Plants selflessly sustain our existence, providing essential nutrition and the oxygen we need to survive. In addition, plant extracts further benefit the skin and body by providing a cornucopia of natural components that help us look and feel our best. Want to know what goes into your plant based skincare, the types of plant extracts, and what they can do for you? Then, we’ve got what you need to stay planted, healthy, and beautiful!

What Are Plant Extracts?
Plant extracts are active ingredients acquired from plants. They may be in powder, liquid, or soft form and may be water-soluble or oil-soluble. There are four different classes, including simple, standardized, purified, and quantitative extracts, that can be broken down into seemingly limitless types: component extracts, traditional Chinese medicine extracts, drug extracts, etc. There are more plant extracts than there are plants, as a single plant has many different parts that are beneficial for various purposes. Plant extracts may be from the roots, flowers, bark, the flesh of fruits, seeds, etc., which explains why the list of botanical extracts is so extensive.

Plant Extracts and Their Uses
Plant extracts have extensive widespread applications, with more uses discovered daily. So, rather than asking what are plant extracts used for, you might ask what they aren’t used for! Of course, nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and herbs from plants fulfill our nutritional purposes, feeding our bodies and minds. They can also flavor or sweeten our food, creating more tasty fare. In addition, plant extracts used in medicine date as far back as 3000BC when herbal medicine is recorded to begin in Ancient Chinese, Egyptian, and indigenous cultures. They continue to be used for their abilities to treat various health issues, disorders, and diseases. Scientists and researchers continue to study plant extracts to discover further applications for pharmaceutical drugs, herbal remedies, and supplements.

They have also been utilized for their natural pigments to color food, clothing, and cosmetics. For topical esthetic purposes, plant extracts for acne, irritation, and aging, along with botanical extracts for skin-lightening and other skin concerns, are readily applied today. Essential oils are another form of plant extract used for their aromatherapeutic properties. Despite the ongoing debate about which is better, plant extracts vs. essential oils, both offer valuable benefits for skin care, body care, and wellness. Certainly, higher amounts of plant extracts may be used as they are inclined to be gentler, whereas essential oils need to be diluted before applying to the skin.

Benefits of Plant Extracts
Many plant extracts deliver antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the specific advantage of plant extracts depends on properties unique to each plant component. The benefits of herbal extracts also depend on how they are taken or applied. Ingestion produces certain benefits, while topical uses may deliver others. As a clean beauty brand, we focus on how plant extracts can topically improve skin issues and discomfort head-to-toe while fostering well-being. For example, the topical benefits of marine plant extracts include detoxifying, preserving moisture, revitalizing circulation, soothing, and providing nutrient-rich minerals. Depending on the type, they promote smooth, supple, healthy, and tighter-looking skin. Plant extracts can also be inhaled to enhance mental wellness, with many essential oils to relieve stress and anxiety available, like Lavender Essential Oil, Grapefruit Peel Essential Oil, and Rose Essential Oil.

How Are Plant Extracts Made?
First, mother nature works her magic, providing us with a bounty of plants that possess abundant properties. Then, after the desired plants are selected and harvested, plant extracts are obtained. They are typically acquired through fermentation, pressing, or dissolving the desired raw components in a fluid that facilitates the extraction, then undergo a process of separation, refining and/or drying. The extraction method delineates one type of plant extract from another, with the various types of plant extracts used in skincare having multiple applications. Pevonia does things a little differently. With the soil, water, climate, growing time, and other raw materials involved in growing plants affecting the quality of plant extracts, we begin by being exceptionally selective about sourcing.

As a clean skincare company dedicated to providing effective, natural formulations, we search the planet for the best botanical extracts for skin that Mother Nature offers from the land and sea. We carefully choose only safe plant extracts from non-GMO, renewable sources that uphold important sustainability principles. Next, we harvest at peak potency, to ensure our formulas achieve their intended goal with maximum impact. So, what are the sources of plant extracts in our products? The sources vary according to which part of the planet has plants with bioactive capabilities and can include Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America (mainly Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), South America, and surrounding nutrient-rich oceans! But we don’t stop there. We take pride in meticulously extracting our plant extracts with biotechnology using the smallest amount of material to conserve natural resources. In place of solvents, we employ CO2 Extraction, which utilizes naturally sourced Carbon to produce 100% unadulterated phyto-extracts in their most natural form.

Forgive us for getting too “sciencey,” but this advanced method involves a specific temperature, pressure, and density, enabling precise selection of desired plant components, yielding the utmost potency and far better results. We adjust the pressure values to remove different plant extracts, ranging from water-soluble materials and essential oils to resins, waxes, and fatty acids. Once the extraction process is complete, we recycle and recompress the gas to be reused for future CO2 extraction.

There’s A Plant For That
For practically every skincare concern, there is a plant extract that can minimize your issue. One of the most frequently asked questions is, “What is the most potent form of extract for aging gracefully?” We don’t want to play favorites, but these exceptionally powerful plant extracts help set our innovative formulations apart:

Okra Seed Extract + Algae Extract: Our Escutox® Oligopeptides combine Hibiscus Esculentus (Okra Seed) L. Extract with Oligosaccharides and Squalane, an oil extracted from Spanish green olives to:

• Topically relax muscles that cause dynamic lines to form
• Be a natural-looking alternative to wrinkle-relaxing injectables
• Help soften and extend the results of neuromodulators

Chilean Boldo Tree Bark Extract: Also known as Diacetyl Boldine, we incorporate this antioxidant-rich extract throughout our Lumafirm® collection for its ability to:

• Naturally inhibit tyrosinase, the enzyme involved in pigment production
• Block related stress receptors to help control unwanted pigmentation and even skin tone
• Protect against free radical damage and dullness

Argan & Comfrey Root Stem Cells:These highly concentrated plant based protein extracts derived from the roots of Argan and Comfrey Plants are compatible with our skin, enabling their ability to signal cells in the epidermis and dermis to enhance their skin rejuvenating functions. In a league of their own, they do the following:

• Stimulate cell division, growth, and repair
• Protect our own stem cells from breaking down
• Help withstand radical damage (oxidative stress) and other inflammatory factors
• Prolong the lifespan of cells.

