Disclosed are skin care compositions exerting a novel complementary dual mode of action in protecting the skin from day-to-day insults. The skin care compositions of the present invention comprise the extract from the liquid endosperm of Cocos nucifera as the principle ingredient along with one or more actives including the fruit rind extracts of Garcinia cambogia, Garcinia indica and Garcinia mangostana, seed coat extract of Tamarindus indicus, Chlorogenic acid extract from the beans of Coffea arabica, seed extracts of Nelumbo species, the leaf extracts of Murraya koenigii and the triterpene pentapeptides of oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. While the extract of Cocos nucifera has been included as a nutritional supplement (a natural cell culture medium) to ensure the maintenance of the viability and constant renewal of the cells of the skin, the other actives have been carefully chosen based on one or more of their effective skin care properties. The compositions of the present invention offer a safe prophylactic/therapeutic management solution to the wide range of pathological states associated with skin insults and the associated psycho-social issues.