Want Clear, Glowing Skin? Try These 5 Plant-Based Skincare Ingredients

When it comes to achieving clear, glowing skin, you may find yourself constantly reaching for your wallet to purchase any of the thousands of chemical products on the market that promise a clear, youthful complexion. These products are expensive, and may not be worth the purchase. Luckily, some natural ingredients may just do the trick.

Surprisingly, the secret to clear skin and a glowing complexion lies in plants. Plants are filled with phytochemicals, which combat signs of aging and keep your skin looking young. While more research is needed, studies have shown that plants can be used as medicine to reduce skin irritation and itching.

Unlike chemical-based treatments that come with side effects, natural ingredients are mostly safe and suitable for all skin types. However, try a patch test prior to fully applying plant-based ingredients to your skin. Here is a list of five ingredients filled with antioxidants, vitamins, and phytochemicals that promote clear, glowing healthy skin.

Aloe vera has been used since 1500 BC in traditional medicine systems in various countries due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been clinically proven to improve skin appearance in patients, according to research. In a small 2014 study, researchers gave 60 participants with mild to moderate acne either a topical retinoid alone or a topical retinoid alone with aloe vera. Findings showed that the retinoid with aloe was more effective than using only the retinoid, suggesting that aloe may be beneficial for acne in certain cases.

When it comes to applying aloe vera on your skin, you can directly use the clear, jelly-like substance in the inner part of the aloe vera leaf or use a product with aloe vera. Some of our favorite products include Lush’s Skin Drink moisturizer, Herbivore’s PRISM Botanical AHA + BHA Exfoliating Glow Facial, and Kiehl’s Calendula Petal-Infused Calming Mask.

You may know this plant as deer nut, goat nut, or wild hazel. “Jojoba is a shrub that grows in warmer climates with acorn-shaped seeds rich in oil and liquid wax, which possesses healing properties. Jojoba oil is full of natural fatty acids that soothe and moisturize your skin, which keeps it looking young,” Masha Amelina, PA-C, a certified physician’s assistant and the owner of MesoLyft.

Jojoba oil is found in many facial creams, face oils, and serums. Some of our favorite products include Typology’s Organic Jojoba Botanical Oil, Lush’s Ultraplant facial cleanser, and Natural Anti-Aging Cream by Earth’s Cure.

Sea Buckthorn is a berry that grows along riverbanks, seashores, and mountain slopes from sea level. The oil of the plant contains powerful phytochemicals and carotenoids that slow down the skin’s aging process. "Moreover, its unique unsaturated fatty acids, such as palmitoleic acid (omega-7) and gamma-linolenic acid (omega-6), give sea-buckthorn oil skin regeneration and repair properties. Sea-buckthorn oil also improves blood circulation, facilitates oxygenation of the skin, removes excess toxins from the body, and easily penetrates through the epidermis.," according to a 2017 review published in Lipids in Health and Disease.

Sea buckthorn oil is especially great for individuals with sensitive skin, as it often does not cause irritation. Some of our favorite products include Herbivore’s Rosehip Anti-Aging Face Oil, Farmacy Beauty’s Honey Grail, and The Ordinary’s Organic Virgin Sea-Buckthorn Fruit Oil.

This plant will not only enhance your garden but also will give you a glowing complexion. “Hibiscus has been used for centuries both topically and internally thanks to its antioxidant anti-aging properties. It helps to reduce inflammation of the skin, increase collagen production, control oil secretion (and thus clogging of the pores), and hydrate your skin,” Amelina says.

When it comes to applying hibiscus on your skin, you can directly apply a concoction of the hibiscus flowers or use a product with hibiscus. Some of our favorite products include Herbivore’s Rose Hibiscus Hydrating Face Mist, Kiehl’s Ginger Leaf & Hibiscus Firming Mask, and Choate Body’s Patchouli Hibiscus Face and Body Scrub.

Algae is high in nutrients and antioxidants that can improve skin hydration and suppleness. “It also contains enzymes that inhibit the breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid, nipping aging in a bud. Some algae contain amino acids that help absorb certain wavelengths of UV light,” Amelina says. There are many types of algae, such as sea moss–– a red, micro-algae––and chlorella, a type of algae that grows in freshwater.

Sea moss is a popular type of algae used in skincare products. Some of our favorite products include Choate Body’s Tea Tree Sea Moss Face and Body Scrub, Cocokind’s Sea Moss Exfoliator, and Herbal Vineyards’ Sea Moss Gel.

Sir James Paul McCartney is no stranger to a meat-free life as he's been vegetarian for 45 years. He initially went vegetarian in 1975 with his first wife Linda McCartney and began his advocacy for animal rights.

If you find yourself constantly singing along to the song The Greatest, then you're already a Sia fan. Sia tweeted that she is "fully vegan now" back in 2014 and stays true to her word

Way back at the start of Grey's Anatomy, Sandra Oh took the cast out for a plant-based lunch at Truly Vegan in Hollywood. In her effort to inspire contemporaries to eat vegan, the TV star is known to invite her friends for vegan meals that are delicious. She adopted the vegan lifestyle years ago and continues to quietly live a cruelty-free life.

