Some skin care experts estimate that as many as 200 different chemicals bombard our skin everyday — and many of them are found in the skin care products we use!

No wonder we need a little help keeping our skin looking good. To help offset some of the damage these chemicals can cause, many specialists now encourage people of all ages to use herbal skin care treatments in lieu of chemical-laden products.

Herbal skin care is nothing new. Before modern medicines, people went to their garden to find relief from itchy, scratchy skin as well as inflammation, bruising and even wrinkles. Today, people are rediscovering the magic in these age-old herbal remedies as they look for safer — and yes, more effective — ways to care for their skin.

When choosing an herbal treatment for your skin problems, make sure you have these basics on hand:

Base Oils

Derived from nuts, seeds and vegetables, base oils are used as a, well, base for most herbal skin care treatments. The most commonly used ones include:

. almond oil

. avocado oil

. caster oil

. hazelnut oil

. olive oil

. rosehip seed oil

Essential Oils

Highly concentrated oils taken from the soul of the plant by distilling it from the flower, root, bark, seeds and leaves, essential oils are easily absorbed into the deepest layers of the skin, offering an even greater healing power. Some of the most common essential oils you may want to consider include:

. Blue Cypress

. Calendula

. Carrot Seed

. Chamomile

. Eucalyptus

. Inula

. Lemongrass

. Rosemary

. Thyme

Floral Waters

Aromatic Hydrosols are a natural byproduct of the distilling process and are often used for those with an allergic reaction to essential oils or for those who’d rather not use tap water when mixing lotions, creams and body sprays. The most popular floral waters include:

. chamomile

. lavender

. rose otto

Fruits

Whether you’re making your own herbal skin care treatment, or purchasing a ready-made one, be sure it includes some fruit ingredients to help regenerate skin cells and hydrate the skin.

Grains, Seeds and Nuts

Look for these four main categories of grains, seeds and nuts when choosing a product: almond, flaxseed, sunflower and oatmeal. Extracts of them are beneficial and commonly used.

Herbs and Spices

Some of the most common (and popular) herbal treatments used on the skin include one or more of the following ingredients:

. aloe vera

. marigold petals

. chamomile

. cinnamon

. comfrey

. fennel

. lavender

. lemongrass

. licorice

. marsh mallow root

. rose petals

. rosemary

As you can see, there is quite a variety of herbal skin care treatment options available for those wanting “to go natural.”

To learn more about the different ways you can use these ingredients in your total skin care regime, visit my web site below today.

Source by Dan Ho