poor Alexa rank.
16. Press-Base.com – Pagerank 3 / Alexa 389,117 – If you want a press release distribution site where you can get on the front page and under the category of your choice, go for this one.

Skin Care Paid Press Release Distribution Sites

1. BusinessWire.com – Pagerank 8 / Alexa 16,730 – It is mostly used by bigger companies to meet SEC full disclosure requirement. Prices are not disclosed and can be known via application.
2. PRWeb.com – Pagerank 8/ Alexa 9,822 – This site has a good reputation when it comes to distributing local news in a single region. The prices for service start at $80 and go up to $360, depending on the visibility you want to get.
3. PRNewsWire.com – Pagerank 8 / Alexa 7,508 – This not so good looking site is used by many journalists. The annual subscription price is $195 and you will have to pay additional price for more exposure.
4. PRLeap.com – Pagerank 6 / Alexa 55,935 – The site is said to deliver reasonable results. It is nice and clean. The price of press release starts from $49 – $149, depending on the level of service you have opted for. The distribution is done on search engines, RSS feeds and newswires.

Getting media coverage is the best form of marketing, but you need to make efforts to get good coverage. Choose the press release distribution site carefully, especially when you are paying for the service.

Information

These are sites that have general information on search engine optimization and search engines. They offer news, information, and search engine optimization tips.

Search Engine Watch
Marketing Terms – This dictionary will help you understand all of the search engine terms you come across.
Search Engine Relationship Chart – This chart shows you which search engines are connected to each other so you know what search engines to submit your site to and optimize for.
Search Engines – Tips on search engine optimization and promotion.
Google SEO Guidelines – Google’s brief information on search engine optimization.
SEO Beginners Guide – Rand Fishkin writes a detailed guide on search engine optimization for beginners. It is a long read, but well worth it.
ISEDB
Search Engine Guide
Pandia
SEO Chat
Search Engine Colossus – This is a directory of all of the search engines in the world. If you are looking to target other countries, it is important to get familiar with the search engines in that country.
Thread Watch

Tools

Here is a list of tools that will be useful if you are looking to do search engine optimization. Some of the tools give you insight on search terms and others give you an idea of how well optimized your site is. These tools are great for research or for improving the optimization of your website.

SEO ToolSet
GoogSpy – If you are interested in finding out what search terms your competition is ranked for or is adverting on, then this site will be a great tool for you.
SEOMOZ’s Tools
Wordtracker – This is a keyword research tool that tells you the popularity of certain keywords across the major search engines. It also gives you suggestions on other related terms that are high and low in traffic.
Search Term Suggestion – This tool comes directly from Yahoo and it gives you an idea on how popular search terms are. This gives you good input on what terms you want your site to be optimized for. Be careful because the total number does not mean that a high ranking for that keyword will get you that amount of traffic.
Meta Tag Analyzer
Google Toolbar – If you want to find out your site’s Google PageRank you will need to install this toolbar. It will show you your PageRank, but be careful because it is not frequently updated.
Marketleap Link Popularity Checker – This link popularity checker will show how many sites link to you for each search engine. It can also show you the number of sites that link to your competitors. They also have a neat feature that shows the growth or decline in your link popularity over time.
Digital Point SEO Tools
SEO Chat Tools/
We Build Pages SEO Tools

Blogs

You may want to pay attention to blogs if you are looking to keep up with daily search engine news, information, and the latest search engine optimization tips. Blogs provide a constant update of news and information about the latest ideas. This space is constantly changing, so it’s important to stay current with what is going on.

SEOMOZ
Search Engine Blog
TopRank
Search Engine Roundtable – This is one of the more unique blogs out there. There are search engine conferences that go on every couple months and they write about each session. It’s like being at the conference and listening to the speakers.
Search Engine Watch Blog
SEO Book
Matt Cutts – This is the blog by one of Google’s engineers. He is their most popular engineer and writes about Google, search engine optimization, and gadgets.
Search Engine Journal
Search Engine Lowdown
John Battelle’s Search Blog
Google – Blog News Channel
Traffick
SEO by the Sea
Cameron Olthuis
Google Blogoscoped – Covers the ins and outs of Google. Sometimes they have information about Google before it is released to the general public. There are also interviews with Google employees.

Search Engine Forums

Forums are a great resource if you need help, input, or are just looking for information on search engine optimization. You post your questions and can expect a response from other people with their thoughts. This is great for finding information and getting help.

