So often we turn to science to solve our skin and hair care dilemmas but now a growing bounty of herb and spice ingredients are helping too. HELLO!'s Health and Beauty editor Nadine Baggott has compiled a round up of the best herbal helpers to spice up your beauty regime. See the full edit in HELLO! magazine, out now.
When it comes to your skin do you put your faith in science or nature? Traditionally you could choose one or the other, rarely both; you either went super high tech and pumped your skin full of ingredients created in a lab, or turned to less sophisticated unguents and balms rich in plant extracts. But now the latest generation of herbal help offers the best of both worlds; yes they are plant-derived ingredients but often they have been 'tweaked' in the lab so that your skin gets just the best bits.
So how are this new generation of spice and herb beauty products any different? Well the turmeric that you find in modern skin care will not turn your skin yellow but still has the same powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory effects as the original powder that to this day makes it a popular skin brightening choice pre wedding day for Indian brides. The secret lies in the fact that scientists have identified the active components (luckily not the bit that turns your skin and kitchen work tops yellow) and got rid of the rest. The end results is the best bits, the highlights so to speak, and your skin will thank you for it.
So how do you sort the best from the rest? You don't want to invest in a plant extract and find that it has been added just to make something smell good or as a marketing gimmick. And take care if you have sensitive skin as you need to avoid perfumed products and anything containing plant essential oils may of which are highly irritating to skin. We have done the hard work for you – these are the herbal helps and healers worth trying, and the products they can be found in.
Rosemary – has astringent properties so it great for oily skin and has recently been shown to hydrate skin and boost collagen production.
- Malin & Goetz Rosemary Body Wash £18, visit malinandgoetz.co.uk has rosemary in it to give it a fresh herby scent but also for its astringent quality making it great for oily backs prone to breakouts.
- Ren Evercalm Anti Redness Serum £28, visit Space Nk and John Lewis, also has rosemary in it as well as a host of plant based skin calming ingredients.
- Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser £26, visit lizearle.com
Turmeric - is a powerful anti oxidant and can tackle sun damage and pigmentation at the right concentration.
- Santa Maria Novella Turmeric Cream £124, visit netaporter.com has captured to anti-inflammatory effects of this spice without the need for the yellow skin tinting ingredients.
- Tata Harper Soothing Muscle Gel £34, visit netaporter.com
- Keihl’s Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energising Radiance Mask £28, from Harrods and Space NK.
Liquorice – Has skin soothing properties, and studies show that it might improve skin tone and uneven pigmentation.
- Sunday Riley Start Over Eye Cream £65, visit cultbeautyco.uk contains liquorice a plant extract with super antioxidant capacities.
- Paula’s Choice Resist Pure Radiance Skin Brightening Serum £33, visit paulaschoice.co.uk
- Dr Dennis Gross Ferulic+ Retinol Moisturizer £61, also has added liquorice to lighten pigmentation.
Read the full story in HELLO! magazine, out now.