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Beauty Formulations using Plants

By Rayanna Boodram

If you go to any beauty counter, it is guaranteed that you will find rows of skincare products featuring plant-based extracts. There are two key messages at play in the world of high-end beauty: Plants can heal us from the outside and inside and the mystique created around botanical extracts. I am positive that the ladies in every family share their own natural beauty tips! In my family, these were passed down from our grandmother. This article we will explore the top three plants that are widely used in the cosmetic industry and how you can create some of these on your own!

In the world of beauty, rose water has been in use for this purpose for thousands of years. Water derived from the rose plant is a strong anti-inflammatory agent and can solve itching from eczema, reduce skin redness and puffiness under the eyes and can even out skin tone. The petals contain antioxidants useful for tissue restoration, making it a huge assist in hair growth. Those characteristics, along with the plant’s antiseptic abilities, allow rose water and rose oil to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and heal scars faster. Another benefit of rose water is that it makes for a great, natural toner when it comes to make-up application. Topical use of this results in softer, cleaner skin. Making rose water is actually a very hassle-free process if you follow the below steps:

  1. Using about eight, organically grown roses, remove the petals from the stems.
  2. Run them under lukewarm water to remove possible dirt or insects.
  3. Add petals to a large pot and cover with about one litre of distilled water.
  4. Bring the water to a simmer over a medium-high heat and cover the pot.
  5. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes or just until the petals appear to have lost their bright red colour.
  6. Pour the mixture in a strainer over a container.
  7. Discard the leftover petals and store the rose water in a glass container and place in the fridge until ready to use.

The aloe vera plant has been well-known for the soothing of burns from the sun or accidental kitchen mishaps but it also has other tremendous, cosmetic uses. High in antioxidants, healthy enzymes and many vitamins, the anti-inflammatory properties of this plant can be used to also treat superficial acne and dried out skin. While the enzymes in it make it great for exfoliation and moisturising, over-use can result in skin that is too oily or too dry so, as with everything, use in moderation.

This plant is also quite useful for treating issues of dry scalp and dandruff by applying the gel to your hair. Aloe vera has recently been gaining huge attention for its benefit to noticeable and healthy hair growth, especially for individuals with curlier hair. It is quite easy to achieve the benefits of aloe vera by making your own multipurpose gel at home by following the below steps:

  1. Slice off an outer leaf of an aloe plant with a sharp knife. This gel is perishable so making large batches is not recommended. One to two large leaves should be sufficient for one cup.
  2. Leave the fresh cut leaves upright in a cup for 10 minutes to allow the yellow-tinted resin, that tends to be a skin irritant, to drain out.
  3. Wash the end of the leaves.
  4. Cut off the spikes along the length of the leaves.
  5. Peel off the flatter, green portion of the leaf with a vegetable peeler or knife and discard. You should be left with a canoe-shape filled with gel. For larger leaves, cut into smaller pieces before attempting this step.
  6. Scoop out the clear, gelatinous insides with a spoon or knife into a blender.
  7. Blend until it appears foamy.
  8. Pour the blended gel over a strainer or into a cheese cloth and squeeze into a sanitised container.
  9. Discard the residual pieces. By skipping the straining step, these pieces tend to appear as small white specks, if used in the hair.
  10. If you wish to prepare your aloe vera gel for long term, adding Vitamin E helps. Essential oils can also be added for fragrance,

The fragrant herb, rosemary, has been famous for its health benefits and its aromatic contribution to food, also has many beauty benefits. Firstly, rosemary oil can be used to treat hair loss, especially in men. Baldness and beard patching can be reduced with this plant. It is high in Vitamin Bs that stimulate cell and tissue repair. These same properties and the antioxidants in it, make it useful in increasing the elasticity of the skin, making it less prone to wrinkling and age spots.

This makes rosemary a great preservative, not just for food, but for your skin as it is anti-microbial. Being a natural antiseptic, rosemary oil serves an effective astringent, therefore adding combating acne and rashes to its list of various uses. Rosemary oil can be prepped at home in many ways but this method allows for the longest shelf life of one year:

  1. Sterilise the container you wish to hold your oil in. A glass container is suggested to avoid toxins present in plastics that can ruin your oil. Fill a deep pot with water and setting it to boil over a medium-high heat.
  2. When the water comes to a boil, place your container in, using tongs.
  3. Leave it to boil for 10 minutes then carefully remove with tongs.
  4. Dry your rosemary. Preheat oven to 200°F, place rosemary stems into baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for one hour or until the leaves are brittle. Remove from oven and set to cool. This step can be skipped if you are using store-bought dried rosemary.
  5. Place one tablespoon of the cooled, dried rosemary in the container.
  6. Pour carrier oil over the leaves, allowing the oil to cover them and fill the container, leaving about an inch from the top. Olive oil and grape seed oil are highly suggested but any fresh vegetable oil will work.
  7. Set the container in the sun. Ensure it is well sealed and leave it undisturbed for two weeks. Within this period, the oil will slowly heat and be infused with the rosemary.
  8. After the two weeks, strain the oil. Pour the oil into a strainer or cheese cloth and squeeze over a clean metal bowl.
  9. Discard the leftover rosemary and return the oil to the storage container. Seal the container securely.
  10. Store your rosemary oil in the cupboard or the refrigerator.

Please note that if you have any allergies to these, however, if you are in the clear, I hope you give these a try!

Send questions to rayannaboodram@hotmail.com.