Search Engine Forum
High Rankings Forum
I Help You Forum
Webmaster World – Unlike most of the search engine forums, this is a paid forum and you have to pay yearly fees to be part of it. There are thousands of members and they discuss search engine optimization, news, tips, and general Internet-related topics.
Search Guild
SEO Chat Forum
Digital Point Forum
Cre8asite Forum
Search Engine Watch Forum

Conferences

Conferences are a great way to take your learning to the next level and get deeper into the industry. Conferences allow you to listen to experts in the field, meet them in person, and talk to people from the major search engines.

Search Engine Strategies – They hold conferences every couple months all over the world. They have sessions for beginners and you can also meet people from the major search engines.
PubCon – This is a search engine related conference that covers everything from general information to search engine optimization tips. They have conferences every couple months and the price is cheaper than Search Engine Strategies. The downfall is that the conference is smaller with less attendees.

1. Always put your URL on letterhead, business cards and in e-mail signatures—wherever potential visitors are likely to see it.
2. If your employees wear uniforms, put your URL on them so every one of your customers sees a walking advertisement of your Web site.
3. Include your URL on all promotional items you give away—coffee mugs, T-shirts, keychains and so on. A daily reminder is a good way to get people to visit your site.
4. Be sure to include your Web address in all press releases you send out to members of the media. By having it at their fingertips, they may be more likely to include it in articles they write about your company.
5. Don’t forget to put your Web address in your Yellow Pages ad. That’s one place people see it every day.
6. Do you own any company vehicles? Be sure to put your URL on the side of any car or truck that’s out there delivering your products.
7. In addition to listing your toll-free number, put your Web address on the bottom of every page of your catalog so customers have easy access to your online store.

Online Promotions

8. Hone your search engine submission process so you can get the best exposure possible.
9. If you’re still itching for more exposure, you can explore search engine marketing, wherein you pay to have a text ad appear when visitors search for certain keywords.
10. Launch a sweepstakes that offers anyone who registers on your site or subscribes to e-newsletters within a certain time frame the chance to win a free gift.
11. Send out a weekly e-mail newsletter to registered site members that offers tips and news related to your company or industry with links back to your site.
12. Offer free content to other sites. It’s a win-win situation: The other site gets free articles to beef up their offerings and you get a link back to your site and the cachet of being an expert.
13. Send a well-planned, customer-focused e-mail promotion to a targeted list of potential visitors and offer a credit toward the purchase of anything from your site. Spend time on your e-mail’s look and content: You want to offer value to customers and not have it appear to be spam.
14. Create your own link exchange by asking sites complementary to yours (but that don’t compete) to put your link on their pages and you’ll do likewise.
15. Hook up with Web affiliates—hundreds of sites that all link their traffic to yours—and get visitors from sites with related content.
16. Get active in online discussion groups and chats and always include your URL in your signature. (Don’t do any hard selling, though. Most groups frown on such behavior and will think you’re spamming the group.)
17. Any time someone orders a product from your site, include a catalog with their order to get them coming back for more.
18. Inspire your visitors to spread the word for you with viral marketing techniques, from the aforementioned newsgroup participation to including an “e-mail this link” on every page of your site.
19. Not sure what your customers want? Try creating an online survey to get their crucial opinions on how well your site is selling to them.
20. When creating your own ads, make sure you understand who you’re targeting, the goal of your campaign, and how to creatively use the ad confines to get viewers to click on your ad, not away from it.
21. Use other selling venues like online classified advertising or online auction sites to increase exposure to your site and products.

Here are 10 tips on how to maximize your marketing muscle without increasing your budget.

1. Keep it down. Most small companies operate with annual marketing budgets under $1 million and spend disproportionately on internal resources. A good rule of thumb is that no more than 10 percent of your total marketing budget should be put towards internal resources/overhead. That means if your budget for the year is $400,000, it should be managed by no more than $40,000 in salary. Any time that you spend directly managing these efforts, as well as additional internal costs for benefits, should also be factored into the equation.

2. Buy from brokers. Direct purchasing of some outsourced services (such as printing) is often more expensive than going through a broker. A good broker has the expertise, contacts, buying power and personal relationships to optimize production efficiencies, which results in lower costs for you. Usually, this translates into fewer hassles for you and a higher-quality end product.

