April 02, 2019
When our sensitive skin is acting up, we want instant relief! A comforting elixir that gently zaps your skin’s sensitivity, wrapping it in a calming cocoon. Luckily, there are a number of botanical ingredients harnessing the power of plants to return our skin to a calm state.
Today we’re sharing our favorite botanicals for calming sensitive skin, many we use in Puriya products. Whether you’re into DIY’ing your skincare or researching your next skincare purchase, here are the 7 best plant-based ingredients to nurture your complexion.
Shea Butter
Deeply nourishing, this plant butter offers a rich blend of fatty acids, triglycerides and waxes combined with vitamins A, E, and F to restore sensitive skin. Shea Butter is an anti-inflammatory, making it great for alleviating skin redness, swelling, and irritation. It’s also ideal for speeding the healing of wounds and restoring compromised skin barriers, one of many reasons we love using it in Mother Of All Creams!
Chamomile
Chamomile has been used medicinally for centuries for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and mild-astringent properties, making it ideal for soothing sensitive skin experiencing breakouts. This botanical can calm rosacea, eczema and general sensitivity and can help alleviate itchy or red skin caused by seasonal allergies, bug bites, and other environmental factors.
Colloidal Oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal is created by finely grinding oats and boiling them, allowing us to take advantage of its unique and potent antioxidant, avenanthramides. Avenanthramides are a type of polyphenol and present excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-itching properties for soothing a wide range of skin irritations.
Honey
Not only is honey a decadent sweet treat, but it’s also a fantastic skin soother whether used alone or combined in your favorite skincare product. A powerful botanical combination of enzymes and good bacteria, this ingredient nourishes your skin while speeding up your skin’s healing process while reducing skin inflammation. Eczema, acne, rosacea, and contact dermatitis among others can benefit greatly from honey.
Aloe Vera
Of all the soothing plants, this is one that brings many of us back to our childhood. Spending too much time in the sun, breaking open an aloe vera leaf reveals its calming jelly to instantly relieve sunburnt skin. Highly anti-inflammatory, aloe vera not only reduces burns but helps soothe sensitivity, acne, and even dry skin. It’s also a great source of antioxidants, enzymes, and vitamins A and C.
Vegetable Glycerin
Vegetable glycerin is the variant made from plant oils. It is said to have been accidentally discovered more than two centuries ago by heating a mixture of olive oil and lead monoxide. Often times, sensitive and reactive skin is dehydrated and needs to be replenished. That’s where glycerin comes in, helping to shield our complexion from environmental triggers that cause irritation and strengthening our skin’s lipid barrier. By doing so, our skin becomes more resilient and less sensitive.
Calendula Oil
Whether you’re needing a boost in wound healing, battling psoriasis, eczema or other sensitivities, calendula’s antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties can help rescue your skin. Since calendula oil is an essential oil, we suggest not putting it on your skin directly to avoid further irritation. Essential oils should always be diluted in a carrier oil, such as sunflower or jojoba oil, before being used topically.