Skincare Products

The Power of Flowers - 5 Flowers That Have Amazing Beauty Benefits

Flowers… They make our gardens, homes, and days a little brighter. With the coming of Spring, we can’t help but stop to appreciate their breathtaking beauty and aroma. Yet, flowers offer so much more than their physical appearance. With an extensive display of colors and scents comes an equally impressive array of properties unique to each flower—properties that possess amazing skin benefits. It’s no wonder that so many skincare brands formulate their products using flowers, and we’re no exception. In this article, we’ve listed 5 of our favorite flowers and why we use them.

Calendula

Also known as pot marigold, calendula is a brightly-colored perennial plant species in the Asteraceae family, which is also the same family as daisies. Though calendula is often referred to as marigold, it differs from the actual marigold plant, which is characterized by its shorter flower petals and thinner leaves.

Calendula petals have been used as early as the 1800’s to reduce inflammation and promote the healing of wounds, which is consistent with a study published in 2019 that proved the efficacy of calendula in this area. It showed that calendula extract successfully sped up wound healing and increased production of tissue while reducing inflammation. Interestingly, that’s not the only thing calendula is known for. Another one of its most notable benefits is its capability to gently boost hydration while protecting the skin from oxidative stress. This could be in part due to naturally occurring chemicals called flavonoids.

Try our Calendula and Hibiscus Soap bar, made with pure calendula and hibiscus extract. This brings us to our next favorite flower…

Hibiscus

Found typically in warm climates and tropical regions, the hibiscus is a large flower known scientifically as Hibiscus roseus. It is also colloquially known as China rose, Hawaiian hibiscus, rose mallow and shoeblack plant.

The hibiscus has a history of being incorporated in traditional medicine, with records dating back as early as the beginning of the 19th century. It was used to treat illnesses like fever and hypertension. Today, however, this flower is gaining popularity throughout the cosmetic industry as it boasts some pretty awesome skin benefits. Its high phenolic, flavonoid, and vitamin content contributes to greater antioxidant activity, reducing the effects of aging while protecting the skin from free radical damage. It also works against the degradation of collagen, one of the most important proteins found in our skins.

Lavender

With its delicate purple flowers and sweet scent, lavender is an evergreen shrub that is actually a part of the mint family. It’s originally native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, but is found in many parts of the world today.

This calming herb has been used for centuries for medicinal, cosmetic, and aromatherapeutic purposes. Lavender oil, which is usually made as a concentrated essential oil, also has a history of wound healing and is revered today because of its antiseptic properties. A study showed that wounds treated topically with lavender oil significantly decreased and also induced the production of collagen. Lavender oil can likewise help rid the skin of harmful bacteria that could potentially create an environment for acne and blackheads.

Our Macadamia Nut and Cocoa Butter Soap bar, enhanced with lavender, is a great option to experience this magnificent flower.

Rose

The next flower on our list is very easily one of our favorites, the rose. Its scientific name is Rosa rubiginosa and is native to Asia. Today, roses are cultivated in many countries around the world and are prized for their beauty, aroma, and variety of colors.

Roses have an extensive history in skincare. For more than 4000 years, they were sought after for their beauty benefits and praised for their fragrance. They were used as a key ingredient in healing balms, skin oils, and water infusions. Similarly, many cosmetic brands also incorporate rose extract in their products. That’s because many studies have proven the effectiveness of this flower on skin. Rose petals are rich in compounds that not only reduce inflammation, but also have antioxidant activity that can protect from UV rays while maintaining a proper balance of hydration.

Another part of the rose is the rose hip. Rosehips are the fruit of certain rose species that comes after the flower has been pollinated. These berry-like fruits go by the scientific name Rosa canina, and can take a reddish or orange tone.

While rose hips are technically fruits, they are derived from certain rose species and make frequent appearances in our products solely because of their skin benefits. Aside from containing outstanding hydrating properties, they’re also made up of fatty acids and vitamins that can help ease inflammation, acne, and redness.

Our Hydrating Cream and Nourishing Cream are formulated using rose extract, which adds all the natural, beneficial compounds of this flower plus the amazing scent. You can also experience the hydrating power of rosehip with our Rosehip and Hemp Soap bar.

Sunflower

The power of flowers 5 flowers that have amazing beauty benefits

Native to North America, the sunflower is one of the largest flowers in the world and, like calendulas, they also pertain to the same family as daisies. They’re mainly grown for their seeds, which are edible and provide another product that makes this flower giant a valuable asset in skincare: sunflower oil.

Sunflower oil, or sunflower seed oil, is a carrier oil that is mechanically pressed from sunflower seeds. It’s a great source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect the skin from oxidative stress. This oil can also help preserve the skin’s hydration, making it ideal for those with dryer skin types. This is backed by a recent study that concluded that topical application of sunflower oil actually improved skin hydration and reduced the effects of inflammation in all participants.

To show our appreciation for this flower, we feature sunflower oil in some of our products including our Calendula and Hibiscus Soap, Kokum Butter Soap, and Hydrating Cream.