100% Natural ingredients
Below are the herbs, plants, oils and butters that are used in
Jane's Delicious Garden Skincare products.
Aloe Vera
From ancient China, Greece and Rome to modern-day India, aloe vera has been used through the centuries as an extremely effective healing plant. The beauty of this plant is that you can just break off a piece and rub the gel right onto your skin – ideal for a hard-working gardener’s hands! In folklore tradition, it protects the home against accidents and wards off evil influences. The leaf is made up of several layers: the outer rind, a thin inner layer of yellow sap and a large inner section of gel and mucilage. This inner thick, soothing and cooling section of the leaf heals burns, stings, rashes, wounds and sunburn. It is an excellent moisturiser, especially for sensitive skin, and reduces scarring. It also effectively treats fungal infections. Taken internally, the bitter gel stimulates bile, aiding digestion and stimulating the appetite and the liver. The yellow sap from the leaves can be taken internally to treat constipation.
Found in:
Skin Soother Balm Green Goodness Balm Hand Balm
Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil contains gamma linoleic acid that helps firm and tone skin. It also contains Vitamin A and E which slow down the aging process. It is moisturising and nourishing with anti-inflammatory properties.
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Argan Oil
Argan oil is extracted from the nuts of Argania spinosa, a desert tree native to Morocco. Traditionally the oil is produced by hand. The soft outer pulp is stripped from the nuts and then laid out in the sun. Once dry, stones are used to crack them open and extract the seeds. The seeds are roasted and ground to a paste with a little water, before being squeezed to extract the oil. This oil is very rich in Vitamin E, fatty acids and carotenes. It absorbs easily into the skin, making it a great natural moisturiser.
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Arnica
Arnica is wildflower that grows in the alpine regions of Europe. It has been used as a healing herb since the Middle Ages. Arnica contains analgesic and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, which quickly reduce swelling and pain of sprains, stiff joints and sore muscles. It also reduces bruising.
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Basil
No herb garden should be without basil. It is one of the most popular and widely grown herbs. This is a herb long associated with love, and a man will supposedly fall in love with a woman if he accepts her gift of basil. Basil is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial and excellent for treating small wounds, irritated skin or rashes. Rub fresh leaves on insect bites or rashes to reduce itching and swelling. Basil is also an uplifting herb and taken internally in an infusion, it is good for treating depression and fatigue or to improve concentration. It also eases colds, asthma, coughs and sinus congestion. As an antispasmodic it prevents vomiting and is a good tonic and soother for the digestive system. It strengthens the immune system, reduces inflammation and kills parasites.
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Beeswax
Beeswax was one of the earliest products used by humans for a multitude of purposes. It was utilised as a sealing and waterproofing agent for houses and boats; to make candles for lighting; for coating wooden writing tablets; in cosmetics and herbal preparations; and as a modelling agent for everything from sculpture and jewellery moulds to dentistry. Beeswax is what bees use to make honeycomb. A by-product of harvesting honey, it is a healthy, natural moisturiser, used in body lotions, lip balms and face creams. It works well in skin products because it contains compounds called wax esters, which also exist in human skin. Plus it has healing and antiseptic qualities.
Found in:
Green Goodness Balm Hand Balm Skin Soother Balm
Wrinkle & Crinkle Balm Muscle Balm
Black castor oil
Pressed from the seeds of the castor oil plant, black castor oil contains ricinolei acid, an unsaturated omega 9 fatty acid.
Found in: Sunscreen
Calendula
Calendula is sunshine in a blossom. This plant was Cleopatra’s secret weapon, as the ancient Egyptians used calendula-infused oil as an anti-ageing remedy. Calendula has a wide range of medicinal uses, from astringent to menstrual regulator. It is primarily used as an anti-inflammatory and as a skin healer for problems such as eczema, cuts, mouth ulcers, insect stings, grazes, slow-healing wounds, dry or inflamed skin, perineal tears after childbirth, minor burns, sunburn and fungal conditions such as athlete’s foot, thrush and ringworm.
When treating a wound, make sure that it is clean and there is no infection. Tissue treated with calendula heals very quickly and it is vital that no infection remains underneath the healed skin.
