3 Skin Benefits That Prove Echinacea Does So Much More Than Fight A Cold

If you’ve heard of echinacea (pronounced eck-in-ay-sha), it’s most likely in the context of the common cold. The herbaceous flower, also known as purple coneflower, has been used for thousands of years in Native American medicine. In fact, a recent review of a dozen echinacea studies shows it can slightly shorten the length and severity of a cold. But did you know that the benefits of echinacea go beyond your immune system?

The same healing and protective properties that make echinacea a medicinal go-to also make it a powerhouse for your skin—and skincare brands are taking note. New formulas of moisturizers, serums, even toners (like the HEY HONEY Tone It Up! Propolis & Echinacea Herbal Toner, which uses echinacea purpurea extract) feature echinacea. But before you add one of these echinacea-infused products to your daily routine, keep reading to learn all about the echinacea benefits for your skin.

It’s no surprise that a healing flower like echinacea would be loaded with antioxidants. Antioxidants are, after all, the secret weapon behind most healing superfoods. For your skin, antioxidants (more specifically the flavonoids, cichoric acid, and rosmarinic acid in echinacea), are just as protective. 

On a daily basis, our skin is under attack from things like UV rays and pollution. All these external aggressors create damaging free radicals. “Free radicals are highly destructive molecules that can wreak havoc on your skin,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, an NYC-based dermatologist. “They are unstable and in search of a missing electron. When free radicals steal an electron from other molecules, it leaves them unstable.”

Even though free radicals sound like a crazy sci-fi movie, the damage is very real, and it’s happening in your skin every day. Over time, this damage shows up as increased fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and dullness. But the good news is, antioxidant-rich ingredients, like echinacea extract, are proven to protect your skin from free radicals. “Antioxidants pair with free radical scavengers in search of a missing electron,” says Dr. Engelman. “They neutralize the damage a free radical could do if it were to pair with an electron from a skin protein instead.”

Fact: breakouts of any kind are a bummer. Also a fact: sometimes the methods we take to nix pimples, like harsh acids and peels, can do more harm than good. If you notice irritation or dryness with your typical anti-acne approach, it might be time to switch to something gentler.

Echinacea is a much gentler option to keep your skin clear. That’s because its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties are paired with deeply nourishing benefits (more on those below). Basically, it has the power to kill bad bacteria that breaks you out and keep any existing breakouts calm without drying you out. One study found that echinacea’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties work together to slow the growth of Propionibacterium, a common acne culprit. The anti-inflammatory echinacea benefit is especially great for deep cystic breakouts, which tend to be red and painful.

Unlike traditional moisturizing ingredients like oils, butters, and humectants, which nourish your skin from the outside in, echinacea actually nourishes from the inside out. Studies show echinacea boosts your skin’s own moisturizing properties by increasing levels of epidermal lipids, ceramides, and cholesterol. Combined, these benefits keep your skin’s protective outer layer strong, meaning less moisture is able to escape over time. But that’s not all. This boost in hydration can also lead to a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.

Echinacea is proof that gentle, plant-based ingredients can also pack a major skincare punch. So add it into your daily skincare routine to get all the echinacea benefits listed above. Your skin will thank you.

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