Botanicals are wonderful for use around the home. Ancient Europeans made liberal use of herbs for many applications. Now, scientist are finding that these gifts of the natural world have powerful anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and and antibacterial properties.
Here is a guide to some of the more common herbs and their basic remedies.
Lavender
Lavender is a favorite herb for most people because of its pleasant scent. It can be an effective antimicrobial, which means that it kills germs. Because of this, using lavender to wash or clean makes good sense. In fact, the root word of lavender is “lavare,” which means “to wash.”
Witch Hazel
Women have been using witch hazel even in our modern world for a facial cleanser. But, it’s high tannin content means that it can put to even better use to “deactivate” insect bites. In fact, that is exactly that it does when applied. The witch hazel will affect the proteins that cause the stinging or itching sensation.
You can also use witch hazel on your face to cool and sooth. Add a little bit to your favorite lotion during the hot summer to moisturize without feeling sticky.
Rose
Is there a nicer scent than that of fresh roses? Beside the calming scent, rose oil nourishes mature skin, evens out complexion and makes it more supple. One note about roses as an essential oil. Because it can take so many rose petals to make just a little bit of rose oil, it does tend to be on the expensive side. You can, however, mix it with your favorite facial moisturizer and still get great benefits, or seek out a product that already contains rose.
Chamomile
Chamomile isn’t just for tea. You can use it on your skin to help clm and sooth it. In fact, Chamomile contains apigenin, a compound that acts as an anti-inflammatory, which may be one of the reasons why it is so good at soothing an upset stomach.
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