There’s nothing quite as soothing as opening a fresh aloe vera leaf to soothe sunburnt skin and promote its healing properties with its regenerative and hydrating abilities. Plus, aloe vera’s superplant benefits go far beyond soothing discomfort: its anti-oxidant and healing powers help promote skin regeneration as well as its anti-inflammatories properties help heal iterative injuries like sunburn.
Dry skin can either be genetic or developed over time through lifestyle and environmental stresses. Supplementing with herbs is an excellent way to promote a healthier complexion.
Lavender
Though lavender plants may be best known for the beautiful, lilac-blue blooms they fill the fields in Provence, this fragrant herb can also be an invaluable perennial home garden addition. From soap making and hydrosol production, culinary or cosmetic artisanal products or simply as fresh flowers; lavender is easy to grow and has many practical uses!
Lavender plants contain oil glands containing high concentrations of essential oils responsible for its fragrance, producing flowers which are harvested between late summer and early fall when oil glands contain their highest concentrations. Lavender blooms typically come in various shades such as violet, blue, lilac and white with whorled arrangements of flowers growing from stems rising from its leaves. Lavender leaves have more of a pine-like fragrance while its flowers have sweeter and stronger herbal aromas.
When planting lavender in your garden, select varieties that can handle heat and humidity tolerant varieties for your climate. An English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) cultivar known for being tough, hardy and long-lived is the best fit in our region; its 39 different varieties don’t mind humid summer and winter conditions as much. English lavender typically grows to 1 meter height with narrow grey-green aromatic leaves with lightly woolly textures – perfect!
Another option for your garden could be French Lavender Cultivar (Lavandula dentata or Grosso). While not as hardy, French lavender does well in our climate and produces more refined plants with wand-like flowers and fragrant foliage. There are also interspecific hybrid lavenders such as Munstead, Edelweiss, Provence that flourish well here.
Natural beauty care fanatics love lavender! Dried lavender petals can be placed as herbal filler inside sachets placed in drawers and closets to freshen linens while simultaneously deterring moths from clothing. Potpourris made with lavender is also widely popular, while its soothing properties make it one of our favorites at Touch to Heal Spa where we incorporate its ingredients into Organic Facials to reduce redness, balance skin tone, and restore a healthy glow to faces.
Chamomile
Chamomile is one of the world’s most beloved herbaceous plants, revered for its soothing tea and relaxing essential oil. The flowers from Matricaria recutita or Chamaemelum nobile perennial plants (Matricaria recutita or Chamaemelum nobile) can be used medicinally as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and analgesic agents; furthermore it acts as a natural sleep aid with studies suggesting its ability to reduce anxiety levels and promote relaxation.
Chamomile tea can be made using fresh or dried flowers, commercial chamomile tea bags or herbal supplements in capsule form. While herbal supplements are generally safe to take without adverse side effects, consult a healthcare provider before adding new herbs or supplements to your diet, particularly if you have serious medical conditions or are taking medications.
Chamazulenes found in chamomile flowers contain potency anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that have the power to alleviate inflammation while simultaneously relieving pain by blocking nerve impulses. Furthermore, extracts of this herb contain antifungal and antibacterial agents for maximum protection.
Distilled oil from this flower produces a light blue color with an apple or floral aroma, perfect for skincare products like creams and lotions to treat irritations and promote healing, sunburn relief or treating insomnia. You can even use this oil directly as a sleep aid!
Chamomile is generally safe for most people, though large doses may cause drowsiness and interact with certain medications – blood thinners and antidepressants among them – potentially altering their effectiveness. Chamomile should not be taken by people with severe allergies to plants in the daisy/chrysanthemum family such as ragweed, marigolds and chrysanthemums as this could make symptoms worse.
This fragrant, flowering plant can easily be grown from seeds in both gardens and containers, with excellent results both times. Once established, it tolerates poor soils as well as drought conditions without needing too much watering, while being resistant to pests and diseases.
Peppermint
Peppermint is more than just an indulgence for holidays: it is also an effective natural healer. A hybrid between spearmint and water mint, peppermint contains the chemical compound menthol as an essential oil, providing cooling sensation in your mouth as well as providing numerous health benefits.
Peppermint can soothe digestive symptoms and help with nausea. It is especially useful in relieving gas, bloat and related discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Furthermore, its relaxing action on muscles in the gastrointestinal tract may ease acid reflux symptoms or hiatus hernia symptoms. In addition, peppermint may boost your immunity during cold and flu season thanks to rosmarinic acid’s ability to decrease histamine reactions caused by environmental allergies.
People have traditionally used peppermint leaves and extracts to cleanse the skin and treat acne and other skin conditions, including itching. Peppermint oil possesses anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties as well as being helpful for relieving itching. Peppermint may be applied directly to your skin but use sparingly so as not to burn or irritate. Peppermint essential oil comes in capsule or liquid forms; you may even purchase it as dietary supplements but consult your primary care provider first as peppermint supplements can interfere with certain medications.
Peppermint can also act as an excellent deodorizer when combined with cleaning products for your home, including spray bottles or diluted in water to eliminate unpleasant odors and repel pests such as ants and mice. Just be wary that applying it directly to your skin or eyes may be toxic; adding just a few drops to baking soda in a jar could create an easy DIY household cleaner to get rid of unpleasant scents while leaving skin fresh and clean.
Rosemary
Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen plant widely used as culinary and health remedies, since ancient times. Rosemary has long been touted for its potential health benefits – such as relieving muscle pain, improving memory, strengthening immune and circulatory systems and stimulating hair growth – however there is limited scientific support to back these claims.
Scientifically known as Rosmarinus officinalis, rosemary belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae and is native to both Europe and Africa’s Mediterranean regions. Cultivated worldwide for its aromatic and medicinal qualities, rosemary has many names including mi die xiang in Chinese; romero/rosmario in Italian; romarin in French and even ikleel al-jabal in Arabic!
Studies indicate that rosemary may help improve cognitive function. According to a 2021 review of studies, people taking rosemary supplements or inhaling its oil may benefit from improved memory retention. Other research indicates it might reduce Alzheimer’s symptoms; though these findings come from animal experiments only and have yet to be tested in humans.
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and circulatory benefits of rosemary may also have a beneficial impact on skin. It could reduce redness while improving circulation and promoting better lymph drainage; additionally it could prevent acne breakouts while soothing irritation caused by conditions like psoriasis.
Rosemary is often included as a token of remembrance at funerals, while its fragrance is believed to bring luck to marriages. Brides also often wear rosemary in their hair on wedding days as an expression of their love and faithfulness towards their partner.
Rosemary oil is extracted from the leaves of rosemary plants and used in natural skin care products like soaps, creams, and lotions. With its characteristic piney fragrance reminiscent of eucalyptus or camphor, rosemary essential oil contains high concentrations of anti-inflammatory phenols; in addition it’s packed full of vitamin C which supports firmness of skin elasticity as well as protecting from sun damage thanks to beta-carotene found within it.
