Ingredient Spotlight: Our African Botanicals

October 25, 2019

At Verité Spa, we think it’s vital that you know what goes into your skincare. That’s why we list all of our ingredients for every product, and why we spend so long researching which are the best natural, safe and effective ones to use in our products!

This month, I'd like to share some of my favourites with you and explain why they’re such an important part of your skin and body care regime. There are so many beautiful ingredients to choose from that it was hard to narrow down the list – so I decided to concentrate on three that are a pretty much core ingredients in almost all of our products and come from my beautiful homeland of Africa.

Rooibos (Aspalathus Linearis)
Rooibos is a legume that is native to South Africa and mainly grows in the mountains of the Western Cape province. Well-known as a fragrant, low-caffeine alternative to black tea.

We love to use Rooibos in almost all of our skincare products,  because of the numerous amazing benefits it provides.
Rooibos is packed with flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidant phytonutrients. They are responsible for Rooibos’s anti-ageing and protective qualities, neutralising the damage caused by free radicals and other stresses created by our environment. That’s why we include it in our Rose Balancing and Hydrating Facial Tonic and our Renewing Face Serum

These flavonoids are also excellent at helping to treat and prevent acne and eczema, which makes Rooibos a perfect ingredient for our popular Eczema Balm and Skin Solutions Cleansing Face Wash.

It doesn’t stop there – Rooibos is also rich in vitamin D and zinc, which are both known to promote and maintain healthy skin. With antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties, Rooibos can help to treat and prevent bacterial skin infections, relieve allergies, and soothe inflamed skin.
Recent studies into Rooibos’s unique properties have suggested that it may play a key role in repairing the UV damage that leads to skin cancer. Another great reason why we use it in our Rosehip daily Moisturiser!

Marula (Sclerocarya Birrea)
A native of South Africa, the Marula Fruit tree was once considered sacred and was often associated with fertility and happy marriage. Many parts of it are used in traditional African food and medicine.

The Marula oil used in skincare is derived from the kernel of the Marula fruit. At Verite Spa, we like to use 100% organic cold-pressed oils. The cold-pressing process preserves all of the oil’s therapeutic qualities because there is no heat to damage the oil or create chemical changes within it.

Marula oil is rich in amino acids L-arginine and glutamic acid, which are both hydrating and anti-ageing. It is also packed with antioxidants like vitamins E and C that work to repair environmental skin damage. That’s why we include Marula in restorative products like our Absolute Rose Serum.

Marula is also rich in protein and fatty acids such as oleic acid, which suits all skin types and doesn’t clog pores. Because it is so light and easily absorbed deep into the skin, Marula oil is very hydrating, making it the ideal choice for Verite’s Pregnancy & Stretch Marks Nourishing Belly Oil and Luxury Lip Conditioner.

Because it has antimicrobial properties and a high concentration of soothing linoleic acid, Marula oil may help to prevent and treat skin disorders like psoriasis, eczema and acne.

Baobab (Adansonia Digitata)
The Baobab is known as the “tree of life” because of its ability to store water in its trunk and live for over a thousand years in arid conditions. Baobab oil is created by removing the seeds from the fruit of the tree and letting them air dry in the hot African sun, before cold pressing them to preserve the active components and filtering the oil to remove impurities.

Like the other African botanicals, Baobab is rich in antioxidants. In fact, it’s extremely high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is greater than even that of goji berries or matcha, meaning it’s excellent for protecting your skin from environmental damage.

Baobab contains Vitamins A and B which firm, tighten and hydrate your skin. It also has an incredibly high Vitamin C content (six times that of an orange), which helps to boost collagen production and improve skin elasticity, making it the star of our Kiwifruit Seed & Baobab Probiotic Eye & Lip Serum. We also add it to our Luxe Body Butters to ensure that your skin stays hydrated and protected.
The oleic and linoleic acid contained in Baobab oil helps to decongest the pores of your skin and balance sebum production, so it’s a good skincare option if you suffer from acne. The natural anti-inflammatory properties of linoleic acid also help to calm skin problems like redness, itchiness and eczema.

These beautiful African botanicals are just a few of the many natural, cruelty-free, organic ingredients we use in our skin and body care ranges.

If you’d like to know more about how we choose what goes into our products (and what doesn’t!), check out our ingredient information page.

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