What Are Australian Native Botanicals

Australian Native Botanicals represent a new and growing craze in skincare, from their inclusion in brightening serums to their addition to body scrubs, peels, and lotions. While, according to the blog post entitled “7 Australian native botanicals to incorporate into your skin, body and hair care” by Biome, “Indigenous Australians have been using [these] native plants to soothe skin, hair and ailments for centuries,” the antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of Australian Native Botanicals have just begun to break into other markets -- like the sexual wellness, skincare, and internal medicine markets -- including across their native country and throughout the US. Recent research into certain Australian Native Botanicals -- especially lemon aspen and Davidson plum -- has demonstrated the plants’ ability to fight cancer cells, prevent some cancers, and relieve symptoms caused by inflammation and hormonal changes within the human body.

The Davidson plum is a flowering and fruit-bearing plant native to Australia that has high antioxidant concentrations. Though not the sexiest-looking fruit in the world, the Davidson Plum offers a number of essential skincare and sexual health aids. The plum has been used in a multitude of ways in the past: from skincare to supplements, and even as a tasty treat! According to an article for the Health Benefits Times detailing the fruit’s characteristics, the Davidson plum offers “a high amount of anthocyanins which is an antioxidant higher in comparison to the blueberry.” The antioxidants in the Davidson plum can reduce skin redness, slow the ageing of skin, and diminish troublesome spots no matter which part of your skin you are hoping to treat -- high or low (you know what we mean…).

A plant frequently found in the rainforests in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia, Lemon Aspen offers many similar effects to the Davidson Plum, including a natural sunscreen! Elma Skincare touts the Lemon Aspen’s fruit for its “cosmetic properties and its extract…[for] skincare and repair.” According to the company, the Lemon Aspen is unique for its high concentration of antioxidants, which is “higher...than most normal varieties [and] is more potent than a blueberry.” According to Native Extract’s description of their Lemon Aspen Cellular Extract, Lemon Aspen has been included in skin and hair care products because it can condition and repair hair, reduce inflammation, brighten skin and reduce hyper-pigmentation, offer collagen support, and increase the internal moisture of both hair and skin.

Lilly Pilly, a "Native Wonderfruit for Glowing Skin"

With their shockingly pink fruit and creamy white flowers, Lilly Pilly plants have always been treasured for their beauty, but the fruit has recently become popular for its many skincare-supportive ingredients rather than its attractive appearance. The article “Native Wonderfruit for Glowing Skin” by Retreatment Organics explains public interest in the Lilly Pilly for skincare, noting that “Lilly Pilly has good astringent properties that improve firmness of the skin, while its high vitamin C and fruit acid content have great anti-ageing effects to keep skin looking radiant and youthful.” It is also a “natural source of gentle AHA…[which] remove superficial layers of dehydrated skin cells, promot[ing] new cell regeneration...helping with the appearance of acne scars and can assist[ing] with preventing future breakouts.”

Lastly -- although there are many additional Australian Native Botanicals effective in skin and sexual healthcare not mentioned in this article -- the Tasmanian Pepper Berry offers effective protection against damage from many different sources. According to the article “These are the natural ingredients that will keep your skin looking flawless all winter” for Vogue, the Tasmanian Pepper Berry -- the only botanical in this list that is not native to mainland Australia -- “protects the skin from UV damage” The Tasmanian Pepper Berry also offers similar anti-inflammatory “and anti-fungal” aid to that of the Lemon Aspen, Lilly Pilly, and Davidson Plum, “making it an effective treatment for acne and blemishes.”

The Tasmanian Pepper Berry is also rich in flavonoids, which are helpful for both skin and sexual health in that they reduce inflammation. In their paper “Flavonoids – Food Sources, Health Benefits, and Mechanisms Involved,” part of Bioactive Molecules in Food, researchers Aleksandra Kozłowska and Dorota Szostak-Węgierek note that flavonoids contribute to sexual health by helping to maintain a “stable vaginal pH, indicating their potential to be antiviral agents against HSV infections.”

No matter which Australian Native Botanical has been included in your skincare or sexual health products, you can feel confident that you are applying quality ingredients to any part of your body -- especially with each ANB’s extremely effective antiaging, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties!