Hibiscus - The Natural 'Botox' Plant
-
Hibiscus: Natural Botox?
Hibiscus; a beautiful flower with more qualities than just helping brighten up a room. This flower has some incredible qualities capable of unlocking time-turning benefits for your skin. None of us want to see the signs of aging, especially on our face, so finding ways to fight the ticking clock is worth shouting about!
For years, this trumpet-shaped flower has been used in herbal teas and different medicines thought to help combat stomach problems, such as loss of appetite or supporting your body through symptoms of the common cold. Many cultures would dry the flower, as this would make the plant edible, adding it to dishes - particularly in countries along the equator.
Due to the large genus, this flower is comprised of several hundred species all native to warm temperatures and subtropical regions of the world.
Skin Benefits Of Hibiscus
Not only can this beautiful flower help tighten and firm skin, but it can also protect against free radicals - almost like a natural botox! Along with supporting your overall health; aiding illness and ailments – a truly magical flower!
Hibicus Contains Natural Alpha-Hydroxy Acids
More commonly known to help exfoliate the skin, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) [1] are found in the hibiscus flower and are one of the main contributing reasons why the flower is able to perform time-turning miracles of your skin. Chemical forms of this acid can be extremely harmful and damaging to our sensitive epidermis layer of skin, but the natural AHAs from hibiscus can achieve the same benefits on the skin – but without the harsh, skin damaging downsides.
By exfoliating, controlling the amount of oil produced in the skin and unclogging pores, the natural AHAs produced by hibiscus all contribute to enhancing your skin – looking younger, fresher, with fewer blemishes and a smoother appearance (like a natural botox, huh?).
Along with increasing the moisture in the top layers of skin, the AHAs will plump and firm any skin that has started to lose elasticity, helping to give your skin a younger appearance and glow.
Hibiscus Helps Prevent Signs Of Ageing: Like A Natural Botox!
Anti-aging – something we all want to harness. Our skin begins to show age through wrinkles, fine lines and darker, discoloured areas, all things that the hibiscus plant can support your skin against. Our environment has a huge effect on our skin, with countless stressors attacking the surface of our bodies daily, aggravating and encouraging early signs of ageing.
Along with AHA, this powerful flower contains antioxidants and a high mucilage content – a wonderful moisturiser for the skin. When you bring all these wonderful qualities together, you can give your skin a strong shield to protect it against age-inducing aggressors.
Hibiscus Can Help Even Skin Tone
As our skin ages, one of the most visible signs other than wrinkles and fine lines is the appearance of hyperpigmentation – more commonly known as age spots. Age spots form on the skin due to a number of reasons including overexposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or artificial lighting, too much melanin production, and genes.
Hibiscus will slightly exfoliate your skin as a reaction from the natural and organic acids produced by the plant; including malic and citric acids. These harmless acids will help encourage skin cell production, resulting in a more even skin tone, reducing dark spots and dull areas of skin.
Protecting your skin from the sun is a huge factor in slowing down the ageing process, which is why it is extremely important to apply creams and lotions that will prevent the negative effects of sun exposure; due to the UVA rays. Wearing an SPF fuelled skin moisturiser will not only protect your layers of skin from these harmful rays but will also keep you moisturised, supple and youthful.
Hibiscus Contains An Abundance Of Antioxidants
Similar to cranberries, red wine, and bilberries, the Hibiscus plant is rich in antioxidants called anthocyanocides. These antioxidants are proven to combat the damaging free radicals which multiply and thrive when aggressors such as UV radiation and other pollutants contact the epidermis layer of skin. In doing so, the anthocyanocides will protect your skin from this age inducing damage.
Along with fighting the free radicals, our skin has to deal with on a daily occasion, the antioxidants in the hibiscus plant have slightly astringent properties which help to reduce the appearance of large pores on the surface of your skin, giving your epidermis a smoother and clearer complexion.
Hibiscus Can Provide A Powerful Moisturising Boost
Hibiscus has a natural high mucilage content, perfect for adding important moisture to your skin. Mucilage is a sticky substance that is produced by most plants in order to store and contain water and food – which is why it is so powerful when moisturising the skin [2]. With such a high content within the flower, once applied to the skin it will retain any moisture; a key factor in keeping the skin youthful and plump.
The more hydrated the skin, the less chance there is of falling victim to dry areas which are more likely to give the skin an aged appearance. So, the more mucilage you apply to your epidermis, the more supple and youthful your skin will stay – saying goodbye to dry, dull skin.
Hibiscus Supports In Purifying The Complexion
As mentioned above, the gentle exfoliating qualities of the acids in the hibiscus plant help rid old, dead skin, leaving behind youthful new layers with fewer blemishes and discolouration. The properties in this plant can help reduce age spots, giving your skin a more even skin tone.
The natural harmless acids purify the skin by breaking down the redundant, old, dead skin and will increase the skin cell turnover, preventing acne breakouts and keeping your skin new, fresh and young. Plus, due to the nature of these acids on the skin, they act differently to the abrupt synthetic acids that will strip away the natural oils produced in your skin. Instead, the natural acids in the flower will balance the natural glow of your epidermis, neutralising the complexion, leaving it to appear healthy, bright and young.
Final Thoughts On The Natural Botox Hibiscus...
The idea of ageing doesn’t fill any of us with happiness, especially when we think about how much our skin will change. Discovering this powerful plant is the turning point in your anti-aging skin care routine and will help protect your vulnerable skin from the constant free radicals we need to fight against daily.
The moisturising properties mixed with the antioxidant qualities of the hibiscus plant will help your finally put a stop to premature ageing, working through all the dermis layers, leaving you with youthful looking skin without the large Botox bill.