When shopping for skincare, you should always check the ingredient list. With brands claiming their ingredients are all-natural while having less than beneficial value, it is important to double-check what exactly it is that you are applying onto your skin, your body’s biggest organ.
Recently a trend in beauty is floral extracts. Now, these have always had a place in the beauty world. They were commonly used before all the harsh chemicals came into play. But now brands market their products focusing on things like rose extract, chamomile, and green tea because natural is back and better than ever. Of course, something so pure and natural sounds amazing for your skin, but what do these ingredients do to help your skin?
Let’s break it down.
Rose: Rose is such a potent ingredient. Whether it is rose extract or rose water, or anything along those lines, it makes waves in the beauty industry. With everything from facial mists to serums and even rose essence, what does this do?
For the most part, rose is supposed to promote hydration. So if you are looking into a product that claims to contain rose, double-check the ingredients. If it is listed near the end of the list, it may not have enough of the ingredient to make a difference. In that case, it is just there for the fragrance. But, when containing a decent amount, it is said to have anti-inflammatory properties, cleanse pores, and even help boost your hair health. It is a widely loved ingredient for a good reason, but similarly to other natural ingredients, it can cause a reaction if you are sensitive to it.
While some people claim it clears their skin, others may react horribly, because natural or not, rose is a fragrance.
Recommendations:
100% Pure Rose Water (Shop here) is highly rated if you like the scent. It is multi-purpose, and a great introduction to using rose in skincare.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater (Shop here) is a basic, simple, and affordable way to see if the rose ingredient agrees with your skin. It is refreshing and moisturizing for a spritz throughout the day.
Lavender: Lavender has been a Godsend for many. Not only does it have a relaxing scent, but it soothes the skin. With that, lavender oil is a very common allergen. So even though it is used to fragrance hundreds of beauty products naturally and can work wonders for many people, it can cause severe eczema-like reactions. In that case, you may want to keep lavender in your routine as an essential oil for your diffuser rather than in topical products if you tend to be sensitive to it. But if you know you react well, I say you can never have too much lavender.
Recommendations:
LUSH Sleepy Body Lotion (Shop here) absorbs quickly and leaves the skin smelling like a mix of soft lavender and vanilla while maintaining a velvety softness.
Thayers Witch Hazel Toner with Lavender (Shop here) is an essential and holy grail for many. It is soothing, cleansing, and smells like heaven.
Sunflower: Much like everything else on this list, sunflower oil is a common addition to beauty products from face to body and hair. It is widely versatile as it is hydrating, contains vitamin E, which improves the appearance of scarring, and even balances oil production. Plus, its lightweight texture making it ideal for moisturizing hair that tends to get greasy easily. Using sunflower oil in a cleanser regulates your skin’s oil production and absorbs easily, as well as removes makeup without feeling too heavy for even the most acne-prone skin.
Recommendation:
Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate (Shop here) is a lightweight serum used in the AM and paired with their Midnight Recovery Concentrate at night. It helps rejuvenate the skin, heal it, and calm any redness or irritation. And it is thin enough for even the most sensitive or oily skin types.
Chamomile: Chamomile is excellent for more than just a calming tea after a rough day, but it is a rockstar in skincare. It can decongest acne-prone skin and protects the skin against free radicals that can lead to wrinkles. Not to mention it is a natural bleaching agent, meaning it can help even skin tone. And it is so gentle that it can be used on sunburned, damaged, and even extremely sensitive skin.
Recommendation:
The Body Shop Silky Cleansing Oil (Shop here) removes all makeup in a flash. Apply it to your dry face with dry hands and massage, add water, and rinse. Your skin will feel clean, smoothed, and not at all tight. It also helps to balance out oiliness and dryness.
Hibiscus: Hibiscus has a significant source of AHA, which are alpha hydroxy acids. This makes the hibiscus flower effective at promoting cell turnover and exfoliating the skin. This helps to reveal more glowy and bright skin. This ingredient is called the “the botox plant” for a reason. Just a few drops of hibiscus oil can give your skin a radiance thanks to its ability to improve skin tone and texture.
Recommendation:
Botanics All Bright line (Shop here). With everything from cleansers to toners, moisturizers, and even scrubs, you can try out this magic ingredient in any format you wish.
Green tea: Green tea is super purifying. Not only does it help to prevent wrinkles, but it is a miracle product for fighting acne. When in a face mask can severely reduce redness and calm irritated skin. It is also an antibacterial agent, ideal for clearing acne and breakouts. It helps to treat spots without overdrying the rest of your face or causing sensitivity. It can even offer brightness around the eye area thanks to its caffeine. And another plus is that it can promote hair growth.
Recommendation:
bioClarity (Shop here) offers a wide range of skincare products that include green tea, from face masks to treatments and even moisturizers. The brand is also vegan and cruelty-free. It is much loved on social media, and for a good reason.
As you can see, floral ingredients, from extracts to essences and oils, can all benefit the skin. You just have to know exactly what you’re looking for. You can use these ingredients in their raw form and even DIY your products. Or, if you don’t have that kind of patience or those kinds of chemistry skills, make sure to reach for skincare products that contain a stronger potency of these ingredients so that you know you are getting the most out of what they have to offer.
