A Beauty Herbal
A guide to 6 of the most beneficial herbs to plant in your beauty routine.
By Colleen Moriarty
Photography by Nadia Pandolfo
Photography by Nadia Pandolfo
Scan the label of nearly any skin-care product and you'll find them there, clustered toward the bottom of the ingredients list: rose hips, lemongrass, peppermint, chamomile, rosemary, white willow bark, and more. Herbs are making their way into everything from facial cleansers to foot creams--and not just because of their evocative names and alluring aromas. "These botanicals aid the skin with their anti-inflammatory properties," says Mary Lupo, M.D., a New Orleans dermatologist.
Though they may be present only in small amounts, they're a powerful presence nonetheless. According to Cindy Angerhofer, director of botanical research at Aveda, some plants can be highly active at low doses. "You don't need a whole lot of these herbs," she says. "They can have activity at 1 or 2 percent."
Here, we weed through an expansive garden of herbs to find the essential six (plus five runners-up) that will best soothe your skin and satisfy your senses.
Rose Hips (Rosa affinis rubiginosa)
Benefit: Rejuvenates dry, aging skin
Rose Mosqueta is a pink-colored wild rose that grows throughout the Americas and lives for one brief but glorious day. As the petals fall off, its seeds--known as rose hips--are revealed. These seeds contain essential fatty acids called linoleic and linolenic acids, which can help soften dry skin, fade scarring, and even erase sun damage. Dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D., author of The Perricone Prescription, claims that if your diet is lacking these essential fatty acids, skin cannot heal itself properly, and so begins to look lackluster and dehydrated. Applied topically, the essential fatty acids found in rose hips moisturize skin and aid in rejuvenation and healing. Rose hips oil is also rich in antioxidant vitamin C, and research has shown it may help protect skin from sun damage and improve the appearance of fine lines.
Get it: Korres Natural Products Rose Hips Skin Perfection Fluid Gel ($40; beautyexclusive.com) uses the moisturizing extract to combat signs of aging. Kneipp Wild Rose Body Oil ($24; kneipp.com) conditions the skin from head to toe. Aubrey Organics Rosa Mosqueta Rose Hip Seed Oil ($12.50; aubrey-organics.com) conditions dry, dull skin and helps rebalance its moisture content.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
Benefit: Calms acne
This tropical Asian plant is harvested for its earthy, lemony flavor and pungent aroma. In a study conducted at a medical research center in Bhubaneswar, India, researchers compared the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities of 10 different essential oils, and found lemongrass oil to be the most effective--it discouraged 22 types of bacteria and 12 kinds of fungi. "Lemongrass is marvelous for acne since it's an astringent and it's anti-bacterial," says Melinda Minton, a Fort Collins, Colo.-based herbalist and product-formula consultant. "It's great for circulation, refines the pores, increases skin elasticity, and, when used as a toner or spritzer, can refine and even out skin tone."
Though they may be present only in small amounts, they're a powerful presence nonetheless. According to Cindy Angerhofer, director of botanical research at Aveda, some plants can be highly active at low doses. "You don't need a whole lot of these herbs," she says. "They can have activity at 1 or 2 percent."
Here, we weed through an expansive garden of herbs to find the essential six (plus five runners-up) that will best soothe your skin and satisfy your senses.
Rose Hips (Rosa affinis rubiginosa)
Benefit: Rejuvenates dry, aging skin
Rose Mosqueta is a pink-colored wild rose that grows throughout the Americas and lives for one brief but glorious day. As the petals fall off, its seeds--known as rose hips--are revealed. These seeds contain essential fatty acids called linoleic and linolenic acids, which can help soften dry skin, fade scarring, and even erase sun damage. Dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D., author of The Perricone Prescription, claims that if your diet is lacking these essential fatty acids, skin cannot heal itself properly, and so begins to look lackluster and dehydrated. Applied topically, the essential fatty acids found in rose hips moisturize skin and aid in rejuvenation and healing. Rose hips oil is also rich in antioxidant vitamin C, and research has shown it may help protect skin from sun damage and improve the appearance of fine lines.
Get it: Korres Natural Products Rose Hips Skin Perfection Fluid Gel ($40; beautyexclusive.com) uses the moisturizing extract to combat signs of aging. Kneipp Wild Rose Body Oil ($24; kneipp.com) conditions the skin from head to toe. Aubrey Organics Rosa Mosqueta Rose Hip Seed Oil ($12.50; aubrey-organics.com) conditions dry, dull skin and helps rebalance its moisture content.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)
Benefit: Calms acne
This tropical Asian plant is harvested for its earthy, lemony flavor and pungent aroma. In a study conducted at a medical research center in Bhubaneswar, India, researchers compared the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities of 10 different essential oils, and found lemongrass oil to be the most effective--it discouraged 22 types of bacteria and 12 kinds of fungi. "Lemongrass is marvelous for acne since it's an astringent and it's anti-bacterial," says Melinda Minton, a Fort Collins, Colo.-based herbalist and product-formula consultant. "It's great for circulation, refines the pores, increases skin elasticity, and, when used as a toner or spritzer, can refine and even out skin tone."
