Use of plants and other natural materials for modifying one’s appearance thus enhancing physical attractiveness is age old. Today’s already rapidly growing cosmetic industry, which is almost synonymous with herbal cosmetics, is a vast global industry with huge growth potential. Apart from increasing interest in plants used for cosmetic purposes in various societies since ages,…

Honey is a naturally occurring sweetener produced by bees of the genus Apis. It is produced by bees from the nectar of certain flowering plants. Primarily consumed as food, honey is highly regarded as a cosmetic ingredient. Cosmetic use Honey is added to cosmetics and personal care products as a humectant, a flavouring agent and…

This is the source of grapes. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, wine, grape seed extract, raisins, vinegar, and grape seed oil. Concentrated extracts prepared from whole grape seeds are reported to have a range of beneficial effects such as in wound healing, tooth decay, osteoporosis,…

Commonly known as vetiver, it is a perennial grass native to India. In western and northern India, it is popularly known as khus. Though it originates in India, vetiver is widely cultivated in the tropical regions of the world. The world’s major producers include Haiti, India, Java and Réunion. Unlike most grasses, which form horizontally…

Commonly called the golden root or rose root, the plant grows in the cold regions of the world. In Russia and Scandinavia, R. rosea has been used for centuries to cope with the cold Siberian climate and stressful life. The plant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. R. rosea extract is mainly used in the form of capsules,…

This is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. The nine species it contains are perennials native to the prairies and eastern United States, and are easily recognizable by their pink/purple daisy-like flowers with orange/brown centres. E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. pallida are species used medicinally and in cosmetics. Echinacea has been approved by…

Santalum album album (Santalaceae) Indian sandalwood is a medium-sized hemi-parasitic tree found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands. The Indian sandalwood is a threatened species. It is indigenous to South India, and grows in the Western Ghats and a few other mountain ranges like the Kalrayan and Shevaroy Hills. Sandalwood is…

Babchi is an important plant in the Indian Ayurveda and Siddha systems of medicine, and also Chinese medicine. The seeds of this plant contain a variety of coumarins including psoralen. The seeds have a variety of traditional medicinal uses. The seed and its essential oil are used as an anthelmintic and in the treatment of…

Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial native to tropical South Asia. No longer known in the wild state, it is cultivated extensively throughout the warmer parts of the world, especially in India and China. Turmeric has been used as both spice and medicine in traditional Indian medicine for over 2,500 years. Knowledge about its medicinal…

Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae) Commonly called tea tree it is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia. Tea tree oil, or melaleuca oil, is a pale yellow colour to nearly colourless and clear essential oil with a fresh camphoraceous odour taken from its leaves. Scientifically investigated only recently, it is attributed with antiviral, antibacterial,…