3. Negotiate everything. You don’t need to be Coke or Pepsi to have negotiating power in the marketing industry. For example, most advertising/marketing agencies are concerned with securing regular, ongoing work. Ask to see cost differences between project work and a six-month or even one- or two-year contract/retainer (don’t worry about over-commitment, there’s usually a 30-day-out clause). Also consider paying for some services up front. Don’t underestimate the power of “cash flow” to help you secure discounts and/or price breaks.

4. Use other people’s money. Partnering can really pay off. Look to your current vendors/suppliers to see if there are ways to magnify your co-marketing opportunities. Not only do manufacturers and suppliers often have specific budgets available for co-op programs, but you can be creative as well. For example, if a photographer’s bid on a project is too high, ask if he’d be willing to trade some of his fee for a marketing credit in your materials. You’ll be surprised at how far this can stretch your marketing dollar.

5. Tie yourself up. Large consumer brands do it every day, yet it’s amazing how few companies take advantage of tie-in opportunities. Which other non-competitive companies are trying to reach the same target market as you? Open things up for discussion. If the fit is right, you can very quickly multiply your marketing budget by simply aligning yourself with others with similar interests.

6. Be a big fish. You can find a wide range of marketing resources in size and capabilities, from single freelancers working in their basement to multi-billion-dollar conglomerate agencies. Once you’ve found the right size for you, consider going a step smaller. Odds are you’ll still get the resources you need, but lower overhead usually means lower cost to you. It’s OK to be the big fish in an agency roster, just try not to exceed 20 percent of their overall revenues.

7. Befriend the media. If public relations is an important part of your marketing plan, there is a great way to ensure that you’re getting the most for your money. Target the sources you most want and work backwards. For example, contact the editors of the top two or three publications in your industry and ask them what types of articles they’re looking for, what kind of input they want from companies like yours, etc. Building relationships with the media and becoming a contributing “source” can pay dividends down the road when you need to get a certain message out. Editors are also a good source for recommendations if you’re hiring PR resources (as employees or external vendors).

8. Measure yourself. You’re shooting in the dark if you don’t clearly establish evaluation criteria to measure the success of your marketing efforts. Make sure that your criteria are quantifiable and share these yardsticks with your entire marketing team (including other vendors/agencies). Incorporate any feedback that you receive to ensure you have buy-in up front and hold everyone accountable in the end.

9. Go East, young man. If you have the turnaround time required, consider sourcing some of your work overseas. Asia’s very low labor costs make it an attractive resource for production and manufacturing of premiums, and India’s well-educated English-speaking workforce make it a growing hub for customer service/telemarketing and development work (great for your Web site and any interactive materials). Costs can be as little as 10 percent of what you pay in the U.S. for similar products/services.

10. Get others to sell for you. There’s money sitting right in your Rolodex or PDA just waiting to jump into your wallet. Often your contacts, customers and suppliers make great salespeople for your company because they already know (and presumably approve) of what you do. Talk to them about the mutually beneficial opportunities that exist when they act as an agent and/or referral for your company with their network of business/personal contacts. There are several creative ways to provide referral fees or commission structures that would allow you to increase your new business while at the same time helping them build their business.

Don’t just think of directories as being places that accept websites. Some of the best directories represent business partnerships and exist on sites like manufacturers you sell for, local government sites, or your local chamber of commerce.

For example, Google lists some of the most popular Google Checkout business partners
http://www.google.com/checkout/m.html

• Would some of your business partners be willing to link to your site?
• Are there any trade organizations or local business organizations you can join?
• If there are no relevant organizations, could/should you create one?

Web Directories

Here is a list of some of the most well trusted online web directories

• Business.com – $299 per year for commercial listings.
• Yahoo! Directory – $299 per year for commercial listings. Free for non-commercial listings.
• BOTW - one time $299 fee
• JoeAnt – one time $40 fee
• DMOZ – also referred to as the Open Directory Project or ODP. Free submission, but it may take a long time to get listed as it is ran by volunteers.

