Presentation of J. M., from class IA

Herbs have been used to increase human beauty for ever. Cosmetic herbs used to be the most important cosmetic for women, but nowadays they are also the main component of beauty care.

There are four groups of these herbs: - Skin care - Hair care - Dental care - Natural colours The most connected with cosmetic are herbs from the first group, and they are topic of this presentation.

The main function of cosmetic herbs is to purify skin and eliminate skin pollutions. Some of herbs can be used to obtain healthy skin and glowing complexion. On next pages there are descriptions of three important in cosmetic herbs.

Marigold is a very popular plant in the area of Mediterranean Sea, also in Central Europe. It is quite small (whole plant has only fifteen to twenty centimeters). Marigold is annual plant, but there are some species which are perennial plant. It has inflorescences, and the flowers are collected into capitulum. It is quite small and gold. The leaves are single, long and a bit elliptic. Usually they are green or yellow.

Gold inflorescences are the only part used in cosmetic industry. Substances extracted from this flowers are used in skin creams and skin tonic. Lots of people with skin problems use creams which contain marigold’s substances. Also some people drink decoction from marigold, and it makes complexion better. In Poland there are two species of marigold, but only one of them is here as natural – native plant.

Everyone knows carrot as a vegetable used in kitchen, but not many people know that it is also used in cosmetic. Carrot is very popular in whole world specially in Europe and North America. These plants are quite small, but the biggest element – root can have even twenty centimeters. Leaves are pinnate and lance-shaped. Flowers are collected into inflorescences – cluster and usually they are white. Carrot is a biennial plant.

Everyone knows that in the kitchen carrot’s root is used very often, but other parts can be used outside kitchen. People use carrot’s seeds to get oil, and then make creams, especially skin creams. They make skin smooth. Also drinking juice from carrot’s root is very good for complexion, because it makes that skin looks better, healthier. It is also good for eyes. Carrots are native plants in Poland growing in forests. However many people have them on fields, or in gardens.

Ficus Benjamin is a very big tree – it can have even thirty meters, in natural environment can be found in Asia and Australia. As I said Benjamin is big tree. It has long, delicate branches. Leaves of this tree are small and elliptic. Usually they are green, or green with white circuit. Very often people keep Benjamins at home as a pot plant, but after few years it’s impossible because of size.

Benjamin is enormous tree, but people use the smallest element of the plant - seed. The substances collected from seeds are used to make suntan oils and suntan lotions. Why we have to use these creams is obvious, but not everybody knows that these substances are important in creams because seeds are adapted to survive high temperature and too much sun. In Poland Benjamins can be found only in gardens.

…and some other websites.