Herbs can heal the body from the inside as well as the outside, and they have found their way into skin care products that are now sold worldwide. Many people use herbs to treat various skin conditions. Teas made with herbs are applied to the skin to improve the skin's condition, but using a cream or other skin product that contains herbs is more advisable as many herbal skin products contain a combination of herbs that are beneficial to the skin.
Aloe Vera
The gel from the aloe vera plant has a history of being topically applied to heal the skin, and was employed by the ancient Egyptians to treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema. According the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, studies done on aloe vera gel revealed benefit in helping to heal burns and abrasions. Aloe vera is used in creams, lotions, sunscreens and other skin care and medicinal products. It can also be applied directly to the skin straight from the plant.
Chamomile
Of the two types of chamomile, namely German chamomile and Roman chamomile, German chamomile is the one used to treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, itching and skin rashes. Chamomile tea is sometimes applied to the skin to soothe inflamed skin. Chamomile is also topically applied in cream form to moisturize the skin.
Evening Primrose
It was in the 1930's that evening primrose oil was first used to successfully treat eczema. Today, it is still used to improve this skin condition and other skin problems such as dermatitis. Evening primrose oil can be taken internally in capsule form, and it can be applied directly to the skin. Many skin care product manufactures feature evening primrose oil with other herbal ingredients to create effective skin creams and lotions.
Lavender
Lavender is a plant that produces beautiful and fragrant purple flowers. The oil from the lavender flower is antiseptic and is used on the skin after being diluted to calm acne skin and kill bacteria.
Licorice Root
According to Linda Page, author of "Linda Page's Healthy Healing, All New Eleventh Edition", licorice root is used topically to help diminish the appearance of age spots. Licorice is primarily grown in Greece, Turkey and Asia. This root plant can be found as an ingredient in over-the-counter skin creams that promise to lighten the skin.
Green Tea
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, extracts from green tea are used to protect the skin from certain types of cancer. These extracts are sometimes included in skin care products. Green tea is also known as Japanese tea.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Herbs at a Glance
- "Milady's Standard Textbook for Professional Estheticians", Joel Gerson, 1999
- "Linda Page's Healthy Healing Healing, All New Eleventh Edition", Linda Page, 2001
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Geran chamomile
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