1. Decide on a standalone domain name www.myblog.com or directory of existing site www.mysite.com/blog. Sub domain is also an option blog.mysite.com. Avoid hosted services that do not allow you to use your own domain name!
2. Obtain and install customizable blog software – WordPress and Moveable Type are my favorites.
3. Customize blog look and feel templates – aka design.
4. Research keywords and develop a glossary – Keyword Discovery, WordTracker, SitePoint, SEOBook Keyword Research.
5. Optimize the blog:
   • Template optimization – RSS subscription options, social bookmark links, HTML code, Unique title tags, URLs, Sitemap
   • Add helper plugins specific to WordPress or MT
   • Create keyword rich categories (reference your keyword glossary)
6. Enable automatic trackback and ping functionality.
7. Create Feedburner Pro account and enable feed tracking.
8. Setup a Google account for Sitemap, validate and prep for future submission.
9. Identify authoritative blogs, web sites and hubs for outbound resource links and blogroll.
10. Format archived posts, related posts.
11. Enable statistics for tracking – Google Analytics, ClickTracks.
12. Submit RSS feed and Blog URL to prominent RSS and Blog directories / search engines.
13. Engage in an ongoing link building campaign.
14. If podcast or video content are available, submit to Podcast and Vlog directories.
15. Submit blog url to paid directories with categories for blogs – Yahoo, BOTW, bCentral, WOW, JoeAnt.
16. Optimize and distribute a press release announcing blog.
17. Request feedback or reviews of your blog in relevant forums, discussion threads. If you have a resourceful post that will help others, point to it.
18. Research and comment on relevant industry related blogs and blogs with significant centers of influence.
19. Post regularly. If it’s a news oriented blog, 3-5 times per day. If it’s an authoritative blog, 3-5 times per week, but each post must be unique and high value.
20. Monitor inbound links, traffic, comments and mentions of your blog – Google Alerts, Technorati, Blogpulse, Yahoo News, Ask Blogs and Feeds.
21. Always respond to comments on your blog and when you detect a mention of your blog on another blog, thank that blogger in the comments of the post.
22. Make contact with related bloggers on AND offline if possible.
23. When making blog posts always cite the source with a link and don’t be afraid to mention popular bloggers by name. Use keywords in the blog post title, in the body of the post and use anchor text when you link to previous posts you’ve made.
24. Use social networking services, forums and discussion threads to connect with other bloggers. If they like your stuff, they will link to you.
25. Remember when web sites were a new concept and the sage advice to print your web address everywhere you print your phone number? The same advice applies for your blog.
    If your blog’s goal is to promote you as an authority, interview other prominent bloggers in your industry. Your own credibility will improve by association.
26. Build out your online networks through services such as MyBlogLog, Twitter and Facebook and leverage them to promote particularly useful content on your blog.
27. Once your blog has 1000 or more subscribers, show your Feedburner badge
28. Host images with Flickr making sure to include an anchor text link in the image description back to the post where the image is used.
29. Use your blog to gain press/media credentials at relevant industry conferences and use the event to create content, connections and increase your knowledge.

We design packages for consumers, not for the boss, the legislator or the trade. To find out what the consumer likes or wants, first of all, think of yourself. What would you like? A pack that’s easy to open, a back panel that’s easy to read, a brand you trust, a clear product denomination, a pack easy to hold in your hands and easy to dispose of or recycle? It is not more complicated. Forget buzzwords like insight or focus groups, just use your own intelligence and common sense. With this, you will get at least 80% right and that is more than enough to achieve great packaging.

2. Understand the Meaning of Simplicity

The person who best formulated this was Coco Chanel some 80 years ago when she coined the now famous phrase: “Always reduce, never add,” and the architect Mies van der Rohe, who coined the often repeated, but seldom followed phrase: “Less is more!” Enough said. There is no doubt too much (useless) information on today’s packages.

3. Understand Positioning

Call it what you like: genetic code, DNA, spirit, core value, brand essence, big idea or the like, a package design must strengthen the idea behind a brand (or product). There must be a synergy effect. A package design is always part of something bigger (see below) and has therefore to be in line with the idea mentioned above. And the idea must be big and simple.

4. Understand Hierarchy

There is always something that is more important. It is very rare that two things matter the same, especially in package design. The responsible person for a package, be it the marketing director, the big boss or the technical director, must be able to make a hierarchy list for those who develop the package design to follow. This is very seldom done and therefore the final result becomes “a little of everything,” which is equal to bad packaging.

5. Understand Legislation

This is the area where things often “go wrong” as we do not differentiate between a must (i.e., a legislative decision) and a guideline or rule or best practice. Furthermore, a law can be interpreted in more than one way. For instance, does the front panel on a carton mean only the front or also the side panels? It all depends on at which angle you hold the pack. In order to not fall into the trap of printing “almost everything,” which means small illegible text, ask yourself obvious questions like: Does the consumer really need this information? Does this information help to sell more? Is the information understood?

