Herbs have a rich history of use in cosmetology to improve the condition of the skin of the face and body. Today, they are actively used for both preventive and therapeutic purposes. If you choose the right herbal remedy for a specific problem and a specific skin type, the effect can exceed even the most modest expectations. Do you want to look younger than your age and literally light up your health? Then this article is for you.
The main facial skin types
If you know your skin type, it will be very easy to get a rejuvenating and healing effect with the help of herbal remedies. Let's do a little dermatology education program.
- Normalthe skin does not require serious care other than standard cleansing and moisturizing. This type is characterized by the absence of black dots, oily shine, dryness and tightness. But prevention is never too much.
- Drythe skin is the most sensitive and sensitive to temperature changes. The effects of winter cold and summer heat are literally reflected on the faces of their owners. Very often, a capillary mesh is clearly visible through it, which causes physiological and aesthetic discomfort.
- Oil. You don't need to wrap your face with a scarf in winter with this type of skin. However, all defects in the form of enlarged pores and characteristic shine are visible to the naked eye. In addition, it is a real magnet for all kinds of rashes and inflammations.
- Combinedtype is common to most people. Its characteristic feature is oily skin in the T-zone (forehead, nose, chin) and normal skin in other areas.
- Sensitivethe skin, like dry skin, is intolerant to the vagaries of the weather, characterized by increased irritation and intolerance to the vast majority of cosmetics. Itching, peeling, tightness - that's all. Medicinal plants that have a softening and calming effect are the optimal means for eliminating these problems.
Benefits of herbs for skin
Using medicinal plants for cosmetic purposes, you can count on the following results:
- Saturation of the skin with all necessary nutrients.
- Deep cleaning and tightening of pores.
- It normalizes the work of sebaceous glands, helps to eliminate long-term oily shine.
- Elimination and prevention of inflammation, disinfection.
- Moisturizes, smoothes and whitens the skin.
- Refreshing and toning effect.
What dermatological diseases can be treated with medicinal plants?
The above-mentioned properties of phytotherapeutic agents help to cope with the following diseases, injuries and age-related changes in the skin:
- acne;
- dryness, irritation, peeling;
- oily shine;
- black dots, enlarged pores;
- skin sagging, wrinkles;
- dark circles under the eyes;
- age spots (including freckles).
A complete list of herbs to care for different skin types
Since it is not difficult for you to determine the type of your facial skin, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the herbs that are suitable for their activity.
| Skin type | Suitable herbs |
|---|---|
| Normal | nettle leaves, mint leaves, tripe herb, chamomile flowers, linden flower, plantain leaves |
| Dry | nettle leaves, hop fruit, yarrow herb, calendula flowers, sage leaves, chamomile flowers, oregano herb, creeping thyme herb |
| Oil | wormwood, chicory, yarrow, calendula flowers, coltsfoot leaves, St. John's wort, aloe leaf juice, silver birch leaves and buds, common oak bark, linden flower, plantain, burdock root, nettle leaves, butterbur root, mint leaf |
| Combined | mint leaves, St. John's wort herb, sage leaves, horsetail herb |
| Sensitive | calendula flowers, salvia officinalis leaves, chamomile flowers, peppermint leaves, tripe grass, lavender grass, linseed, tricolor violet grass, bear leaves |
The most useful herbs for the skin
As you can see, some herbs are mentioned more than once in the table above, which shows their versatility. These herbs should be discussed in more detail.
Stinging nettle
This pungent herb has long been used for cosmetic purposes for skin and hair care. It owes its unique properties to its rich chemical composition. Thus, the stinging "cocktail" of nettle juice, consisting of silicon salts, histamine, choline (vitamin B)4) and formic acid, stimulates blood microcirculation, improves skin nutrition. Vitamin A has a bactericidal effect, helps to quickly eliminate acne, pimples and irritation.
