The ancient legend tells that, when little Buddah started walking, a magnificent lotus flower was born in the ground from every step he took. Lotus flowers grew everywhere, and the more muddy the ground was, almost inhospitable to other flowers, the more the lotus flower took root and showed itself in all its splendor. Thus it was that the lotus flower became, and still is, a sacred flower, a symbol of beauty and purity, capable of developing even where mud and turbidity prevail, an emblem of strength even in the midst of adversity. But this strength of the lotus flower is not just belief. This plant, in fact, is a marvel of properties that we can use to take care of our beauty. So, let's be enveloped in the mystery and charm of ancient legends, capable of instilling magic, and see what the lotus flower can do for our skin and how we can take advantage of its beneficial effects.
Lotus flower, beauty properties
The root of the lotus flower is used to prepare decoctions with proven and powerful antioxidant properties, therefore useful in counteracting the aging processes involving the whole organism and the skin, and hepatoprotective effects, therefore capable to improve the well-being of the body, digestion and to give greater luminosity to the skin (Du et al, J Biomed Sci, 2010). Not only that, the antioxidants contained in the lotus root have been shown to counteract skin inflammation and damage caused by UV rays, by inhibiting the action of the collagenase enzyme, responsible for the degradation of collagen. As a result, the root of the lotus flower helps keep the skin fresh, young and supple, helping to reduce the damage of photoaging, wrinkles, blemishes and dehydration (Iwamoto et al, Cytotechnology, 2022).
Lotus flowers, applications and cosmetics
Let's see how you can take advantage of the detoxifying, illuminating and anti-aging benefits of the lotus flower. Get the root of the lotus flower, it can be found in herbalist's and specialized shops. Bring a liter of water to a boil along with a tablespoon of lotus flower root. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it rest for ten minutes. Filter, apply a spoonful of this preparation to your face and pour the rest into the tub full of warm water, then immerse yourself for 15 minutes. Then rinse off with the shower jet and, after drying off, you can continue your beauty pampering by applying a body oil, such as sweet almond oil, and a serum oil on your face, prepared, for example, with Argan. And if you want to get a cosmetic with an even more powerful anti-aging action, you can combine green tea with the lotus flower. In fact, studies have shown that the union of these two ingredients creates a synergy that maximizes the anti-aging effects, leaving the skin softer, smoother and with fewer wrinkles (Mahmood et al, Rejuvenation Res, 2013). To combine the anti-aging benefits of green tea, you can do this. When preparing the decoction we have just seen, after you have removed the saucepan from the heat and after waiting a couple of minutes, add 2 tablespoons of green tea as well. Then continue as already indicated, letting the preparation rest for about ten minutes and then filtering the herbal tea, which you can apply to your face and pour into the tub. The herbal tea prepared in this way can also be drunk, a cup once or twice a week to stimulate the purifying and hepatoprotective processes.