6. Understand Material

Have you ever held a can of juice in one hand and a carton pack fresh from the fridge in the other? Well, do it once and you will understand why the aluminum or steel can feels colder. One of the first decisions to make when developing a new package is which material or material combination should be chosen to best express the uniqueness of the product inside. It is just common sense that carton packages with transparent windows have today become very popular as most consumers want to see what they buy.

7. Understand Layout

There is a deep-rooted syndrome among most marketing people. It is called “the upper left-hand corner syndrome” as marketing executives believe that a package is seen as a book and that one has to start “up left” with the corporate brand. Nothing could be more wrong. A package can have any layout. It is the product idea that dictates the layout and visual impact that should be achieved.

8. Understand Ecology

Today we are “bombarded” with nutritional messages often too complicated to be understood by the average consumer. At the same time, we learn about global warming, the dangers of CO2 and the depletion of the ozone layer. Would it not be a good idea to use the packages to educate the consumers about ecology (not only recycling) and how we all, by changing our life style, could participate to make this Earth an even better place?

9. Understand Economy

Economy, when it comes to package design, is to not only look at the retail package. In order to understand what a great package design does to promote a product and make it a great success, one has to see the total picture. Only then can one decide where to spend the money. The total picture is a matter of total communication, including retail package, display carton and point-of-sale material, shipping carton, advertising (print, television, etc.) to make the product stand out and be remembered through a great package design.

For instance, a thin, corrugated shipper needs a strong, rigid, retail package and vice versa. A great and interesting point-of-sale unit can work wonders even with a rather simple retail package. Before starting a package design project, decide where to put your money!

10. Understand Total Packaging

Until this day, when I am writing these lines, after more than 40 years in package design, I have never been at a meeting where all of the following responsible persons were present: project leader (usually a brand or product manager), package designer, technical packaging engineer, advertising account executive (or even better, the creative director), legal advisor.

As mentioned above, total packaging is both a marketing and technical issue. It is a matter of retail package, display unit and shipper, as well as taking the key decision up-front as to what the main visuals should be (form, colors, logotype, etc.) to be communicated through all packaging and media.

To do this is not an easy task. I therefore often say: Do not wish it were easier, wish it were better!

A native plant of Northern Africa, pomegranate (Punica Granatum L) was written about in 1552 B.C. in the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus, which is one of the oldest and most important medical documents yet recovered.

The Ebers Papyrus contains more than 700 remedies for treating disease; pomegranate is noted as one of the most popular ingredients. For example, physicians in Greece prescribed pomegranate juice as a remedy with multiple activities. It acted as an anti-inflammatory and as a potent anthelmintic, which could expel or destroy intestinal worms. It also was used to treat chronic diarrhea, dysentery, viruses and digestive problems.

In Mediterranean and Caucasian folk medicine, pomegranate extract helps strengthen the human capillary system. It also is used as an anti-asthma agent and for tonsillitis and bronchitis.

Meeting Environmental Challenges

While history teaches us that this unassuming fruit possesses valuable healing powers, the pomegranate shows incredible potential to meet our body’s needs in the face of increasing environmental challenges. Indeed, studies I’ve conducted confirm the healing potential of the pomegranate on the external and internal level, offering exciting applications for health and longevity.

Each day, the skin—the body’s largest organ—is bombarded with environmental assailants. In fact, the cells of the body sustain thousands of free radical hits. Moreover, ever increasing external aggressors, such as pollution, smoke and ultraviolet radiation from the sun, trigger the release of additional inflammatory mediators. These further break down collagen and damage cell barriers. This increased internal damage can produce wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. But perhaps more importantly, this internal damage contributes to the formation of cancerous cells.

Since my early days as a dermatologist, I’ve been studying the ability of various antioxidants, such as vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid, grape seed extract, vitamin E and herb extracts, such as burdock root, echinacea and yellow dock root, to repair and protect the skin against such damage. However, I found the most potent antioxidant power to date is ellagic acid contained in the pomegranate.

Ellagic acid is a powerful free radical scavenger and extremely effective in increasing the body’s own built-in antioxidant glutathione. This, in turn, helps protect the DNA in cells from free radical damage. Glutathione also is essential in helping the body recycle hormones, such as estrogen, which also protects skin cells.