Giselle revealed that when she was at the peak of her modeling career, her diet consisted of "cigarettes, wine, and mocha Frappuccinos," according to an interview in People Magazine. Now 39 and the mother of two children, Gisele eats a "mostly" plant-based diet to nourish her body and stay fueled.

Alec Baldwin has made a bigger commitment to plant-based eating since he was first told by doctors that he was pre-diabetic and needed to change his diet. That was decades ago. But, over the last few years, he's been vocal about the benefits not only to his health but also the impact plant-based eating has on the environment.

We all remember Pamela Anderson as the curvaceous blonde in the hit series Baywatch as she played Casey Jean in the red one-piece swimsuit that brought her world-class fame. She is a life-long active animal rights advocate and teamed up with PETA to join the Animal Protection Organization.

"We shouldn't eat as much meat guys," Kristen Stewart told GQ in an interview in January. The Twilight star has made a full 180 from vampire to vegan. When she appeared on the game show "Hot Ones" she chose to skip the wings and instead compete by eating increasing spicier sauce on vegan cauliflower wings.

This award-winning actor eats a high-protein diet consisting of only plants. Leto, who has been plant-based for 20 years, says it keeps him "shredded" in an interview. Now, 48, Leto looks half his age.

Jaden Smith switched up his diet from vegan to vegetarian, meaning that he doesn't eat meat but does eat dairy from time to time. In a recent article by Plant Based News, Smith admits he skipped meals and was not getting the proper nutrition when he was vegan, but this hasn't stopped him from espousing the plant-based life.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex has never admitted to being fully vegan, but sources say, she eats a plant-based diet most days during the week. She is teaching Prince Harry vegan cooking and in a Plant-Based News article, Markle explained how she hopes to raise baby Archie on a mostly vegan diet.

As a professional athlete, fueling the body is a key factor to Willaim's successes. In a Bon Appetite article, she explained that she adopted a plant-based diet back in 2012, she was eating a lot "healthier" for her sister, Venus, who eats a strict vegan diet for health reasons.

The popular grocery store, Whole Foods Market sells vegan products and nonvegan products which arises black lash from ethical vegans as CEO John Mackey follows a strict vegan diet. The successful businessman grew up in Houston Texas and told Business Insider that he would traditionally eat processed foods for dinner while watching TV with his family. Now, Mackey steers clear from the processed isle and eats a clean vegan diet and feels amazing at the age of 65.

Jason Mraz, singer of the popular song, I'm Yours, committed to a vegan diet to support his friend diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Mraz says he eats mostly raw food and told magazine sources his favorite vegan dish is "Chocomole, a mixture of avocados, dates, cacao, agave nectar, and coconut oil."

Long time vegan, Leona Lewis grew up in a vegan household and continues to eat a plant-based diet. Lewis first adopted the diet at 12 when she learned about the health risks of eating animal products but told Women's Health Magazine she occasionally eats an omelet. She also mentioned her 2:30 lunch is normally a kale salad topped with dried cranberries and she loves a veggie stir-fry for dinner.

Hannah Teter changed her diet after watching the documentary, Earthlings when she discovered how "horrible" factory farming is. After a strict vegetarian diet, Teter liked the way she performed as an athlete and believes that her diet helped her win gold at the 2006 games.

You may recognize Maggie Q as the star of the Nikita series, but in the plant-based world, she's well-known for her heroic activism. Maggie Q has followed a strict vegan diet for 19 years, making her a true veteran of the lifestyle. She made the plant-based diet transition because she felt sluggish and had low energy, she has said. The famous actress keeps in shape by eating veggies and plant-based protein and working out with a passion.

Winner of the first Masterchef vegan cook-off with Gordon Ramsay, Madelaine Petsch was raised vegetarian and went completely vegan at age 14. She claims that she started this diet before it was "trendy" and shot a campaign for PETA last year wearing a dress made of bok choy. Petsch says her vegan diet allows her to feel "healthier" and not "lethargic."

After doing a little sleuthing on her social media platforms we think Millie Bobbi Brown qualifies as plant-based. Whether or not she is actually skipping all meat and dairy, one thing is for sure: She eats mostly salads, vegetables and grains and lives a predominantly plant-based lifestyle full of healthy foods.

The grammy-nominated sisters went vegan for a week with their mom but liked it so much they decided to stick with it. For one thing, it helps keep their "voices in shape" by eating a vegan diet and they emphasize the fact that dairy helps to limit extra mucus build-up, according to a PETA interview.

Best known for her role as Lizzie Mcguire in the long-running series, Hilary Duff is a recent vegan advocate and entrepreneur. She recently launched the vegan and cruelty-free eyeshadow palette, "Day Dreamer" and changed her diet to plant-based last fall.