The Power Of Plants
Have you experienced a bad reaction to a face serum or cream?
This is my experience of a bad reaction to a serum. A serum that I didn’t know was a strong exfoliant. As much as I can, I look after my skin the Ayurveda way. This means applying to my skin on the outside, what I would take inside. For example cold pressed avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil. All organic and cold pressed. Make-up is quite a minefield but I’m learning to navigate this. Jones Road Beauty is a good choice, Bare Minerals is not too bad. I’m constantly researching, learning and sharing.
My reaction to a ‘clean’ skincare range resulted in (mild ‘ish’) second degree burns.
An aloe vera plant that we have nurtured at home over the past few years has provided so much healing. Not just this past week but during adult hormonal acne, and minor kitchen burns. I also like to use it as a cooling under eye treatment. I also take aloe as juice, its great for cooling down from the inside out. I love the brand Fushi (a small organic Ayurveda business in the UK).
My Yoga and Ayurvedic practices have been reassuring, anchoring and have added another layer of healing. I practiced cooling pranayamas. Candra Bheda and Shitali Pranayamas are great for any heat related issues, inside and out. I drank homemade pitta tea: equal amounts of cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds. 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot water, infuse and strain. It’s delicious, cooling and also good for digestion. Morning Abyhanga calmed my nervous system and moisturised my whole body.
Another plant which soothed is Marigold/Calendula. In Galway you can get a bag of softly dried marigold flowers at Dr Clare’s Apothecary on Sea Road. I infused this to bathe my skin twice a day, with a organic muslin cloth.
Once the burns started to heal I was able to apply a deeper layer of moisture. I came across an article on the National Library of Medicine. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. I applied cold pressed organic avocado oil and pure unrefined shea butter. (Clearspring and Sushi) Read Article Here
As I write this it’s 11 days since my skin started to become less reactive, I’m no longer staying indoors and it’s 3 days without wearing a mask. I’m in awe of how my skin has healed. We all have so much capacity already within us to heal. We really are our very own Super Power. Like the plants and this earth we already have all the intelligence we need to heal and be in a state of Wellbeing.
