Wild, stinging, “inhospitable” nettle often causes not very pleasant emotions among tourists and gardeners - for the former it is a hindrance on picturesque forest routes, for the latter it is a dangerous weed that threatens to cause a serious burn in their own dacha.
However, from time immemorial, it was nettle that was endowed with not only unique healing, but also magical properties: for example, with its help, in the fairy tale “Wild Swans,” beloved from childhood, Princess Eliza managed to break the spell of her evil stepmother.
And in folk medicine, nettle has become almost a panacea for many serious diseases - from sore throat and radiculitis to all kinds of “female” diseases. And how nice it is to steam in a Russian bathhouse in the winter cold with fragrant brooms made of dried nettles!
And for female beauty, the treasury of folk wisdom has preserved many effective recipes that help get rid of premature wrinkles, acne and other facial skin problems, and preserve its freshness and youth for a long time.
And today we will tell you about the use of nettle in cosmetology, share the best folk recipes for nettle decoctions, lotions and face masks, and also offer several ways to prepare a medicinal plant for the winter and treat skin during winter vitamin deficiency.
Benefits of nettle for the face
The causticity and “hotness” of the herb is due to the presence of acetylcholine, formic acid and histamine in the composition. These same substances are mainly “responsible” for its basic beneficial properties, which are in demand in cosmetology. When heated, they break down into individual compounds, including water and carbon dioxide. The first intensively moisturizes tissues at the cellular level, the second gives a powerful cleansing effect, “pushing out” excess secretions of the sebaceous glands from the pores on the face, helping to get rid of toxins and unaesthetic oily shine on the face.
Nettle is not only an annoying weed, but also a very popular medicinal herb in folk medicine and home cosmetology.
In addition, nettle is very rich in vitamins and other substances that have a complex positive effect on the skin:
- A (necessary for the regeneration of microdamages at the cellular level, gives an antiseptic effect).
- C (stimulates the synthesis of collagen and elastin fibers, activates blood circulation in capillaries and strengthens their walls).
- E (participates in tissue regeneration, helps retain moisture in cells).
- K (restores an even, healthy complexion, helps get rid of hyperpigmentation, redness, rosacea, dark circles under the eyes).
- B vitamins (give a comprehensive effect of healing and rejuvenating facial skin).
- Tannins and tannins (have an antiseptic effect, fight redness, irritation and inflammation, soothe the skin, even out its relief).
- Flavonoids (provide protection from the effects of adverse environmental factors, have a positive effect on local immunity).
- Organic acids (slow down the aging process, significantly reduce wrinkles).
- Vikasol (natural “whitener” for facial skin, fights swelling, inflammation and acne).
Accordingly, nettle for facial skin is a very broad-spectrum remedy. The main effect depends on the presence of additional ingredients. For example, cosmetic clay and citrus extracts help cleanse and slightly whiten the skin, chamomile and aloe help soothe it and get rid of irritations on the face.
Important! According to reviews, nettle is also useful for eyelashes and hair, and not just for facial skin. Hair loss is noticeably reduced and condition improves, hair follicles are strengthened.
Beneficial features
This herb grows everywhere, so it is not surprising that nettle is actively used to prepare homemade cosmetics. Its healing effect on hair has long been noted. According to the proverb, this healing herb can replace seven doctors.
The plant is a storehouse of microelements (manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, barium), vitamins, organic acids (ascorbic, formic, pantothenic). Also contains flavonoids, carotenoids, nicotine, chlorophyll, histamine, coumarins, iron salts and tannins. The latter are needed to cover hair scales, soothe the scalp, and make hair more manageable.
On a note! The healing properties of the herb are associated with the vitamin K content in it.
After using the nettle mask:
- dandruff will disappear;
- hair follicles will become stronger;
- hair will become less oily;
- the hair will gain shine;
- hair regeneration will improve.
Miracle herb also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and soothes it. If you use nettle compositions correctly and regularly, they can even cure eczema and baldness.
Nettle masks successfully “hide” split ends, hair becomes softer and thicker, and stops breaking. The healing plant helps to effectively fight gray hair.
