HERB APPEAL
Also delivering big on botanical nutrient goodness is Skinceuticals Phyto Corrective Masque, £72. It contains herbal powerhouse thyme, which has both antibacterial and antifungal benefits (the reason it’s also great in a handwash, such as Melior Eco Hand Wash Hero in Lemongrass & Thyme, £14.95). In the gel-texture mask, thyme is combined with cucumber, olive and mulberry extract, alongside a dipeptide that cools the skin. Together, they help treat temporary redness that occurs owing to anything from a sensitive skin condition or laser treatment to exercise, sun exposure or even too hot a bath.
A positive embarrassment of herbs, meanwhile, has been poured into
Decorté’s new Herbal Concentrate collection; a three-strong line that targets oily, shiny skin and enlarged pores, while simultaneously addressing dryness. The first step in the trio is the
Clay Blanc Facial Wash, £25, a dense and creamy foaming cleanser that uses sage and mint alongside amino acids to thoroughly cleanse the skin. Then the essence-like Prime Latte, from £37, balances sebum production and tackles texture thanks to sage and lavender combined with avocado and jojoba oils.
Both are complemented by the rosemary, sage and lavender-infused Vita de Rêve Soothing & Balancing
Lotion, from £37, a lightweight formula that hydrates without blocking pores.
And this isn’t the only place we’re seeing rosemary. Its oil is having a big moment thanks, partly, to going viral on Tiktok as an ingredient purported to help hair growth. While Dr Howes says more research is needed to support this particular claim, there is no doubt about some of the very real benefits of the herb. ‘Lab studies show rosemary has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and also antimicrobial properties,’ she says. For the skin, scalp and hair, this translates to ‘keeping them healthy; keeping the scalp from flaking, and reducing skin breakouts’, explains consultant dermatologist and nutritionist Dr Thivi Maruthappu.
For Erim Kaur, founder of Byerim and trichologist-in-training, rosemary was a key ingredient in helping her own scalp and hair back to health after suffering from alopecia. ‘I’ve been using rosemary oil since I was 14, inspired by my grandmother’s traditional remedies,’ she says. ‘I found that, since the chemicals in rosemary oil aid cell turnover, it helped me with several patches of hair loss.’ Ultimately, this led to Erim formulating her Luxury Hair and Beard Oil, £40, in which rosemary is blended with lavender, castor, almond and argan oils, as well as bergamot, which increases the other oils’ performance. The results are a nourished scalp, which helps stimulate healthy hair growth, and lashings of gloss.