Plant extracts are increasing in their popularity for use in cosmetic formulations. The best formulations to look for are those that are certified organic and not synthetically processed. However, organic essential oils and herbal extracts are more expensive to make, so many companies, in an effort to make big profits, use their cheap, synthetic counterparts. You have to be careful about the products you choose. Some chemists argue that if a petrochemical “replica” of an essential oil that exists in nature, they can call it ‘natural’. However, these oils don’t have the same properties as organic ones and contain dangerous vapors that could cause allergic reactions and they have possible carcinogenic impurities.

An article entitled “Plants Used in Cosmetics,” provided by the American Botanical Council and featured in “Phytotherapy Research” in 2003, states that natural molecules derived from plant extracts are often perceived as more dilute than purified synthetic agents.  According to the article, more research is needed to uncover effective isolation and extraction techniques to yield higher quality products. The stability, color, odor, and transparency of many extracts are limiting factors to making the high quality product desired.

However, the article points out how these plant extracts have historically “helped remedy many skin conditions” and “can protect the skin against many harmful agents inside or outside the body.”

The following is a listing of plant extracts based on the above research and their use in personal care products today according to their ability to remedy certain conditions.

Skin Care:

Natural plant products have been known to heal and prevent dry skin, treat skin conditions such as eczema and acne, and slow the aging process.

• Dry Skin: Extracts from cocoa butter, mango, coconut oil, and olive oil.
• Eczema: This is a disease characterized by redness, swelling, itching and scaling. Tumeric, processed from the plant Curcuma longa, has an active ingredient called curcumin that can treat eczema and other similar skin conditions.
• Acne: Extracts from artemisia, holy basil, pea, pumpkin, and red onion.
• Aging: Extracts from Asian ginseng, black and green tea, and grape seeds.
• Used for skin inflammations and as skin protectants: Extracts from red clover, chamomile, fenugreek, jojoba, aloe vera, oats, and cucumber.

Hair Care:

Plant extracts are used as growth stimulants, for treatment of dandruff, and as hair colorants and dyes.

• Hair growth: Extracts from Ginkgo, aloe vera, henna, sage, rosemary, and grape seeds.
• Dandruff: Extracts from sage, rosemary, and thyme. Garlic and English walnut are also used but it should be applied directly to the scalp.
• Natural dyes: Extracts from henna are used for reddish color, onion for coppery colors, and curcumin from turmeric produces a range from yellow to deep orange.

Essential Oils:

These are extracted from flowers, herbs, and fruit through methods that are often slow, laborious, and expensive.  Their modes of function include physiological (anti-inflammatory effects), psychological (aromatherapy), and cosmetic (preservative and anti-oxidant benefits). They include citrus oils, chamomile oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil, and black cumin.

• Fragrance: Used as a fragrance in the perfume industry.
• Hair care products: Used to promote shine and to condition.
• Skin products: Used to promote hormonal balance, combat the build-up of toxins, and to moisturize the skin.

Source: American Botanical Council.