Not all superheroes wear cape. Some are fragrant, vivacious, colourful and delicate. Yes, you guessed it right. We are talking about Nature’s best gift to humanity, flowers! Online Flowers in Pune that make your day when gifted, pep up the dull corner of your home or office, are edible and rich in antioxidants and flavonoids and have cell rejuvenating properties that make them a mainstay of beauty and skincare regime! Voila, what?

Flowers for skincare? Yes, it is nothing new. Don’t believe us. Ask your grandmother. It is just that it is finally hip to embrace the new eco-beauty trends, which is all about regaining consciousness towards the roots and not resorting to chemicals.  In many cultures, flowers and their essential oil are used to smoothen, moisturise, cleanse and even out the skin.  Ancient Indian medicinal practices have emphasised on flowers and their therapeutic as well as healing benefits too. It is just a matter of time that the world will come to patent Indian natural remedies while we remain blissfully unaware of the flower power we once mastered.

How can you introduce flowers to your skincare regime?

The easiest way to use flower is as floral essential oils. However, they need to be diluted and mixed with your cosmetics as they can cause breakouts, irritation and allergy for mixed and oily skin types. This is why we suggest a better way to use flower petals naturally.

Want to know more about flowers that are commonly found, and you can use?

Rose: The classic of them all. Roses are a symbol of love and heartfelt emotions. The flower gets its name from the ancient Greek Goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. And if you want to make your skin loveable, use rosewater for its hydrating and gentle astringing properties. Rose is perfect for dry and mature skin and reduces scars, pre-mature wrinkles, fine lines and stretch marks. A perfect remedy for skinburn, it maintains the pH balance of the skin and reduces breakouts and open pores. It keeps the skin supple and hydrated, the main culprit behind premature ageing and puffy eyes.

How to use: Soak cottonin rosewater and dab it gently over the skin before going to sleep. You can find several easy methods over the internet to make pure distilled rosewater at home is extremely easy. If your skin is extremely dry, use rosemilk as a facepack to get its elasticity and suppleness back.

Hibiscus: Hibiscus is touted as ‘The Anti-Ageing Plant’  or ‘The Botox Plan”and rightly so. This red flower packs a punch when it comes to its gold-standard beauty benefits. The flower has anti-ageing ingredients that can put your celebrity-approved cosmetics to shame. The petals are rich in Alpha Hydroxy Acids or AHAs that prevent pre-mature ageing and smoothens out skin texture. The stem of hibiscus has a gel-like substance called mucilage that hydrates the skin and prevents breakouts. Hibiscus tea or hibiscus water is also good for detoxification as it flushes the toxins out of the system.

How to use: The flowers can be used in face masks,  face wash and scrubs. You can use it was a hair gel too.

Marigold: This commonly found flower hides a treasure of beauty secrets within. Also known as calendula, these flowers are used for anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and can treat burns, bruises and minor cuts. They can be your go-to option for sunburn skin and dehydrated skin. Use them on cracked heels or consume them in tea for their rich antioxidant and flavonoid content. Itrevitalises dead, dull and saggy skin while reducing breakouts. There is not one, not two but a whopping lot of nineteen carotenoids in its petals that revitalise dead skin and curb free radicals. Marigold tea is the go-to option for detox and if you want younger-looking skin, you should be sipping it!

How to use: The flower can be used as a face mask, face wash and scrub. Mix it with rose water, yoghurt and lemon juice to enhance its exfoliating properties.  You can use the essential oil and mix it with rose water too.

Chamomile: Chamomile boasts of rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can heal your skin inside out. The tea is beneficial in giving you much-needed relief from stress and insomnia, leading indirectly to good sleep and of course, better skin.  The flowers are rich in polyphenols and phytochemicals, leading to an improved and accelerated cell generation and reduction in fine lines. The polyphenols also enhance your body’s response mechanism against free radicals, and thus, slowing down the ageing process and environmental damage.

How to use: Apply chilled chamomile tea bag to reduce puffiness of eyes and under-eye circles. You can use the flower paste in face packs and face masks.

Lavender: Lavender is versatile and honestly, needs no introduction. It is widely used in spas and aromatherapy, applied to the skin and also, can be indigested orally. The oil kills bacteria growth and reduces breakouts of facial skin. The flower has cytophilic properties, which prompts cell generation and curb free radicals. The petals are known to reduce blemishes and stretch marks along with treating eczema and psoriasis.

How to use: You can use lavender oil, facepack, face scrub and face wash to harness their benefits for your skin.

Jasmine:Thispretty little thing adorning Indian women’ hair is believed to calm the brain, reduce the nervousness while acting as a natural deodorant. The essential oil treats dryness and unevenness. The Hawaii variety of Jasmine flowers is very soothing and is perfect for every skin type, even the most sensitive ones. The flowers boast of rich antioxidant properties that prevent premature ageing and reduce fine lines.

How to use:This pleasantly smelling flower can be used for making tea, as a face mask or face scrub.

Sunflower: These sun-loving flowers are rich in vitamin A, C, E and D. Its emollient properties make it a rich moisturiser. Being rich in vitamin E makes it a perfect companion of younger-looking skin. The flowers canreduce sun damage. Use the sunflower oil for body massages. It is light and absorbs easily into the skin. Dab a little sunflower essential oil and use it as a toner. If your skin is dry and all cracked up, use the oil as a pick-me-up for ultimate and immediate relief.

How to use: You can use them as a hair mask, face mask and face pack. Mix it with yoghurt, lemon and honey and let it heal your skin.

A word of caution

Just do a patch test before you do a full gear on flowers. Don’t use store-bought or roadside flowers. Online flower shops often spray flowers with herbicides and chemicals to keep them fresh for long that make them unsuitable for use. Similarly, roadside flowers are exposed to car exhausts and pollution.

Not every “botanical” or “natural” anti-wrinkle serums, balms and face creams are natural and plant-based. Pay attention, read the contents and make an informed decision.

And you don’t have to shell out a high-end price for a product that has ‘botanic’ written all over it. You can use flowers, herbs and plants to create a beauty serum of your own.

If you have an allergy from flowers or pollens, please steer clear and consult your doctor for an alternative.

If you are looking for an easy-peasy way to squeeze the skincare benefits of flowers, take a few drops of floral essential oils and mix it with your skincare products. Just don’t forget the elbow test to get an estimate flower-power-ratio for your skin.

You can wear makeup. Get that chemical peel. Go to a costly salon to be reduced to a guinea pig while subjected to different chemicals. OR you can take a higher road, opt for flower care and get radiant, youthful skin without any side-effects!