With so many celebrities now sharing their clean beauty routines and ‘after’ pics with that coveted dewy glow, more and more of us are re-thinking our skincare. Fortunately, Mother Nature is a brilliant chemist, with natural ingredients to nourish every skin type and condition. What are some of the top botanicals our favourite organic brands are using?
Botanicals have a myriad of uses in skincare and provide some of the most essential healing ingredients. Harnessed the right way, these powerful plant extracts and oils—derived from flowers, herbs, nuts, berries, seeds and roots—can produce amazing results for our skin.
While ‘botanicals’ are trending in formulations right now, they’ve been around for hundreds of years. Case in point: black cumin seed oil, a popular modern serum ingredient used to soothe troubled skin, dates all the way back to the era of Cleopatra.
Allantoin
Non-allergenic, good for sensitive and acne-prone skin, soothing and calming, protects the skin.
Because of its keratolytic property, allantoin can increase the water content of cells, keeping skin hydrated, plump and youthful-looking. Allantoin derived from comfrey can promote healing to damaged skin, which makes it an incredible ingredient in a hand cream for those harsh winter months. Some of the many other benefits when this ingredient is in skin care are softer, smoother skin, soothing of irritation and protection against environmental elements.
Try: Verum Beauty Labs Allantoin Hand Cream with Flaxseed Oil
Bakuchiol
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, reparative.
This ingredient is nature’s version of retinol! Bakuchiol has the ability to reduce signs of acne, increase elasticity, reduce wrinkles, improve the texture and softness of skin, neutralize environmental stress and provide many other benefits. This ingredient is also much gentler than retinol and can be tolerated by sensitive skin.
Try: Lavigne Derm Immortelle Bakuchiol Molecular Fusion
Calendula
Anti-Inflammatory, anti-microbial, healing properties, anti-aging
Calendula helps to support the overall health of your skin with increased hydration and improved blood flow to various layers. This blood flow can help to elevate the speed at which healing occurs and is often used to treat burns, irritation, eczema, etc. Calendula is a great ingredient that is found in many skin care products as it also helps with acne, anti-aging and even minimizing stretch marks.
Try: Back to Earth Bliss Body Lotion
Chamomile
Non-comedogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-itching, soothing, antiseptic, refreshing, hypoallergenic.
Just as a chamomile tea helps instill a calm before bed, in skincare chamomile can also help to calm irritation and soothe the skin. Chamomile contains high levels of apigenin (an antioxidant) which aids in the ability to reverse abnormal skin formations, prevent skin cancers and reduce hair loss. You can also expect chamomile to alleviate redness, reduce signs of aging and condition the skin, all while soothing inflammation.
Try: Pure Creations Intense Moisture Vitamin E Serum
Lavender
Relaxing and soothing fragrance, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-bacterial, regulates skin functions, heals wounds and common skin conditions, generally considered non-toxic and non-irritating.
Lavender is not only a therapeutic fragrance, but also boasts many benefits for our skin when used in cleansers and moisture creams. Lavender is great for fighting bacterial or fungal disorders and prevents infections. This powerful ingredient is very effective at treating acne, eczema, burns and bug bites, and even stimulates hair growth. Lavender aids in reducing wrinkles and fine lines while also protecting our skin against free radicals, toxins and pollutants. Through promotion of cell growth and regeneration, lavender helps to improve healing and it also helps to normalize oily skin.
Try: Viva Amaze Cream
Rosehip Oil
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, emollient, reparative.
This is a superhero ingredient and is not to be confused with rose. Rosehip oil contains fatty acids, vitamin A, polyphenols, cinnamic acids, flavonoids, vitamin C, linoleic acid—and the list goes on and on. Rosehip oil can be used by most skin types, including breakout-prone skin. The vitamin A helps to increase collagen production and reduce collagen breakdown. The antioxidants act as a defense to free radicals, which lead to dark spots, saggy skin, wrinkles and reduced elasticity. Rosehip oil is also great in increasing healing time for wounds and improves the look of scars.
Try: Kosmea Rose Hip Oil
Sea Buckthorn Oil
Anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-aging, reparative
This thick amber liquid contains fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants, making it another powerful ingredient. The linoleic acid, which is also found in our skin’s own sebum, makes this a great moisturizer for oily skin types as it regulates the moisture levels. The lipids or fats in sea buckthorn oil help to increase cell turnover and cell regeneration, and at the same time, the sterols help to improve firmness and reduce water loss.
Try: Sea Berry Therapy Nourishing Face Cream
Willow Bark
Anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic.
This is nature’s own salicylic acid since it is rich in salicin and derived from the bark of the Salix alba tree. Willow bark can improve the appearance of pores and wrinkles as it effectively resurfaces the skin. You can expect to reduce pigmentation, improve firmness, and soften rough texture, and it’s a star ingredient in anti-acne formulations. It also helps clear blocked pores of excess sebum and makeup.
Try: Pure Creations Vitamin C Antimicrobial Elixir Oil
This article was published in The Good Life.