If the strands have become dull and lifeless, do not shine, are poorly styled, or, best of all, fall out, it’s time to turn to “grandmother’s medicine cabinet” for help, namely, nettle-based products.
The use of nettle in cosmetology
The fact that nettle is very rich in vitamins, macro- and microelements could not go unnoticed. Now many companies have special lines of “phytoproducts”, and the extract of this plant is often found in their composition. Nettle in facial cosmetology is a means of cleansing, as well as products that combat problematic, oily skin.
Important! On packaging of foreign-made cosmetics, the presence of the corresponding ingredient in the composition is indicated in Latin (urticae) or English (nettle).
Nettle hydrolate for face can be used as a cleanser or toner.
In what form can it be used?
Homemade nettle facial cosmetics offer a very wide range of products. Their manufacture does not require any special equipment or special skills.
Nettle decoction for the face
The most universal homemade cosmetic product is considered to be a nettle decoction for the face. It is better to take fresh leaves rather than dried ones; they contain a higher concentration of substances necessary for the skin. The decoction can not only be used for washing in the morning and evening, but also used to prepare other facial products - masks, creams, tonics.
Nettle decoction for facial skin problems can be used not only externally, but also drunk
To prepare the decoction, 100 g fresh or 3-4 tbsp. l. dry leaves are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and kept in a water bath for about half an hour. The finished product is cooled to room temperature and filtered before use.
Important! Daily washing with nettle decoction helps against acne and is generally beneficial for oily facial skin. It reduces sebum production, fights oily sheen, and clears rashes, redness, and inflammation.
Infusion
An infusion of fresh leaves for the face is slightly healthier than a decoction due to the fact that it is less subject to heat treatment. It is very simple to prepare - pour 100 g of fresh or 30-40 g of dry leaves with 300 ml of boiling water, seal it hermetically if possible, and leave for an hour. Strain the finished product.
Then the infusion can be used for washing and lotions. It, like the decoction, is very useful for oily skin. This product also effectively “slows down” the aging process of aging skin, deeply moisturizes and nourishes it.
You can prepare homemade face creams using nettle infusion.
Tincture
Alcohol tincture of nettle - ready-made facial lotion. It is very simple to prepare - a glass of finely chopped or crushed fresh leaves in a blender, pour 1 liter of vodka and put the container in a dark, cool place for 20-25 days. Once every 2-3 days, its contents must be shaken. The finished product is filtered and stored in the refrigerator.
Leaf tincture is suitable for daily use. It is an effective antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and sebaceous. The tincture returns even color and a natural healthy glow to fading, dull facial skin.
Alcohol tincture of nettle can severely burn sensitive and thin facial skin.
Nettle oil
This oil is a good alternative to night face cream. To prepare it, 50 g of dried leaves in a dark glass container are poured with 200 ml of high-quality olive oil heated to body temperature (it can be replaced with any other oil used in cosmetology as a base oil). The container is closed, shaken vigorously several times and stored in a cool, dark place for two weeks.
Important! The finished facial product should be filtered and used within a month. Store it at room temperature, in the same dark glass container.
Nettle for the face can be infused with almond, peach oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, and so on.
If you apply nettle oil to the skin daily in the evenings in moderate quantities, you will soon notice noticeably reduced wrinkles and a tightened face shape. It also effectively copes with comedones and acne.
Juice
Nettle juice is the most concentrated and potent home remedy for the face. Use it with extreme caution so as not to burn the skin. It is obtained by grinding fresh leaves in a blender and then squeezing the resulting pulp through cheesecloth. Nettle juice is effective against pimples, acne, and facial acne. It is stored in the refrigerator for two weeks.
The “shelf life” of nettle juice is relatively short, then its benefits for the face are mostly lost
Compress
Compresses - gauze and fabric napkins soaked in decoction or infusion. Such “masks” are useful for smoothing wrinkles, nourishing and moisturizing the skin. You can also use the gruel left after straining the decoction or infusion. It is applied precisely to problem areas - acne, pimples, freckles, age spots, post-acne, comedones.
