Filed Under: Botanicals

15 Healing Herbs Good for Skin Health

Using herbs is a time-honored tradition that dates back to ancient civilizations. Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to heal, restore, and help promote overall health. Even ancient cultures appreciated the benefits of herbal treatment for their skin. 

With so many potent herbs to choose from, it can be hard to know which ones are best to use for the skin issue you have. Lucky for you, the expert team at Furtuna Skin knows herbs and their uses. Our private 800+ acre farm is home to over 12,000 olive trees, 500 plants, and 50 medicinal herbs that thrive in mineral-rich soil.

Let’s talk herbs. We’ll tell you which ones can help with your skin — broken down benefit by benefit. 

What Are Some Herbs for Firm Skin?

For aging skin, targeting fine lines and wrinkles is key to restoring a youthful appearance. First, we need to learn what’s happening beneath the surface.

The Problem

Two important proteins make up a lot of tissue in our skin: collagen and elastin. Both are plentiful when we are younger, but as we get older, our skin makes less of each as we get older. It’s estimated that we lose up to 1% of our collagen each year after age 30. 

A lack of collagen can make skin look thin and can cause fine lines to form around the eyes and lips. Additionally, collagen loss can make your skin look hollow around the cheeks and under your eyes.

When we lose elastin, our skin can begin to sag. Elastin is the protein that allows the skin to stretch and snap back into place. When we lose elastin, the skin may form deep wrinkles and appear heavy. 

The Solution

Numerous herbs can help restore the skin’s youthful appearance.

  • Wild, organic chicory. Packed with antioxidants, vitamins, beta carotene, and peptides, organic chicory helps give skin a lifted appearance. It also works to encourage healthy collagen production to help keep skin firm and plump. 
  • Wild, organic dandelion. This plant is rich in vitamins A, C, and K to help fight off free radicals. It’s also loaded with phenols that help support a youthful complexion. 
  • Wild, organic purslane. This plant, sometimes considered a weed, is a powerful herb that helps protect against collagen loss and provide visible lift by bolstering the skin matrix and maintaining elasticity.  

What Are Some Herbs To Soften Skin?

Skin that has developed rough, dry patches needs a solution to help restore a smooth texture and stay deeply hydrated. 

The Problem

Rough, dry skin can indicate damage to the skin barrier, the external layer of skin that protects the underlying layers and helps prevent moisture loss. The skin barrier is made up of fatty acids, ceramides, cholesterol, and other lipids that keep it strong and help it remain soft. 

When the skin barrier is damaged, it loses some important molecules, creating a rough, uneven skin texture. 

The Solution

Herbal remedies are the perfect solution for helping reestablish homeostasis in the skin barrier and return your skin’s smooth, hydrated texture.

  • Wild, organic hawthorn. This adaptogenic herb contains a high concentration of antioxidants to help restore your skin barrier’s protection and also works to help kickstart the skin regeneration process.
  • Wild, organic anchusa azurea. This powerhouse plant is packed with vitamins B, C, and E. Vitamin E is a natural emollient which helps smooth rough patches and keep skin soft. It’s also full of fatty acids to help replenish your skin barrier.
  • Ashwagandha. This amazing herb is the perfect solution for skin that needs added moisture. By attracting water molecules to your skin, it works as a humectant, keeping moisture locked into the skin to ensure it stays smooth and hydrated. 

What Herbs Support Glowing Skin?

It happens to every skin type. Over time, skin becomes dull and lackluster. For skin to glow, look to the power of natural herbs to help restore radiance.

The Problem

Free radicals from the sun and pollution take their toll on your skin. Irritants from blue-light emitting devices can also cause the skin to look fatigued and less than luminous. 

In addition, skin cell turnover, which takes about a month when we are younger, can take up to two months as we age. This leaves dead skin cells clinging to the surface of our skin, disrupting the skin cell renewal cycle and creating a lackluster complexion. 