Polyphenols, such as ellagic acid, also inhibit the formation of harmful enzymes that cause cells to grow out of control. This is important in preventing cancer because out-of-control cell division is a hallmark of this disease. By inhibiting specific enzymes, ellagic acid and other polyphenols regulate cell turnover and give the cell time to divide normally and form completely. Ellagic acid also is thought to strengthen the cell membrane, making it less susceptible to free radical damage. It also prevents water loss from the cell. This, in turn, helps deter the aging process.

I first began studying the effects of pomegranate extract in the early 1990s. After this research was published in Cosmetic Dermatology, pomegranate extract began to pique the interest of university scientists.

Protecting the Skin

Intrigued by the powerful benefits of pomegranate extract, I theorized that it could play a significant role in protecting the skin from all types of environmental damage, specifically ultraviolet rays. To prove this theory, I initiated an independent pilot study to determine the effect of pomegranate extract in improving the sun protection factor of sunscreens.

In 1999, I asked an independent laboratory to test the effect of pomegranate extract on the sun protection factor of volunteers. Thirty-two subjects (male and female, ages 18 to 60, with fair to medium skin types) used pomegranate extract orally and topically. First, their minimal erythema dose (MED) was tested. Next, they applied four formulas (standard SPF 4 and SPF 8 lotions with and without pomegranate extract) and assessed for SPF. Subjects then tested pomegranate extract daily for five days under supervision. At the endpoint, subjects were tested again for SPF. Adding pomegranate extract boosted the SPF of the sunscreen formula by 20 percent. Over and above that, ingesting a 15 mg tablet of standardized pomegranate extract provided an additional 25 percent improvement in the SPF.

Research Findings

In October 2000, the Journal of Agri-cultural Food Chemistry covered research by a team from South Dakota University. They reported that when applied topically on mice, pomegranate oil inhibited papilloma incidence and activity.

In the fall of 2003, researchers at the University of Wisconsin evaluated pomegranate’s anti-skin tumor effects. They did so by comparing the topical application of pomegranate extract on neonatal mice against TPA-induced markers (12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate), a strong promoter of chemically induced skin cancer. Applying pomegranate extract onto the skin of neonatal mice 30 minutes before the TPA application significantly inhibited TPA-mediated increases in skin edema and hyperplasia, researchers found.

They also tested the pomegranate extract on TPA-induced skin tumor promotion. The animals pretreated with pomegranate extract showed substantially reduced tumor incidence and lower tumor body burden. In the TPA-treated group, all mice developed tumors at 16 weeks, while only 30 percent of the mice treated with pomegranate extract exhibited tumors at that point.

Perhaps the most extraordinary result of these studies is the discovery of pomegranate’s age-proofing capabilities and healing benefits. When taken orally, this ingredient boosts the SPF rating of topical sunscreens so that the same SPF protection levels are maintained, using fewer chemicals and more antioxidants.

Indeed, the protective and healing properties of the pomegranate are extremely important today, as the rate of skin cancer is growing increasingly faster than any other cancer among Western countries. However, applying sunscreen alone isn’t enough, and much of our challenge lies in education. For instance, the SPF of a sunscreen doesn’t tell the entire story. An effective product should provide:

• Full-spectrum sun protection to block UVA and UVB rays.
• Antioxidants, such as pomegranate, green tea, vitamin C, grape seed extract and bioflavonoids to neutralize damaging free radicals.
• Anti-inflammatory agents, such as licorice extract, zinc or chamomile extract, to soothe and prevent redness.
• Hydrating ingredients, such as sodium PCA, hyaluronic acid and plant-based lipids, to boost topical hydration in the cells.

Fortunately, I’ve noticed an ever-increasing consumer awareness of pomegranates, both as an ingredient in topical antioxidant products and as a key ingredient in many food and juice products.

Perhaps the most exciting development is the mainstream understanding and demand for antioxidants and SPF in topical skin care products. Today’s average consumer is well-versed about the effects of environmental damage, both from a cosmetic and wellness perspective. As a result, ingredients such as pomegranate are becoming increasingly integral components of skin care, and SPF has been widely included into cosmetic products. Moreover, consumers are adopting proactive paradigms about their bodies and overall wellness, becoming savvy about the benefits of antioxidants.