Plant Extracts For Sensitivity
Search “What plant extract is good for sensitive skin?” and you will find plenty you may already be familiar with, like Aloe, Chamomile, and Lavender, known to soothe temperamental complexions. But, you might be surprised to find a few extracts you haven’t tried before, like calming Allantoin, Azulene, Bisabolol, Calendula, Horse Chestnut, Linden, and Propolis in our Sensitive Skin Cleanser, Sensitive Skin Lotion, Soothing Propolis Concentrate, and Soothing Sensitive Skin Cream.

Soothing, antioxidant Licorice Root Extract reduces redness and irritation while moisturizing and helping even skin tone. It is also reported to inhibit antimicrobial proteins that trigger rosacea symptoms and be high in flavonoids found to strengthen blood vessels and connective tissues. Check out the RS2 Gentle Lotion, Concentrate, and Gentle Cream featuring this calming active – one of the best ingredients for rosacea!

Do you have redness and irritation, along with other concerns? You can expand your skincare options with these soothing plant extracts and the natural skin care products that contain them:

• Arnica soothes and provides a skin-repairing vasoactive action that promotes youthful-looking skin. It can be found in the CleanRefresh™ Foaming Oil Cleanser,  Balancing Combination Skin Cream, Rapid-Restore Neck & Chest Serum and Cream, Marine Collagen Cream, Firming Marine Elastin Cream, Bright Skin Green Apple Mask, and SpaTeen® Blemished Cleanser and Moisturizer also helps address dryness, t-zone shine, signs of aging, uneven skin tone, and breakouts, respectively.
• Ginkgo Biloba also reduces puffiness and neutralizes free radicals, making it a superb complement to anyone’s natural skin care regimen. It is available in the C Evolutive Eye Gel, Soothing After Shaving Balm, and Enzymo Spherides Peeling Cream.
• Cucumber + Elder in our Eye Make-Up Remover helps keep the eye area moisturized, calm, and refreshed.
• Sage in our family-friendly Phyto-Gel Cleanser can benefit all skin types and ages with its ability to decrease dirt and oil buildup, purifying and minimizing the appearance of pores while promoting skin repair.

Plant Extracts for Acne
Those who think that harsh chemicals are the only way to treat acne may be pleasantly surprised at how many new plant based effective skincare ingredients there are today, featured in our New ProCorrective® Clear-Control Line. Salicylic Acid from Willow Bark, Wintergreen, and Sweet Birch Leaves is a front-runner for its ability to penetrate deeply into the follicle to minimize pore clogging and help inhibit bacteria growth. When paired with Jojoba Beads and Caviar Lime, these actives exfoliate pore-clogging dead skin cells, softening and smoothing skin texture without irritation.

Niacinamide from various nuts helps improve breakouts by boosting circulation, metabolism, and oxygenation, while also moisturizing and minimizing redness, irritation, and post-acne discoloration. Tea Tree is a natural antiseptic plant extract that helps to curb bacterial growth. Calendula, Chamomile, and Cucumber, the three Cs of skincare, soothe, repair, and calm without irritation and redness, perhaps nature’s intuition that keeping skin calm is vital for resolving acne-prone issues!

More Plant Power
Here are some additional examples of plant extracts in Pevonia skin care that are the cornerstone of every clean living skincare routine:

• Our Sulfate Free foaming cleansers contain cleansing agents naturally derived from plants, including Coconut, Corn, Oats, Apples, and Saponaria Roots. (All non-GMO, of course!)
• Natural face moisturizer and body moisturizer formula utilize oil-soluble plant extracts from Green Spanish Olives, Jojoba, Safflower and Sunflower Seeds, Nuts (Macadamia and Almonds), and other seeds and vegetables, etc.
• Herbal extracts from the flowers, leaves, stems, or roots of Burdock, Cornflower, Ivy, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Thyme, Portulaca Oleracea, and Vetiver round out our plant extract garden.
• Aloe Vera, Cucumber, Carrot, Green Coffee Beans, Green Tea, and Sorghum Extracts commonly found in foods and beverages have earned their place at the Pevonia table.
• Additional floral extracts from Jasmine, Jonquil, and French Rose infuse many Pevonia products with de-stressing and rejuvenating aromas.
• The ocean provides Algae, Seaweed, Kelp, Bladderwrack, Sea Whip, and other marine plant extracts throughout our range.

Want to maximize results for your healthiest skin ever? Boost skin health with an in-depth consultation for your ideal products and professional treatments. Visit Find A Spa for an oasis near you offering Pevonia and check out the Lumafirm® Lift & Glow Facial Treatment w/Escutox®, Luminous “C” & “Sea”® Mask Treatment, or the vegan friendly Anti-Free Radicals Mask Treatment.