Found in:
Wrinkle & Crinkle Balm Muscle Balm
Camphor Essential Oil
Distilled from the wood of the Asian tree Cinnamomum camphora, camphor oil soothes sprains, inflammation and muscular aches. It also increases circulation, which reduces pain and speeds up healing.
Found in: Muscle Balm
Carrot Seed Oil
Carrot seed oil is extracted from the seeds of the wild carrot plant (Daucus carota). Also known as Queen Anne's Lace, this is a biennial herb with hairy leaves and umbrella-shaped white lacy flowers.Carrot seed oil is rich in beta carotene and vitamins A and E. It stimulates growth of new cells and tissues, helping prevent wrinkles as well as moisturising dry and chapped skin.
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Cayenne Pepper
Although chillies have been used for more than 6 000 years in South America, it wasn’t until 1490 that they began to spread to the rest of the world. Not just a spicy addition to our kitchens, chillies have valuable medicinal properties too. The variety most often used in medicine is cayenne pepper. This warming plant increases circulation and relaxes spasms and tension. It treats colds, fevers and chills by promoting sweating, and treats shock and depression. It stimulates digestion and increases blood flow to an area, encouraging healing.
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Cedarwood Essential Oil
Cedarwood essential oil is extracted from the leaves (and sometime the wood) of various conifers, including the Himalayn Cedar tree (Cedrus deodara).
It has a rich and warm scent - which insects really don't like! It can also be used to keep moths away from clothes.
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Chamomile
Chamomile is a gentle, sweetly-scented herb and chamomile tea is well known for its relaxing properties. This is a herb with the reputation of attracting money, so if you are going gambling, wash your hands in a chamomile infusion to ensure winnings!
Chamomile is well known for its mild sedative effect on the nervous system. Taken internally, it helps ease tension, encourages a good night’s sleep and eases colic and menstrual cramps. It also assists digestion and relieves nausea. Externally, the soothing and anti-inflammatory properties of chamomile are good for eczema, rheumatism and any inflamed skin condition as well as promoting wound healing. Chamomile is generally a good pain-relieving treatment, especially for those with a low pain threshold or for children.
Found in:
Skin Soother Balm Wrinkle & Crinkle Balm
Citronella Essential Oil
This strong smelling oil is extracted from the leaves of various varieties of citronella grass (Cymbopogon). It is an excellent insect repellent and is used in candles and oil lamps to keep mosquitoes away.
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Coconut oil
This is extracted from the white flesh of the coconut. In cooler conditions it solidifies into a thicker butter. It has a very small molecular structure, meaning it is easily absorbed by our bodies. It is used extensively in India for hair care, as it is an excellent hair conditioner, increasing shine and helping damaged hair to grow. It is also an effective moisturising massage and body lotion, helping with the treatment of various skin ailments such as eczema and psoriasis. It helps prevent premature aging by reducing wrinkles and tightening sagging skin.
Found in:
Muscle Balm Skin Soother Balm Hand Balm
Green Goodness Balm Wrinkle & Crinkle Balm
Comfrey
Its Latin name, symphytum, comes from the Greek sympho meaning ‘to unite’. Comfrey is from the Latin confirmare meaning ‘to join together’. This gives a good idea of comfrey’s healing abilities. Culpeper wildly claimed that ‘the roots being applied outwardly, cure fresh wounds or cuts immediately, being bruised and laid thereto; and is specially good for ruptures and broken bones, so powerful to consolidate and knit together that if they be boiled with dissevered pieces of flesh in a pot, it will join them together again.’ Although comfrey is not as magical a healer as Culpeper believed, it does contain allantoin, a compound that speeds cell renewal in muscles, connective tissue and bones. For over 2 000 years herbalists have used ‘knitbone’, as it was commonly called, to speed the healing of broken bones, fractures, bruises and burns. It is also effective for slow-healing wounds, painful joints and various skin conditions.
It is excellent for longer-term muscle or bone damage, such as osteoarthritis. Apply to slow-healing wounds, burns, dry skin and varicose veins. Will reduce scarring and prevent stretch marks.
