Learn the transformative power of herbs for skin health. Tired of relying on harsh chemicals and artificial products? It's time to unlock your skin's natural radiance with the help of nature.

People of all ages and genders desire healthy, glowing skin. Yet, the $375 billion-dollar cosmetics industry primarily focuses on superficial solutions, often using harmful ingredients to mask imperfections. Herbalism offers a refreshing alternative, providing a holistic approach to skincare that nourishes from within and enhances your natural beauty.

Key Takeaways:

Holistic Approach: Use herbs for a natural skincare routine, avoiding harsh chemicals and nourishing your skin from within.

Eat Herbs: Consume nettles, burdock, and sea vegetables to improve skin health. These superfoods are packed with essential nutrients that support a radiant complexion.

Drink Herbal Teas: Hydrate and detoxify with herbal teas like chickweed, red clover, and chamomile. They help regulate hormones and reduce stress, promoting healthier skin.

Herbal Steams & Washes: Cleanse and hydrate your skin using herbs such as lavender, peppermint, and rosemary. These herbs reduce bacteria and inflammation while providing aromatherapy benefits.

Moisturize with Herbs: Use herbal oils and creams with calendula, St. John’s wort, and aloe vera to deeply nourish and heal your skin.

Choose Quality Ingredients: Opt for certified organic, cold-pressed oils like olive, sesame, and almond. Avoid chemical preservatives and choose natural waxes for salves.

Avoid Harmful Ingredients: Skip conventional cosmetics that use harmful chemicals. Herbal skincare supports your skin's natural beauty and health.

Can Herbs Replace Your Skincare Routine?

Eat your herbs

Nourish your skin from within by incorporating herbal superfoods into your diet. These nutrient-rich plants provide essential building blocks for healthy skin and nails. Herbalists emphasize the gut's crucial role in skin health, as the same type of tissue lines both the digestive system and the skin's surface. By optimizing gut health and overall nutrition with herbal foods, you can achieve a radiant complexion.

1. Nettles

Nature’s original superfood, are rich in protein (25% by dry weight), chlorophyll, iron, vitamins A, and C, potassium, manganese, silica, and calcium. Nettles make a delicious spring vegetable that can be consumed dry as tea or hair wash year-round.

2. Burdock

This inulin-rich root vegetable, widely found in Japanese cuisine, is a natural prebiotic that supports a healthy gut microbiome. Bitter compounds in burdock root also stimulate the production of digestive enzymes which help break down fats and optimize nutrient absorption.

3. Sea Vegetables

“Seaweeds” (algae) such as kombu (brown kelp) and nori (red algae) are rich in minerals such as iodine, iron and potassium, vitamins like A and B-complex, and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients help the body build healthy skin & nails and can support healing from scars and blemishes. The fiber content of sea vegetables helps support bowel health, which naturally carries toxins out of the body. To learn more about how to cook with sea vegetables check out our blog on Vegan Broth recipes.

Benefits:

Nettles:

• Protein-Rich: Provides essential amino acids for skin and nail health.

• Nutrient Dense: Contains chlorophyll, iron, vitamins A and C, potassium, manganese, silica, and calcium.

• Versatile Use: Can be consumed as a vegetable, tea, or hair wash, supporting both internal and external health.

Burdock:

• Prebiotic Properties: Supports a healthy gut microbiome, essential for overall skin health.

• Digestive Aid: Bitter compounds stimulate digestive enzymes, aiding in fat breakdown and nutrient absorption.

Sea Vegetables:

• Mineral-Rich: High in iodine, iron, potassium, and vitamins A and B-complex.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Supports healthy skin and nails and aids in healing scars and blemishes.

• Fiber Content: Promotes bowel health, aiding in toxin elimination which benefits the skin.

Drink your herbs

Everyone knows that hydration is a key strategy for improving skin health. Why not include herbal tea (hot or iced) to enhance elimination, regulate hormones, and address stress?

4. Chickweed

This spring weed is a cooling herb that both nourishes with trace minerals and supports healthy elimination through the liver and kidney, to clear toxins that lead to breakouts.

5. Red Clover 

Rich in phytoestrogens and isoflavones (a type of antioxidant), red clover tea can help regulate hormonal imbalances that lead to blemishes and wrinkles, and promote collagen health.

6. Chamomile 

One of the world’s most famous herbs for supporting resting and digesting, chamomile is also rich in anti-inflammatory essential oils (including chamazuline) that can assist in soothing irritated skin.