The Solution

Herbal remedies that help restore radiance are packed with antioxidants and skin brighteners that naturally help your skin remember its luminosity.

  • Bakuchiol. This powerful, vegan alternative to retinol helps stimulate collagen production but also helps stimulate skin renewal. The best part? Unlike retinol, bakuchiol doesn’t leave you with harsh side effects, like redness, burning, or irritation. 
  • Wild, organic artichoke. The artichoke plant also supports youthful-looking skin and provides antioxidant protection to help keep skin protected from environmental stressors that can cause the skin to age prematurely. It helps restore the skin’s brightness and radiance. 
  • Wild, organic water celery. This super powerful plant is full of antioxidants and vitamins that help restore skin brightness.

        What Herbs Hydrate Skin?

        Sometimes, skin feels so dry that no amount of regular lotion or moisturizer can fix it. Although dryness can be a skin type you were born with or develop, you can also end up with dry skin from environmental factors.

        The Problem

        Dry skin can cause irritation, rashes, and even peeling and flaking. Dry skin is skin that lacks oil. Your skin’s sebaceous glands produce sebum, but if production has slowed, your skin could feel parched. 

        The Solution

        Plant-based ingredients like jojoba oil and olive oil are similar in chemical structure to your skin’s own natural oil, sebum. That makes it easier for your skin to absorb these oils and use them to restore moisture balance to help alleviate dryness. 

        In addition to plant-based oils, herbal remedies help stimulate your skin to regulate its moisture levels. 

        • Wild, organic lamb’s quarter. An ancient herb, this plant can work synergistically with your skin’s sebaceous glands, helping get rid of excess oil in areas that are too oily, and restoring oil in places that are too dry. 
        • Wild, organic fennel seed. Another wonderful herb that helps support balance in the skin, fennel contains powerful electrolytes that can further assist the skin’s ability to hydrate itself. 
        • Wild, organic carrot. Rich in vitamins A, C, E, and of course, beta carotene, this ingredient helps keep your skin hydrated and protects with antioxidants. 

              What Are Some Cleansing Herbs for Skin?

              Before you treat skin with serums and creams, cleansing it from dirt and oil is a must. Herbs can be effective in cleansing, too. 

              The Problem

              Dirt and oil can mix with dead skin cells on your skin, causing clogged pores that lead to breakouts and blemishes. For the best clean, you need powerful ingredients that tackle dirt and oil without stripping skin of natural moisture. 

              • Wild, organic asparagus. This plant is rich in vitamins A, B9, C, E, and K1, all of which help purify the skin, restore skin texture and protect against environmental irritants. 
              • Wild, organic mallow. An excellent skin toner, this ingredient’s phenols are known to help support the skin’s moisture barrier, ensuring your skin is cleansed without being damaged. 
              • Organic olive leaf water. A wonderful cleanser that helps restore skin moisture while removing dirt and oil. It also helps fortify skin and soothe areas of irritation, leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed. 

                    The Future Is Herbal

                    At Furtuna Skin, we know the only way forward is through sustainable, clean, natural beauty. That’s why our skincare is plant-driven, sustainably, and ethically sourced and relies on old-world wisdom. 

                    We take the knowledge our ancestors knew about herbal remedies and apply innovative technologies to help produce skincare that is effectual, powerfully potent, yet gentle enough for every skin type.  We think you’ll love herbal skincare, too. Our Custom Discovery Set is the best way to test-drive some of our best-selling products and harness the power of herbs for your skin. 

                    Your skin can thrive, and the herbs we use at Furtuna Skin can help it do so. We make it easy for you to make the move from traditional skin care to natural, herbal skincare with proven products that restore your skin’s glow. 

                    Sources:

                    Why does skin wrinkle with age? What is the best way to slow or prevent this process? | Scientific American 

                    ARTICLE: Evolution of Skin Barrier Science for Healthy and Compromised Skin | PubMed 

                    SEER Training: Layers of the Skin | Cancer.gov

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