Cautions Although it has been taken internally for centuries, recent studies show that comfrey contains potentially toxic alkaloids, so be cautious when using internally. Be careful when working with comfrey as its leaves are prickly and can cause a rash. Make sure wounds are well cleaned before applying comfrey, as rapidly healing skin might close an infection inside the wound.
Found in:
Green Goodness Balm Skin Soother Balm
Elderflower
The elder is associated with many legends and ancient magic. It is believed to protect and bring luck as well as clear negativity, sorcery and evil. However, throughout history, it has also been associated with death. In English funerals, elder branches were trimmed into a cross and planted on graves. If the plant blossomed, it meant the dead were happy. Even the hearse driver’s whip was made from elder wood. These beliefs relating to both life and death make sense when you realise that some parts of the elder are poisonous while others are deliciously edible. The elder’s berries and blossoms have been used for centuries for everything from cough syrups to cosmetics. Elderflowers are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, useful for itchy, dry skin, chilblains and to treat minor wounds. It is a particularly good plant for colds and coughs. The flowers have decongestant and antiviral properties and can be used to prevent a cold as well as for treating one. The berries are rich in vitamin C.
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Eucalyptus
This strong smelling essential oil is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory. Massaged into sore muscles, it will help relieve pain and reduce swelling. It is also a natural antiseptic with antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties making it effective in treating wounds, minor cuts, acne, boils, insect bites, skin infections and more. Its strong scent repels insects.
Found in:
Muscle Balm Anti-bug Body Spray
Evening Primrose
Tall evening primrose, with its bright yellow, sweetly scented flowers, is a must-have in the herb garden. For centuries it was grown as a culinary rather than medicinal herb. However, research in the 1980s discovered that the oil from the seeds has valuable medicinal properties. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This is an essential fatty acid that our bodies cannot produce. Externally the oil is used for eczema, psoriasis and acne; rashes; dry, itchy skin; reducing wrinkles and scarring. Taken internally, evening primrose helps keep skin healthy, balance female hormones and improve circulation. It also helps reduce swelling and eases depression and hyperactivity.
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Frankincense
Frankincense is a resin that is extracted from Boswellia trees. These tough trees grow in very unforgiving climates. The resin has been used for more than 5,000 years for incense and cosmetics. Frankincense essential oil is a powerful astringent, lifting and tightening skin, protecting skin cells and reducing the size of pores. It helps prevent and reduce scarring and prevents wrinkles.
Found in:
Wrinkle & Crinkle Balm Sunscreen
Ginger
Ginger was very popular during Roman times, but with the fall of the Empire it disappeared from European tables. It wasn’t until Marco Polo brought it back from his voyages to the east that it began to be used in Europe again. Ginger is a warming herb and is particularly good for colds, coughs and chills. It stimulates circulation and makes the body sweat. It contains anti-inflammatory compounds, helping reduce pain and increase mobility in arthritis and other joint problems. It is a cleansing herb, ridding the body of toxins. It also aids digestion and is very good for reducing nausea, especially morning and motion sickness. Externally, ginger's warming action combined with its analgesic properties soothes sore joints and helps relieve aching muscles and spasms.
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Jasmine
This oil is derived from the sweet and strong smelling jasmine flower. In addition to adding an uplifting and sensual fragrance, it is also antibacterial.
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Jojoba
The shrubby jojoba is native to the Souh Western deserts of North America. Its seeds contain a very high percentage of oil. It closely resembles sebum - the oil secreted by our sebacious glands - making it the ideal ingredient for skin products. It is quickly absorbed and doesn't block pores. It is high in vitamins A and E and is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.
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Kalahari Melon Seed Oil
The rich and nourishing oil from this melon (indigenous to the Kalahari) is high in Vitamins A, C and E as well as antioxidants. Omega 6 fatty acids stimulate cell growth and regeneration, keeping skin supple and firm and reducing scarring.
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Kelp
Kelp is rich in minerals and antioxidants which help hydrate and soften skin. It is an anti-inflammatory and contains minerals that penetrate and detoxify the skin.
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