At Amiya we use herbs extensively in our natural hair and skin care products. In this two-part article, you can find out about 10 of our favourite herbs for beauty.

In part one we covered rose, chamomile, horsetail, calendula and rosemary – looking at the properties for which they are best known, how they can be used, and the Amiya products that contain them. In this article we’ll look at five more herbs: lavender, nettle, comfrey, wild pansy and aloe.

6. Lavender (lavandula angustifolia)

Another well known ingredient, lavender is grown in many gardens, delighting both us and the bees. Lavender essential oil is often kept as a household remedy for burns and stings. It’s aroma is known for its relaxing effects, and it is often included in natural beauty products for its calming and soothing properties. Like chamomile, it is one of the few essential oils that is considered safe in small quantities for young children.

At Amiya we use lavender in quite a few of our products including our Herb Gardeners Hand Lotion and our Herbal Bath Bags.

7. Nettle (urtica dioica)

It’s hard, at first, to think of nettle as a beauty ingredient. Usually it’s regarded as a nuisance, and sometimes a painful one at that! Yet, with their high vitamin and mineral content, nettles are used to nourish the scalp and hair. Over time the use of nettles is said to help prevent dandruff and  promote hair growth.

At Amiya we use nettle in our Rosemary & Nettle shampoo. You can also find a recipe for a Nettle hair rinse on our website.

8. Comfrey (symphytum spp.)

Comfrey is a gardener’s favourite as it makes great compost, and the bees love its prolific purple flowers. It is also quite a special herb both for beauty and for healing (its nick-names of “bruisewort” and “knitbone” speak volumes). In beauty preparations it is particularly valued for its allantoin content, which has been shown to help promote the regeneration of skin cells.

At Amiya we use both comfrey roots and leaves in our Herb Gardeners Hand Lotion to help take really good care of hard working hands, and in our Ultra Heal massage oil.

9. Wild Pansy (viola tricolor)

A tiny yet incredibly showy flower, the wild pansy keeps flowering right through the spring and summer. In herbal beauty it is used for its ability to soothe and heal the skin, including in skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. These qualities make it a good choice for a bath to calm the skin and it is one of the variations suggested in our herbal bath posies to make at home.

At Amiya we use wild pansy in our Wild Pansy & Marshmallow Conditioner and in our Herb Gardener’s Hand Lotion.

10. Aloe (aloe barbadensis)

Aloe is well known as a great skin soother, with leaves that can be pulled off and their gel-like interior applied directly to burns. It is valued for its ability to soothe irritated skin and protect delicate skin. In hair products it can help to relive dry and itchy scalp.

At Amiya we use aloe in our Herbal Toner and Light Revitalising face cream, to help calm and soothe the skin.