If you are interested in the vegetal world even a little bit, you know that Madagascar is considered a paradise for plants on earth.
Everything seems to be growing there!
Not only you can find there a lot of spices and flowers, but also incredible aromatic essences that science and cosmetics have been studying for more than twenty years.
Madagascar’s unique land and climate make it an ideal haven for rare plants.
Today I would like to share some beauty tips inspired by 3 local plants from which exceptional extracts are produced:
- calophylle oil,
- ylang-ylang essential oil,
- niaouli essential oil.
Calophylle oil: a kit for pharmacies on its own
This oil is a pretty dark green color, but it is a little thick and sticky.
It has nothing to do with the golden and transparent oil of sunflower, nor with the discreet sweet almond oil.
Its fragrance is very spicy and reminds the one of curry or coffee.
It is a powerful aromatic oil composed of essential fatty acids and plant sterols.
In Madagascar, some dispensaries use this oil in virgin quality as a healing treatment after minor surgery.
That’s why I recommend it if you have irritated, damaged or simply mature skin.
By massaging this oil daily on your face, you give your skin everything it needs to repair itself the best way possible.
Sterols make it anti-inflammatory, which is why aromatherapists recommend it as a massage oil for back pain, but also as an anti-redness treatment.
If you have rosacea, it can be massaged daily with a few drops on your cheeks or nose.
There are no contraindications, except to avoid intensive exposure to the sun after application.
The effects are rapid: in just one week you will notice that the redness has decreased and the blood vessels that were visible, become more discreet.
I have tested this oil myself many times. I use it especially for dark circles, bags and lymphatic drainage. I’ve never been disappointed.
For the eyes, its use is a little more delicate. A single drop of oil rubbed on the index fingers is all it takes to massage bags and dark circles.
Do not put it in the eye and it is advisable to make this fatty substance penetrate well before applying any other care.
Intensely fresh treatments with niaouli essential oil
If you like aromatherapy, you know the famous “tea tree“.
It has been used for centuries in Australia to treat acne pimples and to cleanse problem skin.
Niaouli is his cousin.
Major cosmetic brands have studied this essence for its anti-ageing properties and were surprised with its ability to fight against oxidation, but also against pimples of all kinds.
Personally, I recommend the essential oil of organic niaouli for several beauty treatments:
- When a nasty pimple begins to show up, you can apply 1 drop of niaouli essential oil on the pimple with a clean finger, and repeat the operation every hour for 6 hours. It’s radical: the button disappears the next day!
- If you have oily hair or oily dandruff, you can add 2 drops of niaouli essential oil to your shampoo, it makes it sanitizing.
- You can also pour 1 drop of niaouli essential oil on your toothpaste, it is very refreshing and effective.
The divine and sensual essential oil of ylang-ylang
If one day you are lucky enough to land by plane on Nosy Be Island, in the north of Madagascar, you will immediately feel the ambient fragrant air.
This is because it is where Cananga odorata grows, a plant with a beautiful yellow flower that reminds us of orchids and gives us one of the most precious essential oils on the market.
Ylang-ylang essential oil is used in many beauty and wellness products.
It is known to be relaxing, anti-stress, anti-aging, and even aphrodisiac.
In a 100 ml bottle of massage oil, you can pour 25 drops of ylang-ylang essential oil to aromatize the oil.
You then obtain an oil that is relaxing, calming and subtly perfumed.
I also recommend ylang-ylang essential oil for fine, brittle and fragile hair.
To do this, add 2 drops of this essence to a dose of sulfate-free shampoo. You then obtain a toning shampoo that stimulates growth and repairs the hair fiber.
For an even more impressive effect on your hair, try this mask:
- In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of liquid honey,
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 5 drops of ylang-ylang essential oil.
- Apply the mixture from the roots to the tips
- Leave under a warm towel for at least 1 hour.
- Then rinse with a mild shampoo.
This treatment is very moisturizing, repairing and softening for damaged hair.
If you try one of these recipes, I would be happy to read your thoughts about it in the comments below.