Botanical Extracts in Skin Care – Are they beneficial? By Sherina Jamal
Skin care formulas often contain a range of extracts which can originate from plants, flowers, roots, steams, barks, fruits, etc. If the correct processing method is used, a pure extract can capture the true essence of that plant providing a concentrated substance to be used in a cosmetic formula or even as a herbal medicinal tincture.
In order for a skin care product to be the most effective and bring results, it must contain active ingredients that are in a form which are synergistic to the skin’s chemistry. For example, it may be beneficial to rub pineapple on your skin however it would be even more effective to extract the active component of the pineapple (bromelain) and use that in a cosmetic formula as it can directly interact with the skin bringing faster and better results vs the whole fruit.
Extracts can only be beneficial if the correct processing method is used so that the raw ingredient source does not get denatured in anyway. Gentle and advanced methods using natural solvents such as vegetable glycerine ensure that the end result is a concentrated extract that maintains the true integrity of the original plant source. One other key aspect to creating a result oriented extract is the sourcing. It is critical that the herbs, plants etc. used are of the finest quality and not grow in an environment where any harsh pesticides or chemicals are used.
One of the issues and biggest challenges in the industry is the lack of specific methods that can verify and validate through quality control these types of extracts. Due to this the market is often full of so called “extracts” that have been incorrectly processed and have little if any nutritional value. Therefore it is important for the manufacturer to have specific methods and analytical procedures to authenticate the validity of the extracts created and used in their formulas.
An extract is usually in a liquid form or powder form and is concentrated so only a small amount is needed in a formula for maximum benefits and results. Often when purchasing or creating a pure extract or tincture there will be ratio associated with it to show the concentration of the herb or plant vs the base or solvent. For example a ratio of 4:1 means that the mixture used to produce the extract was 4 part plant and 1 part liquid. Common ratios are often 1:1 or 2:1. However some companies completely dilute their extracts.
Some examples of pure powerful concentrated natural extracts used in our Beauty Through Balance formulas include; green tea, grapeseed, rosemary, aloe vera, organic acai berry, and many others.
We welcome your comments and questions! www.beautythroughbalance.ca
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Skin care formulas often contain a range of extracts which can originate from plants, flowers, roots, steams, barks, fruits, etc. If the correct processing method is used, a pure extract can capture the true essence of that plant providing a concentrated substance to be used in a cosmetic formula or even as a herbal medicinal tincture.
In order for a skin care product to be the most effective and bring results, it must contain active ingredients that are in a form which are synergistic to the skin’s chemistry. For example, it may be beneficial to rub pineapple on your skin however it would be even more effective to extract the active component of the pineapple (bromelain) and use that in a cosmetic formula as it can directly interact with the skin bringing faster and better results vs the whole fruit.
Extracts can only be beneficial if the correct processing method is used so that the raw ingredient source does not get denatured in anyway. Gentle and advanced methods using natural solvents such as vegetable glycerine ensure that the end result is a concentrated extract that maintains the true integrity of the original plant source. One other key aspect to creating a result oriented extract is the sourcing. It is critical that the herbs, plants etc. used are of the finest quality and not grow in an environment where any harsh pesticides or chemicals are used.
One of the issues and biggest challenges in the industry is the lack of specific methods that can verify and validate through quality control these types of extracts. Due to this the market is often full of so called “extracts” that have been incorrectly processed and have little if any nutritional value. Therefore it is important for the manufacturer to have specific methods and analytical procedures to authenticate the validity of the extracts created and used in their formulas.
An extract is usually in a liquid form or powder form and is concentrated so only a small amount is needed in a formula for maximum benefits and results. Often when purchasing or creating a pure extract or tincture there will be ratio associated with it to show the concentration of the herb or plant vs the base or solvent. For example a ratio of 4:1 means that the mixture used to produce the extract was 4 part plant and 1 part liquid. Common ratios are often 1:1 or 2:1. However some companies completely dilute their extracts.
Some examples of pure powerful concentrated natural extracts used in our Beauty Through Balance formulas include; green tea, grapeseed, rosemary, aloe vera, organic acai berry, and many others.
We welcome your comments and questions! www.beautythroughbalance.ca 
