We usually hear Chamomile in tea but Chamomile could also be used for the skin and hair, for digestive problems, stress relief, and of also to get some good night sleep. That's why you might have noticed seeing more and more skincare products that promote Chamomile in their main ingredient. Ever wondered what benefit Chamomile brings in skincare? So in this post, we're gonna go roughly into Chamomile extract for skincare purposes. So keep on reading to know what Chamomile could do for your skin.
Chamomile is known to have anti-inflammatory, deodorant, bacteriostatic, antimicrobial, sedative, and antiseptic properties. In skincare, it’s used for wound healing, as pain relief, skin irritation, cracked skin, and also eczema. Chamomile plants are a member of the Asteraceae family. There are two types of chamomile herbs commonly used in skincare.
The Roman Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) and the German Chamomile (Matricaria Chamomilla) are both aromatic herbs. Both types of herbs are grown and commercially sold as “chamomile” because they have similar, if not the same properties. They have anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. They’re used in medicine as mild tranquillizers or sedatives. To know which type of Chamomile a product uses in their product, best to be alert with their scientific name in the ingredient list.
What Are The Differences Between Roman & German Chamomile?
Most differences between the plants can be found in their morphology and chemical composition. Chamomile contains a lot of active ingredients that act on the skin and help it heal which are:
Bisabolol
Bisabolol is a natural compound that helps the plant protect itself from fungal attacks. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-irritant, anti-fungal, and non-allergenic properties. It promotes tissue regeneration and has the ability to increase the absorption of other products on the skin. Because of this, bisabolol is recommended in cosmetic preparations. Bisabolol is found in both types of chamomile, but its more concentrated in the German plant.
Chamazulene
Chamazulene provides an additional anti-inflammatory property to chamomile herbs. It’s found in both German and Roman chamomile essential oils mostly, and it’s responsible for their blue colour.
Apigenin
Apigenin is a flavonoid compound that's also found in both types of chamomile flowers, but as opposed to chamazulene, it’s not present in the essential oils. It’s a highly potent anti-inflammatory ingredient.
All three of these main active ingredients in chamomile have potent antioxidative power. This means that chamomile can balance free radicals and prevent oxidative stress. With this highly antioxidative potential, it’s only natural that we see chamomile as a part of so many skincare products, creams, body lotions, toners, gels, and even baby wipes. Chamomile is so gentle that it’s considered safe for baby skin and sensitive skin.
What Are The Benefits Of Chamomile Extract?
Potent Anti-inflammatory Properties
The anti-inflammatory properties of this herb are well-known to help deal with inflammation. It’s believed that chamomile contains chemical compounds that may reduce inflammation.
Pain Reducing Abilities
The soothing and calming effects chamomile has on the skin can be really beneficial for helping inflamed pimples and frequent acne breakouts heal faster. Since chamomile is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, it can be a good natural and gentle ingredient to add in your skincare routine for those with acne problems. The antioxidants scavenge free radicals and protect from oxidative damage, while the anti-inflammatory properties reduce irritation, redness, and swelling, making the pimples less visible.
Have in mind that chamomile is really gentle and mild. It would be an amazing addition to your stronger and more aggressive anti-acne skincare routine. It can also be beneficial to soothe sensitive skin after using anti-acne products.
Treating Sunburns
Chamomile extract can help in relieving pain, swelling, redness, and itchiness from a sunburn. The powerful antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties can calm the skin, prevent further inflammation, and help the wounds heal faster. Keep in mind to not only focus on Chamomile when at this stage, but also make sure you look into sunscreens as well.
Compared to Roman chamomile, German chamomile contains a higher concentration of key active ingredients that have shown anti-inflammatory activity. Much of the skincare research on Chamomile has therefore been conducted on German Chamomile rather than Roman Chamomile.
What Is Blue Chamomile
Blue Chamomile also know as Matricaria is Latin for mater, which means mother. The German Chamomile plant grows on long thin stems and has tiny daisy-like flowers that have bright yellow centers and white collars.
Benefits of German Chamomile:
- Calm
- Antispasmodic
- Mild sedative
- Antifungal
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Antiseptic
Why Is Chamomile Good For The Skin?
It penetrates deep into the layers of your skin where its potent anti-inflammatory action, restoring and soothing irritated skin, burns, bruises, and other skin conditions especially for acne-prone and dry skin.
Chamomile Skincare Products That I've Used
1. Mamonde Chamomile Pure Toner
2. Mamonde Blue Chamomile Soothing Repair Cream
Till then peeps!
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