For millennia, humans have gained knowledge to make the best use of the most suitable plants to enhance their well-being, maintain their body’s proper functioning, and care for their skin and hair. The art of using natural substances found in plants to support the body’s well-being is indeed valuable in helping it defend against external aggressors. This complement to conventional medicine also offers numerous benefits in cosmetics—enhancing coat shine, skin hydration, or making it softer, for example. Well-tolerated by the body (when used as recommended), natural solutions are employed in whole or in part, alone or, most often, in combination to benefit from synergistic effects. Nature is magnificent, endowed with remarkable developmental capacities, and brimming with natural ingredients offering a wealth of benefits! Discover some plants traditionally used for skin and coat care.
Oils for Softness and Suppleness
In the world of plant oils, the one extracted from the argan tree (Argania spinosa L.) is arguably the most renowned. Native to North Africa, this thorny tree has long been regarded as a "gift from God." Rich in essential fatty acids (omega 6), antioxidants (vitamins C and E), and polyphenols, argan oil offers numerous benefits for hair and skin. It is said to have been extracted and used for its cosmetic properties by Berber women since the 10th century. It is a key ingredient in many cosmetic products, serving as a skin conditioner, anti-aging agent, moisturizer, and emollient. Indeed, it is prized for deeply nourishing hair (or fur!) and leaving it soft, supple, and silky. Its components also help restore the skin’s lipid barrier.
Flowers in Every Form
Flowers are commonly used in herbal medicine. There are various ways to harness their full benefits. Steam distillation is a frequently employed technique, allowing the extraction of essential oils as well as floral waters or hydrosols (depending on the part used). Flowers can also be infused in oil or glycerin—this is known as a macerate—or simply dried. The flowers most regularly used in cosmetics include rose, mallow, and lavandin.
Rose is commonly used in cosmetology as floral water. It is the phenylethyl alcohol found in the petals of Rosa damascena that gives it its signature scent, renowned for its soothing and antimicrobial properties (Corre et al., 1990)—benefits that prove particularly valuable for the eyes.
Dried mallow flower has a soothing and anti-irritant effect thanks to its high mucilage content, making it particularly suitable for sensitive skin. It is often used to complement medical treatments for inflammatory skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis (Prudente et al., 2017). It also boasts antioxidant properties and supports microcirculation.
Lavandin essential oil, a sterile hybrid plant resulting from cross-pollination between spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia spica) and true lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), is widely found in the South of France, particularly for perfumery. This charming flower, reminiscent of holidays, also boasts skin-regenerating properties (Bajalan et al., 2017) and is renowned for its soothing effects. Its ability to rebalance the skin’s microbiota (Garzoli et al., 2019) makes it a preferred essential oil in dermatology and especially in otology. It may even exhibit activity against Malassezia, a yeast sometimes found on our pets' skin. However, due to the camphorated ketones it contains, this essential oil is not recommended for cats or in cases of tympanic membrane rupture.
Fruits… and Buds!
Fruits need not take a backseat to the properties of flowers, leaves, or other plant parts. Take the well-known lemon, for instance—famed for its cleansing power, it’s one of the most useful fruits in natural medicine. Lemon peel essential oil is widely recognized for its ability to normalize bacterial flora. A study in dogs (Nardoni et al., 2017) found it to have promising effects against malassezia, making it especially valuable for ear care.
Gemmotherapy, meanwhile, is a branch of phytotherapy that harnesses the embryonic plant tissues found in buds, young shoots, and rootlets of plants, trees, and shrubs. These embryos macerate in a blend of water, alcohol, and glycerin. A well-known bud is that of the beech tree. Rich in polyphenols, amino acids, and other metabolites, it offers antioxidant, hydrating, and nourishing properties for the epidermis. Assessments in vitro have shown that these buds promote cellular oxygenation and stimulate the synthesis of skin structural proteins (keratin, filaggrin, collagen, and elastin). They thus contribute to skin regeneration and the restructuring of the skin and cutaneous barrier.
Sources:
Bajalan I, Rouzbahani R, Pirbalouti AG, Maggi F. **Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Iranian** Lavandula x hybridaChem Biodivers. 2017 Jul;14(7).
Corre J, Lucchini JJ, Mercier GM, Cremieux A., Antibacterial activity of phenethyl alcohol and membrane alterations induced, Res Microbiol., 1990; 141(4): 483-497.
Garzoli S, Turchetti G, Giacomello P, Tiezzi A, Laghezza Masci V, Ovidi E. Liquid and Vapour Phases of Lavandin (Lavandula × intermediaEssential Oil: Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity. *Molecules*. 2019 Jul 25;24(15):772–776.
Nardoni S, Pistelli L, Baronti I, Najar B, Pisseri F, Bandeira Reidel RV, Papini R, Perrucci S, Mancianti F. Traditional Mediterranean plants: characterization and use of an essential oil blend for treating Malassezia otitis externa in atopic dogs. Nat Prod Res. 2017 Aug;31(16):1891-1894.
Prudente AS, Sponchiado G, Mendes DAGB, Soley BS, Cabrini DA, Otuki MF. Preclinical efficacy assessment of Malva sylvestris in chronic skin inflammation. Biomed Pharmacother. 2017 Sep;93:852-860.
