5 Benefits of Plant Extracts with Skincare

Since time immemorial, people have been using plant-based substances to improve their appearance.  People in ancient times used the sap and oil of plants to care for their skin.  

The first documented case of the use of cosmetics dates back to 3,000 BC from ancient Egypt. Ever since, this beautifying custom has been and still is an integral part of daily life in practically all societies throughout the world.

 The use of plant-based cosmetics is an enduring contemporary trend. Skincare products derived from plant extracts fully meet  consumers’ demands for healthy skincare.

 So, that leads us to the question, what are the advantages of plant-derived skincare products?

5 Benefits of Plant Extracts

1)     Soothes Our Skin

It’s helpful to know that your skin’s layer is extremely thin. This means if we use harsh skincare products, it will not benefit our skin, but instead could damage the skin’s stratum corneum, or the outermost layer of the epidermis.

Enter plant-based skincare products. The plant extracts satisfy the needs of people with varying skin types. 

You will find the ingredients are well suited to skin nourishment, as the raw materials that make up plant-based skincare products are naturally derived, safe, and quite gentle. Most plants tend to have a calming effect on the skin. Examples of such plants are noni leaves, motherwort, and licorice. These, and other similar plants, offer a genuine soothing effect on the skin.

 2)     Safe and Gentle

As noted earlier, plants have been renowned for many centuries for their effectiveness in beauty products.

For example, “Panax Ginseng Root Extract” contributes to skin glow, as well as anti-aging, and it is a powerful skin moisturizer. It is also known for decreasing wrinkles, whitening and brightening skin.

The widespread desire for plant-based skincare products is connected to the significant demand among consumers for green and healthy products, especially when it comes to health and beauty goods. As opposed to the past, when the plants were added to products, now plant-based skincare products entail using plant extracts or concentrate formulated with plant extract-based additives.

In contrast to chemical-based skincare products, plant-derived skincare products are comparatively mild and built on the concept of returning to nature.

 With the proportioning of skincare ingredients and the energy acquired from plants, these plant-based beauty products can stimulate the skin’s vigor, strengthen its protective function, and be gentler and safer for the skin.

 3)     Fast Absorption

Plant-based skincare products are noted for their fast absorption and a high level of permeability in the skin. In contrast to mineral-based skincare products, skincare products derived from plant extracts have an invigorating and mild texture that permeates the inner layer of your skin to achieve a deep moisturizing effect.

 What’s more, plant-based skincare products are infused with plant molecules that are smaller and easier to be absorbed.

 Because of their fast absorption rates, plant extracts in skincare products offer high penetration levels.

4)     More Active Compounds

Plant-based skincare contains more active compounds than synthetic skincare does. For example, synthetic skincare products usually are infused with 80 percent to 90 percent neutral base ingredients, such as water, oils, and waxes. In contrast, whole plant skincare reverses this ratio and contains primarily active ingredients and few structural nutritionally neutral ingredients. Each of the plant-based oils, juices, and extracts adds to the effectiveness of the product.

What’s more, whole plant skincare can be composed of 100 percent active ingredients, such as an oil blend.

 5)     Supports the Skin Microbiome

Plant-based skincare products help to strengthen the skin microbiome. Your skin microbiome is an ecosystem of bacteria on the skin’s surface.

Research indicates that synthetic ingredients strip the skin of important bacteria and suppress the skin microbiome with repeated exposure.  However, plant ingredients have a superior effect, supporting the feeling of balanced moisture and skin health.

Highly Beneficial Plant Extracts

The following are just several of the most beneficial plant extracts available that are included in some high-quality skincare products.

 Olive Extract

 Olive fruit is infused with natural chemicals known as polyphenols.  They have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants help to neutralize the oxidation of potentially damaging free radicals.

 It is thought that polyphenols aid in defending against collagen breakdown while also providing photoprotection to UV-exposed skin.

Green Tea Leaf Extract

The essential compounds in this extract provide the skin with important protection against UV damage and collagen breakdown.  Also, green tea is an outstanding anti-aging skincare ingredient that is infused with polyphenols, alkaloids, and amino acids.

 You can also greatly benefit from this extract acting as a stimulant to assist in improving the appearance of puffy under eye circles. What’s more, the amino acid in this extract –

L-theanine – may provide a stress-relieving component that could help to relax the body and soothe the skin.

 Jojoba Esters

 This plant extract is popular for its highly effective moisturizing ingredients. While it is technically a wax ester, jojoba ester is usually referred to as an oil because of how similar it is in composition to the sebum found in human skin.

Aside from these benefits, jojoba esters can mimic the properties of your skin’s natural oils, which is why they are so ideal as serving as a natural agent for the skin.

 Bamboo Extract

A common bamboo, called bambusa vulgaris, offers extensive benefits to the skin mostly due to the silica it contains.  Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring compound that may offer skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory effects.  It already exists in many areas of the body.

This bamboo extract could also act as a skin detoxifier that assists in removing accumulating pollutants and other debris from the skin’s surface and hair follicles. It may also provide UV protection.

Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)

 Butyrospermum parkii improves the skin by binding moisture. Shea contains vitamin E and catechins, which are also found in green tea. As an emollient, it helps to condition hair, and even moisturize cuticles.

High concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins make shea butter an ideal cosmetic ingredient for softening your skin.

Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil

Grapeseed oil comes from the pressed seeds of grapes. The oil is a by-product of the process of making wine.

In general, the Vitis Vinifera plant extract is quite popular as a topical treatment for skin.

It provides the skin with extra moisture. Grape seed oil is a light oil that is used for the treatment of acne, in addition to oily and combination skin. The properties infused in Vitis Vinifera work to help counter the effects of aging skin. In fact, this plant extract is very effective at reducing the signs of aging on the skin.

Grapeseed oil is considered effective for smoothing callused skin. It is also a powerful antioxidant and cell membrane protective.

Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil

Evening primrose oil was a favorite plant extract of Native Americans who used it for wound care and other natural wellness therapies.   

It can also keep skin from becoming overly dry, which is a common side effect of some acne medications.

Evening primrose oil may contribute to having glowing skin from the inside by positively impacting your natural hormone balance. This translates into having softer, firmer, and more supple skin.

Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil

Pomegranate seed oil is touted among skin care experts for its ability to nourish the skin, as it contains a substantial amount of vitamin C, which is one of the most helpful vitamins in skin care.

You will find that Pomegranate seed oil also is infused with anti-inflammatory, regenerative, antioxidant, and anti-aging properties that typically result in bouncy, glowing skin.

Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter

The cocoa butter that is in this plant extract is high in fatty acids, making it an ideal ingredient for promoting hydration and nourishment of the skin.

Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter protects injured or exposed skin in the short term, as it provides relief to the skin. It also helps the skin retain moisture as it slows the loss of water from the skin.  It does this by creating a barrier on the skin’s surface.

This highly beneficial plant extract also improves the skin’s elasticity.

Agora — The Future of Skincare

Agora has a vision to provide its customers with a quality alternative to skin-care products available on the market today. We set out to deliver high quality skin-care products that provide excellent results while utilizing outstanding customer service.

Our products utilize unique and potent ingredients that make a revolutionary difference in the quality of skin that our customers enjoy. Our expert Cosmetic Formulation Chemist provides Agora with superior ingredients from around the world to produce the best skin-care products in the industry!  At Agora, we deliver the most effective and results-oriented skin-care treatments to our customers.