Plants to Use in Creams and Lotions
Aloe Vera
The sap from the leaves is soothing and healing.
Avocado
An excellent skin food with high vitamin E and A content.
Borage
Good for dry, sensitive skins.
Calendula (Marigold)
A healing herb for rough or problem skin.
Chamomile
A gentle, soothing herb that also softens and whitens skin.
Comfrey
A healing and soothing herb that contains allantoin, a protein which speeds up cell renewal. Good for rough and damaged skin.
Cucumber
A cleansing agent and toner. Soothing and healing.
Dandelion
Contains a rich emollient useful in cleansing lotions for dry, sallow skin.
Elderflower
A good tonic for all skins. Reputed to soften skin and smooth wrinkles, fade freckles and soothe sunburn.
Essential oils
These are excellent additions to creams and lotions.
Fennel
Cleansing and soothing. Add crushed seeds to face packs. Purifies oily skin.
Hens and Chicks
A healing and soothing herb especially good for dry, sensitive skin.
Ivy
Relieves sunburn; helps to disperse trapped fluids and toxins in the fight against cellulite.
Lady's Mantle
A healing herb for soothing dry, sensitive skin; a good astringent for large pores.
Lavender
A gentle cleanser and tonic for all skin types.
Lemon
An astringent that restores the skin's natural acid balance.
Linden tree blossom
Softens the skin. Deep cleansing.
Lupin seed
A cleanser and pore refiner for oily skin.
Marsh mallow
A healing softener for dry skin, chapped hands and sunburn.
Nettle
A deep cleanser; very good for oily skin.
Orange flower
An excellent skin tonic, said to help restore the skin's acid barrier. Also treats dry skin and broken capillaries and stimultes cell replacement.
Parsley
A conditioner for dry, sensitive and troubled skin.
Peppermint
An astringent which clears the complexion.
Rose
A soothing and gentle cleanser which has a softening effect on the skin.
Rosemary
An invigorating antiseptic which boosts circulation and deep cleansing.
Sage
A cleansing, stimulating astringent which tightens pores.
Thyme
A stimulating but gentle antisptic cleanser.
Violet
A gentle astringent.
Watercress
Expressed juice can help to clear blemishes.
Witch hazel
Soothing and astringent.
Yarrow
A healing and cleansing astringent. Good for oily skin.