Vitamin C increases the elasticity of the skin and increases the tone of the capillaries that nourish it. Vitamin K has an antiseptic anti-inflammatory effect and helps to get rid of freckles and other age spots along with natural "whitening". Carotene, which is also rich in this plant, gives the skin freshness and a healthy glow. The tandem of flavonoids, tannins and organic acids helps smooth out wrinkles and has a visible rejuvenating effect. And finally, the bioavailable potassium in nettle provides natural skin hydration.
pharmaceutical chamomile
This plant is remarkable because it is suitable for any skin type, has a softening, antiallergic, bactericidal, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect. Chamomile bioactive substances stimulate blood circulation and relax facial muscles, thereby helping to reduce wrinkles. Lotions made from the infusion of the flowers of this plant help with sunburn, allergies and acne, remove bags under the eyes and dark circles, accelerate the healing of wounds and microcracks, and form an invisible protective layer on the skin.
This herb is also ideal for cleansing the skin of the face. Moreover, for both external and internal use. In the second option, it helps remove toxic and ballast substances from the body that cause dermatological disorders.
But there is one important nuance: not every chamomile is a medicine. It should be really bitter, which indicates that it contains a valuable main oil component - chamazulene, which determines the lion's share of its beneficial properties. Note!
Calendula officinalis
When talking about which herbs are the most useful for facial care, it is impossible not to mention this beautiful plant, which is more familiar to many as marigolds. Due to its unique composition, it is ideal for oily, dry and sensitive skin at the same time. Oleanolic acid contained in calendula flowers improves blood supply to cells and tissues, glycosides are anti-inflammatory, and the flavonoid complex provides antioxidant properties of the plant. The last group of mentioned substances, among other things, helps to accumulate hyaluronic acid in the body, which is the key to the natural hydration of the skin. Carotenoids, which give the flowering part of the marigold its rich orange color, are precursors of vitamin A, whose important properties have been discussed above.
The combination of these and a number of other bioactive substances moisturizes, soothes, softens, cleans, protects and tones the skin, restores its structure at the cellular level, has a brightening and anti-aging effect, improves the skin, gives it a healthy glow. .
Warm therapeutic baths with the addition of calendula flower decoction and sea salt are perfect to preserve the natural beauty and elasticity of the body's skin. And herbal treatments with hot water soothe itchy skin, have a disinfecting and wound-healing effect, and help with any dermatological disorders. At the same time, essential oils released during bathing have a beneficial effect on the whole body, stimulate the immune system and improve mood.
Looking for a really healthy and eco-friendly skin care product? Then we advise you to pay attention to the Kalta variety, which is grown without the use of chemicals, far from large cities and industrial enterprises. What is also important, it is significantly superior to wild or cultivated analogues in terms of the content of useful substances (in particular, flavonoids and carotenoids).
mint
Another incredibly useful herb for any skin type. Moreover, everyone can easily name at least one of their characteristics. The complex of menthol-rich flavonoids, ascorbic acid and peppermint essential oil has a refreshing and tonic effect, eliminates puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. Rhamnose stimulates the production of collagen, thereby helping to get rid of wrinkles and prevent the formation of new ones. The rejuvenating effect is enhanced by the arginine amino acid found in the plant. The tannins of mint are also very useful in fighting age-related changes in the skin, while the resinous substances accelerate the healing of wounds and microcracks.
Peppermint steam baths are great for deep skin cleansing, getting rid of blackheads and rosacea (microvascular) networks, and improving skin tone. In addition, you can make wonderful moisturizing, softening and whitening masks on the basis of this plant, which have a visible effect after the first use.
As for the most valuable mint varieties from the biological point of view, it is better to prefer the "Kip" variety as the leader in the content of flavonoids and tannins.
Salvia officinalis
This plant deserves a special mention because it is a source of phytoestrogens. As it is known, the lack of sex hormones in women, which is most noticeable during menopause, negatively affects the health of the fair sex in general, and the condition of the skin in particular. Taking sage alone or in combination with other herbs with similar properties helps to reduce prolactin and at the same time bring the level of estrogen to optimal values, which literally creates a rejuvenating effect, returning women to a healthy and blooming appearance. Oral use of sage has been scientifically proven to inhibit 50% of the activity of enzymes associated with aging.
For those who are too early to consider age, drinking sage is useful for preventive purposes. As an external product, it is ideal for combination skin, tightens pores and permanently eliminates oily shine in the T-zone. Decoctions, masks, scrubs and other cosmetic herbal products based on this plant have anti-inflammatory, soothing, bactericidal and wound-healing properties, helping to eliminate any dermatological disorders and their causes.
