What Should You Know About Native American Wisdom Used In Natural Cosmetics?
In modern beauty, there are many ingredients and methods that we can track back to the ones used by Native Americans. It’s the ancient elders who pioneered many botanicals used in modern beauty products. As one generation passed their knowledge to another, the care and beauty benefits of many plants became widely known.
Native Americans used aloe vera and jojoba to soothe and heal the skin. Bearberry was a reliable remedy for an itchy scalp. Prickly pear, also known as opuntia, helped with skin hydration. It was used for hair, scalp, and skincare due to its ability to balance hormones in the body. Yucca helped the hair grow, and yarrow was used to prepare a hair wash and treat bruises.
If you’re interested in learning more about Native American wisdom used in natural cosmetics, this article is for you. Here you will find more about some interesting plants discovered by Native Americans, which are nowadays used in body care products. After all, nature is often the best medicine.
Yucca
Native Americans used to collect sap from the yucca flower and rub it on the skin to keep away mosquitoes and other insects. It also helped soothe insect bites and stings and could even be applied to hair to provide shine.
In modern cosmetics, yucca extract is used for soothing the skin and reducing inflammation thanks to its anti-irritant properties. In addition, this extract reduces oil production in the skin and helps with acne prevention. Yucca extract is also great for treating dandruff because of its antifungal properties.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a succulent plant used as an ingredient in many natural products. Aloe vera has been used by Native Americans for centuries to heal wounds, treat burns, and soothe the skin. They would scrape the gel from the leaves and apply it on their skin or consume it to improve digestion and treat constipation or indigestion. Aloe vera is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, which helps with wound healing and various skin disorders, such as eczema and psoriasis.
Bearberry
Bearberry is a common name for the North American plant known as kinnikinnick. It is one of the most important herbs used by Native Americans for many different purposes. Native Americans would make tea from the bearberry leaves to boost their immune system when they fell ill. They would use it to help with digestion, treat diarrhea and constipation, and heal wounds. Bearberry leaf tea was also used to soothe a sore throat and a cough.
In modern skincare, bearberry extract is used due to its astringent properties. It helps reduce excessive oil production and helps treat acne because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Bearberry extract can also control sebum production, making it a great ingredient for sensitive or acne-prone skin. Bearberry extract is also beneficial for hair care, especially when combined with other ingredients such as rosemary extract – it’s an excellent treatment for dandruff and hair loss.
Yarrow
If you’ve ever been on a hike, chances are you’ve noticed yarrow growing in abundance in many different places. It’s a common sight in parks and gardens, but it’s a wild plant that grows in many areas throughout the world, from North America to Europe and Asia. Native Americans would use yarrow to treat their bruises and cuts, reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and relieve stomach pain.
In modern skincare, yarrow extracts are used for their soothing and healing properties. Yarrow extracts help heal wounds and reduce inflammation and redness due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Yarrow extracts can be found in products for sensitive skin or treating skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Prickly Pear
Prickly pear is a very unique-looking plant that looks like a cactus but isn’t a cactus at all. Native Americans used prickly pear fruit in many different ways: they prepared jams and syrups from the fruit, rubbed the fruit on their skin to prevent insect bites and stings, or even ate them raw when they were traveling long distances through the hot desert. Prickly pear fruit contains many vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
It’s used in natural cosmetics to cleanse the skin and reduce inflammation due to its antioxidant properties. In addition, prickly pear fruit can help balance hormone levels, making it an ideal ingredient for people suffering from hormonal imbalances or hormone-related problems such as acne or hair loss.
Conclusion
Native Americans have been using natural ingredients to care for their bodies and their minds for centuries. They have a lot of wisdom to offer when it comes to beauty and natural products. It’s incredibly important to take care of our bodies and our health, and being mindful of what we put into and onto our bodies is a great start.
Many natural ingredients used in the Native American culture are still widely used today in modern beauty products. Their discoveries and wisdom can help us create products that are beneficial to our health and the environment, as well as safe and effective for our skin. Give them a try, and you’ll fall in love with their benefits!
