Vanilla Beans for my skin?

Oh those heavenly Vanilla Beans. They smell wonderful, taste wonderful (it is the most widely used 'spice' in the world) and turns out they are wonderful for the skin! #2 on the running list of Bella’s 7 Herbal Wonders of the World.

Fun Fact

Vanilla is a flowering species of the Orchid Plant. Vanilla Bean comes from the pods that are sometimes hand harvested. They contain no flavor until they are steamed and fermented.  

   

Vanilla is delicious and nutritious and has many benefits for your skin? The most important ones of course keep your unlined (thanks to keratinocytes) and unblemished (hooray for keeping oily skin at bay)!

Powerful antioxidant

Vanilla is essential for anti-aging the natural way! It contains antioxidants that reduce wrinkles and neutralize free radicals similar to that of Lavender. These antioxidants make vanilla bean anticarcinogenic.  It can stop cancer in its tracks because it kills the free radicals and if they are dead, they cannot oxidize. Starting to see signs of free radical damage on your skin? Pump it full of antioxidants!  

It is full of skin-loving B Vitamins- like niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B5.

Did I mention it has Vitamin B5?

Pantothenic acid (B5) retains water, produces energy, aids cells in regeneration and growth, and makes cells multiply faster, generating connective tissue to repair the skin. During energy production and regeneration, it helps to build collagen which keeps skin wrinkle free! Collagen and elastin break down as we age making skin sag and wrinkle. B5 retains that water keeping the skin from sagging too deep and giving the skin its snap back. It also promotes the growth of keratinocytes which work to rebuild collagen. And you thought Vanilla Beans were only good for ice cream.

B5 also keeps oil production of the skin at bay which can reduce acne. Bye bye oil, hello moisture.

Vanilla Bean also reduces inflammation of the skin and fights infections. It aids in maintaining healthy looking skin by reducing the signs of aging, preventing wrinkles and defends against cancer.

Where to find Vanilla in skincare

Because vanilla cannot be steam distilled, there is no vanilla “essential oil” at Bella Opulence, we use vanilla absolute which is a beautifully thick fragrant oil comprised of the pressed resin (solvent extract) of the beans. If you ever see vanilla essential oil on a label, this is most likely what it is referring to. We add a little Lavender with our Vanilla  because their properties work so well together.

Have you tried the Vanilla Silk Moisturizer? Not only does it have a soft delightful scent, it also contains vanilla infused oil, vanilla extract, and vanilla absolute to make sure your skin gets all of the benefits. Lavender Vanilla Pearl Skin Polisher also contains vanilla absolute and leaves your skin soft and radiant. 

How do you use Vanilla Bean? Let me know in the comments below!

Read more Blog Posts Now on the Bella Opulence Website.