Since one of the main values of sage is its unique essential oil, it is better to choose a product with the maximum content of this component for medicinal purposes.
Yarrow
If we talk about which herb is better for scalp care, then yarrow will be at least in the top three. Of particular interest in this case is its anti-seborrheic property, or to put it more simply, getting rid of dandruff. This is achieved due to the presence of essential oil in the plant, the components of which together have an antibacterial, cleansing, moisturizing and soothing effect.
At the same time, the complex of tannins, organic acids and the natural form of vitamin K ensures the anti-inflammatory, astringent, wound-healing effect of yarrow, eliminates itching and peeling of the skin on the scalp, and reduces the intensity of acne. on the face and body.
Masks with yarrow perfectly cleanse, nourish and soothe the skin, making it fresher, smoother and softer. Moreover, this effect is achieved after several procedures. After washing your hair, you can rinse it with a decoction, thanks to which the structure is restored.
For many, this will be a discovery, but yarrow is also selected and cultivated, so the concentration of bioactive substances in it increases significantly. Thus, one of the species is characterized by a high content of flavonoids, saponins, tannins and essential oils.
Triple sequence
It is difficult to name at least one disease or violation of the integrity of the skin that this amazing plant will not help. A decoction of the herb used externally as a lotion or bath is effective against dermatitis, allergic and acne rashes, psoriatic lesions, purulent wounds, urticaria, scrofula and seborrhea. Numerous reviews show that such procedures even help reduce warts.
This herb for the skin in the form of a drink improves the work of the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes metabolism, which helps to eliminate the main causes of dermatological problems. The series owes its unique properties to the whole complex of biologically active substances, including flavonoids, tannins, carotenoids, essential oil and vitamin C.
The plant is equally suitable for both clean and sensitive skin. It is an invariable component of various herbal preparations.
The best recipes for beauty and healthy skin based on medicinal plants
We bring to your attention proven recipes based on the above herbs for the care of different skin types.
Herbal masks for normal skin
A small clarification: apply the masks with a thin layer on previously cleansed skin. Wash with warm water. If they are made with oil/oil base, warmer but not hot. To achieve a uniform consistency, it is recommended to first grind the plant material in a coffee grinder before brewing.
Recipe No. 1
Mix 1 tablespoon of crushed dry nettle leaves with the same amount of warm milk and half a raw egg yolk. Mix until smooth and apply for 15-20 minutes.
Recipe No. 2
Take 1 tablespoon each of chopped dry herb and mint leaves. Pour 1 cup (150 ml) of boiling water over the herbal mixture and let it brew under the lid for about half an hour. After cooling, add 1 teaspoon of starch or any flour for thickness. Mix it up. Apply the mask for 30 minutes.
Herbal masks for oily skin
Recipe No. 1
Take 1 tablespoon each of crushed dry plantain and mint leaves, brew with 1 cup of boiling water. After cooling, drain the excess liquid and add 1 dessert spoon of liquid honey. Apply the mask for 20 minutes.
Recipe No. 2
Take 1 tablespoon of chopped dry grass and chamomile flowers, pour 1 cup of boiling water and keep it on low heat for 10 minutes. Cool to a comfortable temperature, add a teaspoon of wheat or rice flour and mix until smooth. Keep the mask on your face until it dries completely.
Recipe No. 3
Boil 1 tablespoon of crushed dry coltsfoot leaves on low heat for 10 minutes. The cooled broth is concentrated with a teaspoon until it becomes a thick flour, as in the previous recipe. Keep the warm mixture on the skin for 20-25 minutes. To achieve a long-term effect, the procedure should be carried out at least 2 times a week.
Herbal masks for dry and sensitive skin
Recipe No. 1
Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed dry chamomile flowers into ½ cup of boiling water and keep covered for 25-30 minutes. Cool, drain excess liquid, add 1 teaspoon of honey, mix until smooth. Apply the mask for 15 minutes.
Recipe No. 2
Take 1 tablespoon each of crushed dried chamomile, calendula, and hop flowers. Brew the herbal mixture with 1 cup of boiling water. Once cooled, drain excess liquid and add 1 teaspoon of full-fat sour cream, then mix well until smooth. Apply the mask for 20 minutes.
Recipe No. 3
Pour 2 tablespoons of chopped dry sage herb into 1 cup of boiling water. Cool to +40 °C, drain excess liquid, add ½ teaspoon of olive or sesame oil and mix until smooth. After applying such a mask, a warm and wet cotton napkin should be applied to the face. Keep the mixture for 25 minutes, rinse with warm water and then rinse with cold water.
Herbal masks for combination skin
Recipe No. 1
Pour 3 tablespoons of crushed dry chamomile flowers into 200 ml of boiling water and brew. After cooling the infusion to a comfortable temperature, moisten a layer of cotton wool in it and apply the resulting mixture for 25 minutes, cover it with a napkin. After removing the mask, wash with warm water and apply a nourishing cream to your face.
Recipe No. 2
Pour 2 tablespoons of finely chopped dry herb into 1 cup of boiling water. Leave for 1 hour, filter. In the finished infusion, moisten a piece of gauze and apply it on the face as a mask. Hold for about 20 minutes. In the first week, do the procedure 2-3 times, then 1 time.
Herbal masks for skin elasticity and smoothing wrinkles
Recipe No. 1
Mix 4 teaspoons of crushed dried chamomile flowers with the same amount of full-fat kefir and 1 raw egg. Apply the resulting mass on your face for 20-25 minutes, then wash it off with warm water.
Recipe No. 2
Take 1 tablespoon of crushed dry chamomile, mint, St. John's wort, coltsfoot and sage. Brew the resulting mixture with boiling water, close the container tightly and leave for 30 minutes. Then drain the excess liquid, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil (use low-fat sour cream instead of oil for oily skin types). Spread the mixture evenly on your face and cover it with a cotton cloth. Keep the mask for 20 minutes.
Recipe No. 3
Take 1 teaspoon each of crushed dry mint leaves and green tea, add 1 tablespoon of sour cream. Blend until smooth. Apply the mixture on your face for 40 minutes, then wash with warm water and soap.
Healthy and beautiful skin starts from within
The herbs listed for cleansing, moisturizing or smoothing the skin can be your faithful assistants in preserving youth and beauty for many years. However, without helping the body from the inside, cosmetic phytopresedures will only be half the measure.
At this time, the first thing that comes to mind is to take vitamins. And that's completely fair, because it's simply impossible to get all the nutrients you need to keep yourself in good shape and in great shape from food. It seems that the problem is not worth a damn - everything that our body lacks can be easily found in the pharmacy. Simply put, all this vitamin and mineral wealth in synthetic form is absorbed extremely reluctantly. In addition, many other important problems that lead to skin deterioration and premature aging remain unsolved.
Taking into account all the nuances that have been sounded, the best option would be to take a natural complex. The first thing you should pay attention to when studying the composition of this drug is the antioxidant trio of flavonoids from the quercetin group + vitamins C and E. The fact is that any negative processes occurring in the human body are connected in one way or another. by the action of free radicals. It has been scientifically proven that 90% of the symptoms of premature aging and more than 50 serious diseases are due to these disruptive particles. Antioxidants are designed to neutralize their violent activity, the most powerful in the plant world is the flavonoid of Siberian larch. And together with vitamins C and E, this substance acts even more confidently and effectively. Among other things, it is an excellent vascular tonic and capillary protector, providing continuous nutrition to the connective tissue that forms the basis of our body's organs and systems. Ascorbic acid is also a catalyst for many biochemical processes. Thus, it helps in the formation of collagen fibers, which is very important for strengthening the skin and increasing its elasticity.
The multivitamin part of the complex is represented by only two components. But what kind! Bee's milk included in the composition of the preparation contains about 250 useful substances, and bee pollen contains more than 100 useful substances. This list contains 20 amino acids, including the basics, about 30 macro and microelements, dozens of vitamins, free fatty acids, enzymes that help to absorb all of the above as well as possible. The icing on this nutritional cake is the hormone-like substances in royal jelly that provide a natural boost, especially in estrogen levels. The latter, as we already know, are extremely important to preserve the natural beauty of women and preserve youth.
But men should not ignore the complex either. The combination of bee products in the drug promotes the production of its own testosterone - the hormone of strength, confidence and sexual activity. So everyone will definitely win. Stay healthy and the rest will come!