Nettle compresses provide a comprehensive healing effect for facial skin
Nettle ice for face
To prepare cosmetic ice for the face, the strained decoction or infusion is poured into molds and placed in the freezer. You can add other medicinal herbs to it that suit your facial skin type.
Ready-made ice cubes are a fast-acting tonic. Use them in the morning, rubbing the skin. As a result, healthy color and blush are restored, small wrinkles are smoothed out, swelling disappears, and the oval of the face is slightly tightened.
The positive effect of using cosmetic ice with nettle for the face is due to the activation of local blood circulation
Nettle face mask recipes
Masks are made from both dry and fresh nettles. The effect that the facial product has depends on the additional ingredients:
- Rejuvenating with milk. Grind a tablespoon of fresh nettle leaves and a teaspoon of flax seeds in a blender. Pour everything over a glass of hot milk and bring it to the consistency of thick cream in a water bath.
- Nourishing with honey. Grind a teaspoon of fresh nettle and spinach leaves, add the same amount of oatmeal, freshly squeezed carrot juice and liquid honey heated to body temperature. Mix everything thoroughly.
- Cleansing with egg white. Dilute white or blue cosmetic clay with nettle infusion to the consistency of a homogeneous thick paste, add beaten egg white and a couple of drops of essential oil of lavender, tea tree, and mint.
- Calming with chamomile. A decoction of nettles and flowers, taken in approximately equal proportions (2-3 tablespoons), is mixed with a tablespoon of homemade cottage cheese and the same volume of fresh aloe juice.
- Moisturizing and refreshing with egg yolk and cream. A tablespoon of crushed leaves is poured with the same volume of heavy cream, and beaten egg yolk is added.
To enhance the effect, nettle in face masks can be mixed with other herbs that help solve a particular skin problem.
Real review of the nettle and orange juice mask
Adolescence is long gone, I already have two children, but sometimes looking at my reflection in the mirror I still see a schoolgirl with pimples and acne on her face. Periodically they disappear, but then appear again.
I tried to use special cosmetics from different companies, but I did not notice any improvements, in some cases there were even worsening. I finally decided to try a natural nettle remedy, a homemade face mask. All I needed was found on the lawn of the dacha - nettle itself, plantain leaves and in the refrigerator - an orange (I read in a book that it gives an additional positive effect for acne-prone skin).
The process of preparing the mask did not take me long - it only took 5 minutes. I washed and chopped the nettles and plantain, put them in a blender cup, then squeezed the juice from the orange into it. I crushed everything thoroughly to a thick paste. Then I applied it to my face for about 10 minutes, the feeling was pleasant, I didn’t feel any burning, although I thought that nettle would have such an effect. I washed off the mask with cool water.
After use, the skin feels very soft and smooth, the inflammation on the pimples has decreased, I am happy with the result, I will continue to use this mask several times a week.
PS It is better to collect nettles with gloves)
In addition, herbs such as:
- Chamomile;
- Calendula;
- Agave (or aloe);
- St. John's wort;
- Sage leaves.
To prepare a mask, crushed leaves of medicinal plants can be added to the basic nettle recipe in equal parts (however, combining more than 3 components is not recommended). For viscosity, you can add a teaspoon of honey to the mask.
Expert opinion
Useful advice from the editor
We talked more about the benefits of agave in home cosmetology in our exclusive review of homemade face masks with aloe
Rules of application
In order for facial cosmetics with nettle to bring the desired effect, they must be applied to cleansed skin. If this is a mask, you need to not only wash your face, but also use a scrub, facial peeling, and steam the skin.
The product is selected taking into account the type of facial skin, its needs and age. If dry skin requires intensive nutrition, the same mask on oily and problematic skin will most likely only aggravate the situation.
Regularity is equally important. The effect of such home remedies for the face is cumulative; it appears gradually, over about a month. But you can’t go overboard, increasing the concentration of nettle in homemade facial cosmetics.
