10 Plant-Based Ingredients That Help Heal the Skin

As humans, we have an incredible synergy with the natural world. Not only is spending time in nature incredibly comforting and nourishing for body, mind, and spirit, harnessing the powerful natural ingredients in plants can have significant benefits for the health of our body and our skin. In fact, scientists believe we innately seek out nature for these reasons, a theory called the biophilia hypothesis.

At Pharmacopia, we’ve known about the power of plants since our inception in founder Lisa Levin’s organic backyard garden. After doing research, Lisa discovered that many chemical ingredients being used in skincare products had potentially negative effects on our health. She sought out plants because of their potent ingredients. Plus, these natural ingredients are often gentler on the skin and can often help improve the appearance and health of the skin.

Why are plant-based ingredients so healing?

Plants are chock-full of antioxidants, vitamins, and oils such as essential fatty acids that help to nourish and protect the skin.

Antioxidants are natural chemicals often referred to as phytonutrients or polyphenols that help plants to survive in the natural world. Antioxidants protect plants from the sun’s ultraviolet light, insects and predators, and harsh environmental conditions. When used on the skin, these natural chemicals help to negate the effects—such as dryness, irritation, and wrinkling—caused from exposure to sunlight or pollution.

But there’s more to plants than these powerful natural chemicals. Plants, and more specifically their nuts and seeds, are also a rich source of natural oils, which have been used to hydrate and heal the skin for centuries. People as far back as those in ancient Egypt and Greece applied plant-based oils to their skin as part of their daily beauty routines. These oils help to hydrate and protect skin and may also act as natural antifungals and antibacterials.

10 best plant-based ingredients that help heal the skin

Here’s a look at some of the most beneficial plant-based ingredients—and why they’re so curative for the skin.

1. Aloe vera, from the spiny, green aloe plant, boasts more than 75 different healing plant-based compounds that are also anti-inflammatory. These include vitamins A, C, and E, along with minerals like zinc, fatty acids, and amino acids. Because of these powerful substances, aloe vera has been shown to help heal dry, irritated skin as well as burns, abrasions, and even acne. This is why aloe vera plays a starring role in almost all Pharmacopia better-for-you body care products.
2. Argan oil, derived from the fruit of the argan tree, is rich in essential fatty acids like omega-6, linoleic acid, and oleic acid as well as vitamins A, C, and E, all potent antioxidants. As a result, argan oil deeply moisturizes and nourishes the skin. Argan oil is also rich in anti-inflammatory essential fatty acids that help calm itchiness and irritation. Find argan oil in our entire Argan Collection of products. 
3. Calendula flower oil, which is extracted from marigold flowers, is rich in antioxidants and has antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. It has also traditionally been used as a wound healer because it speeds up the growth of new tissue. Find it in our Tangerine Lip Elixir.
4. Chamomile extract comes from a daisy-like Chamaemelum plant and is a potent anti-inflammatory thanks to its high concentration of antioxidants and terpenoids, powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. The result: It’s incredibly soothing to the skin and is the reason we’ve formulated our Shampoos, Conditioners, and Body Washes with this potent plant-based ingredient.
5. Coconut oil is chock-full of fatty acids like lauric acid. It’s these fatty acids that are the reason coconut oil helps to hydrate skin and lock in moisture. It’s also why coconut oil, when used on the skin, is so effective at calming irritation and redness. One study found that coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil—which comes from petroleum—in healing the skin. Find coconut oil in our skin-soothing Body Washes.
6. Comfrey is an herb that’s known for its wound-healing properties. That’s because it contains a powerful plant-based healer called allantoin. Research has shown that it’s allantoin that may help to reduce skin healing times. Comfrey also contains powerful antioxidants like caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid that help to protect the skin. Plus, its seeds and roots are rich in a skin-soothing omega-6 fatty acid called gamma linoleic acid. Find comfrey in our nourishing Pharmacopia Body Washes and Body Lotions.
7. Essential oils are aromatic compounds that are highly fragrant and can help invigorate the mood and reduce stress. These essential oils, found in all our Pharmacopia better-for-you body care products, contain hundreds of natural chemical compounds that contribute to their curative powers.
   

   Some of these potent essential oils, which all help to boost the senses, include:

   • Lemon Peel Oil, Lemongrass Leaf Oil, and Cedar Oil in our refreshing Verbena Collection
   • Bergamot Oil gives our Citrus Collection their energizing scent
   • Peppermint Oil gives our Mint Argan Collection its heady, invigorating aroma
8. Jojoba oil comes from the fruit of the jojoba shrub. Like so many other plant-based ingredients, it contains potent antioxidants like vitamin E or tocopherol. (About 79% of the vitamins in jojoba oil are vitamin E.) These antioxidants help reduce inflammation on the skin. But jojoba oil also has another unique benefit: it closely resembles the natural sebum of our skin, which is the reason it’s so effective at keeping skin moisturized and supple. Find jojoba oil in Pharmacopia better-for-you Shampoos, Conditioners, Body Lotions, and Lip Elixir.
9. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a powerful fatty acid that helps to hydrate the skin and prevent moisture loss. It’s also rich in squalene (which mimics the skin’s natural oils) and the antioxidant vitamin E, which boosts the skin’s ability to absorb and retain water. Like other plant-based oils, olive oil is also an anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce skin inflammation—along with the itchiness, redness, and irritation it triggers. Find olive oil in Pharmacopia Shampoos, Conditioners, and Lip Elixir.
10. Shea butter is a creamy fat extracted from the nuts of the African Sheanut tree. It’s rich in antioxidants like vitamins A and E that can help prevent premature aging and dry, dull-looking skin. Shea butter is also a rich source of fatty acids, which give shea butter its ability to leave skin velvety smooth. Because of its fatty nature, shea butter acts as a sealant, helping to lock in the skin’s moisture. It’s shea butter that gives our Body Lotions, Body Bars, and Lip Elixir their incredible hydrating properties.

There’s no question: plants are pretty incredible! Nature provides us with so much of what we need to cleanse, hydrate, and soothe the skin. That’s why embracing nature with all its plant-based ingredients in your skincare routine can not only heal and hydrate the skin, but help protect against environmental stressors too.