As health care professionals continue to research and develop the potential of this ancient fruit, we enter into an exciting period. Pomegranate offers consumers the cosmetic benefits of beautiful, wrinkle-free skin while providing valuable, life-saving protection against environmental damage. However, further research about pomegranate extract is necessary to fully realize the healing and protective properties of this medicinal fruit.

Pomegranate Power

Pomegranate contains polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins, all of which are antioxidants. Pomegranate juice, in fact, contains higher levels of antioxidants than most other fruit juices, red wine or green tea. The following studies show the fruit’s potential in fighting disease. However, most of these studies are small, so more research is needed.

Ischemic heart disease; 2005 study published in the American Journal of the College of Cardiologists examined the effect of pomegranate juice on patients with ischemic heart disease. Forty-five patients drank 8 ounces of the juice or placebo for three months. Blood flow to the heart before and after exercise was measured at zero and three months. In patients drinking pomegranate juice, oxygen deficiency to the heart during exercise was significantly lowered compared to placebo. This suggests increased blood flow to the heart.

Erectile dysfunction; a study published in the Journal of Urology examined the effects of long-term intake of pomegranate juice on erectile dysfunction in an animal model. The results suggest that oxidative stress is a contributing factor in erectile dysfunction. Therefore, pomegranate juice may provide its benefit through an antioxidant mechanism.

Alzheimer’s disease; a recent study, published in Neurobiology of Disease, shows that pomegranate juice could halve the buildup of beta-amyloid deposits, which are associated with an increase in brain cell damage and death from oxidative stress. In an animal model, researchers at Loma Linda University in California found that the pomegranate juice-supplemented groups had 50 percent fewer deposits than the nonsupplemented group. While far more research needs to be done, this work suggests that the polyphenols in pomegranate juice may protect against oxidative stress.

Cholesterol; preliminary evidence suggests that drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol. Israeli researchers published their findings in the June 2004 issue of Clinical Nutrition. Drinking a glass of pomegranate juice a day for one year reduced blood pressure in subjects, particularly systolic pressure, and slowed LDL cholesterol oxidation.

The Future of Antioxidants

The role of antioxidants in both anti-aging and protective topical products has become a hot-button topic. Amongst the aging baby boomer generation, topical antioxidant products are increasingly in demand, both to reverse damage accumulated over years of exposure to the sun, dehydration, and environmental assailants and to protect skin from the harmful effects of such environmental pollution. I have also noticed a preventative trend resonating in Gen X and Gen Y’ers, who are adopting anti-aging skincare regimens (as early as 20 years of age), in an attempt to thwart signs of aging and protect skin from environmental damage before the tell-tale signs of aging emerge.

Perhaps the most exciting development of all is the mainstream understanding and demand for antioxidants and SPF in topical skincare products. Today’s average consumer is well versed and educated as to the effects of environmental damage, both from a cosmetic and a wellness perspective. As a result, ingredients such as Vitamin C and Pomegranate are becoming increasingly integral components of skincare and SPF has been widely included into cosmetic products. More and more, customers are adopting proactive paradigms about their bodies and overall wellness, becoming savvy about the benefits of Vitamin C and Pomegranate. Consumer knowledge and education translates directly to the esthetician and spa professional, as the demand for such antioxidant rich treatments escalates by the day.

As skincare professionals continue to research and develop advanced antioxidant technologies, we enter into an exciting period where dermatologists and estheticians can offer the consumer the cosmetic effects of beautiful, wrinkle free skin while providing valuable, life saving protection against environmental damage.

By Howard Murad, MD

Howard Murad, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist, pharmacist, researcher and associate clinical professor of medicine (dermatology) at the Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. Dr. Murad oversees the Murad Inclusive Health® Center, the Murad Medical Spa, Murad Medical Group and the Murad Research Laboratory, all based in Southern California. He is an active member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, the American Medical Association, the Pacific Dermatology Society, the Noah Worcester Society and the American College of Nutrition. He holds 17 patents, with several more pending. A successful author, Dr. Murad has written two books and published nearly 100 articles on topical ingredients, as well as internal and emotional health and their relationship to the skin.

Disclosure: Dr. Murad indicates that he has an ownership position in a health care-related company whose products are referred to in this article. He also holds a patent for a product or category of products referred to in this article. In addition, he has an ongoing relationship with a health care-related company whose products or category of products is referred to in this article.

Dr. Murad is a researcher, Board-Certified Dermatologist, pharmacist, Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and CEO of Murad, Inc.