Helichrysum: The Golden Botanical for Skin That Needs Soothing Care

Helichrysum is one of those plants that catches your eye. Its small golden flowers retain much of their colour when dried, which is why some species are known as the everlasting flower.

Several Helichrysum species occur across Southern Africa, including the Cape region. The plant has a long history of traditional use, and its extracts contain a range of naturally occurring plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

WHAT DOES HELICHRYSUM DO FOR THE SKIN?

Helichrysum is particularly interesting in skincare for its soothing and skin-supportive properties. Its antioxidant compounds can help the skin deal with oxidative stress, while its anti-inflammatory activity is one reason Helichrysum is often included in formulations intended for dry, stressed or uncomfortable skin.

It is also a lovely botanical to pair with rich plant oils and butters, where it can become part of a more nourishing formulation.

WHY WE USE HELICHRYSUM

At Manna & Me, we use Helichrysum in our Healing Balm.

The balm combines Helichrysum with nourishing plant butters and oils to create a rich, protective product for dry patches, rough areas and skin that feels stressed or uncomfortable.

Rather than treating the ingredient as a miracle botanical, we use it as part of a considered formulation. The oils and butters provide nourishment and help create a protective layer, while Helichrysum brings its own botanical properties to the blend.

A BOTANICAL WITH A SENSE OF PLACE

We love working with ingredients that have a connection to Southern Africa. Helichrysum is a reminder of just how much botanical diversity exists around us - 

and how much potential there is in plants that have adapted to our landscapes.

For us, that is part of what Cape Botanical Living is about: using plants thoughtfully and finding meaningful ways to bring their qualities into everyday products.

Explore the Manna & Me Healing Balm.