Important! You can purchase nettles in a pharmacy in dry form or collect fresh leaves yourself. Young nettles – May and June – are richest in substances beneficial for the face.
Face cleaning
To cleanse the face, an alcohol tincture is used as a lotion. If your skin is oily, this product can be used daily, morning and evening, for 2-3 months until the desired effect is achieved. First you need to wash your face thoroughly with a product suitable for your skin type.
Important! When your face suffers from dryness, alcohol tincture can burn your skin. In this case, the product is diluted with water 2-3 times and wiped over the face once a day, in the evening.
For acne
Nettle for the face against acne is used comprehensively. Every 3-4 days, apply cleansing masks based on this plant. For individual pimples and blackheads, the juice is used precisely. It is applied with a cotton swab for a maximum of 2-5 minutes, then washed off with water. For thin or sensitive facial skin, use nettle juice diluted with water 1:1.
Additionally, this decoction or infusion is taken orally. Drink about a liter during the day in 3-4 doses 30-45 minutes before meals. The product provides the body with a comprehensive “cleaning”, helps in the fight against acne, and after using nettle, acne becomes noticeably smaller.
For wrinkles
To get rid of small and more noticeable wrinkles, daily washing with nettle decoction or its infusion, or using them instead of a facial tonic, is useful. An effective “express remedy” for aging skin is cosmetic ice. Rub the cubes over the face in the morning, following the direction of the massage lines.
Once every 3-4 days, rejuvenating masks are made; you can alternate them with compresses, placing a cloth napkin soaked in a decoction or infusion of nettles on your face. Keep this compress on your face for 30-40 minutes.
For dry skin
Daily washing with nettle infusion or decoction will provide dry facial skin with the necessary care. For a comprehensive effect, moisturizing and nourishing masks are used - once every 5-7 days is enough.
Dry facial skin, as a rule, is characterized by increased sensitivity and a tendency to irritation, so you need to use products with nettle very carefully, be sure to test them first. If your facial skin reacts negatively, you can try reducing the concentration of nettle by 1.5-2 times.
For oily skin
If your facial skin tends to be oily, daily washing with a decoction or infusion of nettle is also recommended. Pimples, blackheads, and foci of inflammation that appear on the face are spot-applied with nettle juice or squeezed out gruel left over after preparing decoctions and infusions. The “therapy” is complemented by cleansing masks with nettles for the face. They are applied every 3-4 days.
Store-bought cosmetics
Many cosmetic brands proudly present a series of nettle-based products. We invite you to get acquainted with the two most popular and accessible ones.
Firming from Phytocosmetics
This excellent summer mask will quickly moisturize dry hair. Sold in 155 ml packaging, that is, in a tiny bucket slightly larger than a box of matches.
Your hair will look better after the first use. Your hair will shine, and your hair will no longer be spoiled by protruding “antennas.”
For the mask to show excellent results, you can use it quite often, for example, every second wash.
"Nettle" from
The composition of the product cannot be called one hundred percent natural. At least two items listed on the label have a low environmental performance. However, there are many plant components, and the product has a beneficial effect on the hair.
According to reviews, the mask did not help completely get rid of split ends, but with its help it is quite possible to “hide” them, they became less frizzy. My hair began to comb better, and its manageability made styling easier.
The mask is offered to consumers in both mini and full versions.
Restrictions and contraindications
Due to the “hotness” of nettle, any folk remedies for the face can provoke an allergic reaction. To prevent this from happening, they must be tested first by applying a little to the inner crease of the elbow or wrist. If no unpleasant symptoms (burning, rash, itching, redness) appear within 30-40 minutes, the nettle product can be safely used on the face.
An allergic reaction to homemade facial cosmetics with nettle is a fairly common occurrence.
In addition to individual intolerance, caution should be exercised when using cosmetics with nettle on thin, sensitive and couperose-prone facial skin. If, after application, the cosmetic product causes a burning sensation or redness, you can try to reduce the concentration of nettle, apply it in a very thin layer, for a shorter period of time, or locally, only on problem areas. When a negative reaction persists, it is better to abandon homemade cosmetics with nettle.