Benefits

Chickweed

• Cooling Herb: Helps to reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.

• Trace Minerals: Provides essential nutrients for skin health.

• Supports Elimination: Aids liver and kidney function to clear toxins that can cause breakouts.

Red Clover

• Phytoestrogens: Helps regulate hormonal imbalances that can lead to blemishes and wrinkles.

• Antioxidants: Rich in isoflavones, which protect the skin from oxidative stress.

• Collagen Health: Promotes healthy collagen, enhancing skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of fine lines.

Chamomile

• Rest and Digest: Supports relaxation and digestive health, which are crucial for overall skin wellness.

• Anti-inflammatory: Contains essential oils like chamazulene that soothe irritated skin.

• Calming Effect: Reduces stress, which can improve skin conditions such as acne and eczema.

Learn how to make an herbal infusion on our How to Take Your Herbs page.

Wash with herbs

Herbal steams & washes are a wonderful way to clean and hydrate your skin while relaxing your body and mind. Many fragrant herbs are rich in essential oils which can cut down on unwanted skin bacteria and support lower levels of inflammation. Plus, they provide aromatherapy benefits to reduce stress and promote mental clarity!

7. Lavender

Perhaps the most well-known herbal fragrance, the many varieties of lavender can be used fresh or dry, or use a few drops of essential oil in a steam or in the bath

8. Peppermint 

Fresh peppermint, or peppermint essential oil, livens the mood and freshens the skin. By opening pores, peppermint supports the skin in releasing dirt and toxins and absorbing herbal compounds.

9. Rosemary

Good for more than just cooking, rosemary contains a plethora of bacteria-bashing compounds and inflammation-calming essential oils. Famous for supporting the scalp, rosemary is also great for the rest of the body.

Benefits

Lavender:

• Calming and Relaxing: Lavender’s soothing fragrance helps reduce stress and promote mental clarity.

• Anti-inflammatory: Helps calm irritated skin and reduces inflammation.

• Antibacterial: Reduces unwanted skin bacteria, promoting clearer skin.

Peppermint:

• Invigorating and Refreshing: Peppermint’s fresh scent livens the mood and revitalizes the skin.

• Detoxifying: Opens pores, allowing the skin to release dirt and toxins.

• Enhanced Absorption: Supports the skin in absorbing beneficial herbal compounds.

Rosemary:

• Antibacterial: Contains compounds that reduce skin bacteria, helping to keep the skin clear.

• Anti-inflammatory: Calms inflammation, making it beneficial for soothing irritated skin.

• Aromatherapy: Promotes mental clarity and reduces stress through its invigorating scent.

Learn how to make an herbal steam on our blog.

Moisturize with herbs

Nourish your skin with herbal oils, salves and creams that penetrate the skin and provide deep healing.

  10.  Calendula

This bright yellow or orange blossom is a top pick for skin health. From babies’ bottoms to moms’ nipples to gardeners’ rough hands, calendula provides top-notch soothing and healing action.

  11.  St Johnswort

Well known for its mood-lifting properties when used internally, St Johnswort has been used for millennia to calm painful, irritated skin and promote healing. The fresh flowers lend a bright red hue to infused oil and can soothe lip sores, sunburns, and scars.

   12. Aloe Vera

Many moisturizing creams contain aloe vera gel, which has been widely researched for supporting burns, eczema, psoriasis, and many other skin conditions. 

Benefits

Calendula

• Provides top-notch soothing and healing for various skin issues.

• Reduces inflammation and promotes skin regeneration.

• Gentle enough for all ages and skin types.

St. Johnswort

• Calms painful, irritated skin and promotes healing.

• Contains compounds that reduce inflammation and pain.

• The infused oil's bright red hue indicates its potency and effectiveness.

Aloe Vera

• Widely researched for its effectiveness in treating burns, eczema, and psoriasis.

• Provides deep hydration and soothes irritated skin.

• Promotes healing and reduces the appearance of scars and blemishes.

Final Thoughts

When making or choosing an herbal skin care product, make sure to pick the best oils and avoid chemical preservatives. Certified organic, cold-pressed oils such as olive, sesame, and almond are plant-based favorites for daily use, while some also enjoy beef tallow or sheep lanolin for rough, chapped skin. For salves, pick beeswax (or vegan carnauba wax) instead of petroleum-based paraffin.