Herbs for Healthy Skin

Herbal Skin Care Safety Considerations

Before you try using herbs for skin care regimens, it’s wise to know that herbs can affect your skin negatively or positively. Like any skin care product, herbs can cause nice healthy, clear skin, or rashes, itching, and other issues.

If you have super sensitive skin (or even normal skin) you should always do a skin test before using any sort of herbal product on your face. Take a dab of whatever herbal product you have and rub it onto your arm. Wait a day and see if a rash, itching, or redness appears. If so, you could be allergic and shouldn’t use that herb.

Herbs, even used topically, can also interfere with other medications. It’s important that you discuss all care regimens with your health care provider, a licensed dermatologist, or someone who is especially knowledgeable about herbs – like a holistic herbalist.

The Best Herbs for Healthy Skin

There are many great herbs to try out in skin care products. From lotions to facial mists, to a quick homemade acne remedy – there are herbs for everyone and every use. However, some are likely more suitable for your skin then others. Following is a list of herbs for healthy skin, and what they’re best for. You’ll notice that some fall into two categories, which only means that it’s good for both skin types.

Great Herbs for Oily Skin

• Nettle
• Lavender
• Rosemary

Great Herbs for Dry Skin

• Borage
• Dandelion
• Lady’s mantle
• March mallow
• Houseleek
• Melissa
• Clary-sage

Great Herbs for Sensitive Skin

• Borage
• Lady’s mantle
• Spearmint
• Chervil
• Lemon balm

Miscellaneous Herbs

• Comfrey: Perfect for rough and dry skin. Contains the protein allantoin which speeds up cell renewal.
• Elderflower: Good for elderly skin and most other skin type; smoothes wrinkles, fades freckles, and can even sooth sunburns.
• Calendula: Heals extra problematic skin – especially nice for healing rough patches.
• Lavender: Above it’s noted that lavender is good for oily skin and it is. It’s also one of those all around herbs that are useful for almost any person’s skin type. Lavender also helps fight acne.
• Chamomile: Actually can whiten skin, plus softens and fights acne.
• Peppermint: Good for many skin types and can act as an astringent.
• Sage: Tightens pores, stimulates, and cleanses well.

How to Use Herbs for Healthier Skin

There are lots of ways to use great fragrant herbs for healthy skin. You can buy products with herbs already in them, or use fresh, powdered, or dried herbs at home. You can make herbal salve recipes. You can take herbal supplements, or drink herbal teas. However, of all herbal applications, most herb specialists believe that fresh herbs hold the most health benefits.

Herbal Steams

The easiest way to use herbs on your facial skin is with an herbal steam. Chop up your favorite organic fresh herb, or mixture of fresh herbs. To learn why you should use organic read, Organic Herbal Remedies. Add about two handfuls of fresh herbs to a big bowl and add six to seven cups of boiling water. Stir slightly, place a towel over your head, and sit over the bowl.

Your face needs to be about a foot away from the fresh steam, but still close enough that the steam is drifting to your skin. Stay over the steam, with your eyes closed for around 15 minutes. Afterwards, splash your face with cool water.

You can do facial steams about six times a month if you have oily skin. If you have normal or really dry skin don’t steam more than once a week, if that; every two weeks is likely better.

For a whole body steam, add the herbs into the bottom of your shower before you hop in. This can be a little messy to clean up, but if you don’t have a sauna, it works.

Herbal Baths

The simplest way to use herbs on all of your skin is with a bath. There are some additives you’ll want to consider as well.

The best way to add herbs to your bath without messing up the tub, is to place your herbs on a cheese cloth, tie it shut, and either hang it under the facet, or simply drop it into the tub.

You can also use the equivalent herb in essential oil form and add a few drops to the bath. If you have extra dry skin mix the essential oils with two tablespoons of almond oil before adding it to the bath. For normal skin you can add the essential oils to a tablespoon of milk, unscented liquid soap, or basic body wash.