Hibiscus: The Scent You Never Knew You Needed

In the world of aromatherapy, scents, candle making, essential oils even, hibiscus isn’t a common name you often hear. In fact, it’s not the most sought-after flower when it comes to decorations for weddings or even table centerpieces for dinner. Despite its obscure popularity, the hibiscus flower is a favorite and commonly used plant in teas, shampoos, and herbal conditioners and treatments, especially in warm and tropical countries such as the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. Over time, the oils and extracts have been used in plenty of skincare brands due to its immense benefits, not to mention the floral scent.

For many centuries, cultures all around the world use hibiscus for strong and healthy hair growth, for smooth skin, for its scent, and also to slow down the effects of aging and hair loss. Hibiscus flowers are known to contain vitamin C and A, amino acids, and other essential minerals. 

The hibiscus flower is a pretty flower that’s usually found in its red, fiery hue. It looks good and also smells good and is packed with huge benefits for the skin, the body, and the hair. You’d often see people in Hawaii adorning their homes and hairs with hibiscus flowers.

In today’s world, the hibiscus oil is derived from the plant and the flower to be used in haircare, in aromatherapy, as a colorant, as well as for skincare. It’s also known to be beneficial in combating acne and reducing blemishes, while acting as a wonderful moisturizer for the skin and soothing any inflammation.

If you’ve come across hibiscus as the main ingredient in a skincare or haircare product, and you’re wondering what else can hibiscus do, read on to find out the glorious and beneficial uses of it:

• It can naturally darken the hair.

If you find yourself having premature grey hair or you’d just like to darken the color of your hair naturally, you can use hibiscus essence oil as part of your shampooing and conditioner routine. Just add a few drops together with your conditioner and let it sit for a few minutes before washing off. Alternatively, making a paste with coconut oil and hibiscus oil will also moisturize and smooth out your hair. 

• It can fight cancer.

Hibiscus is a flower that’s rich in antioxidants, which are a powerful cancer-fighting agent. Hibiscus tea consumed regularly without sugar can help prevent cancer.

• It can aid in flu and cough.

As a rich source of vitamin C, having a hot hibiscus tea is a great complementing therapy to help in curing minor colds and other infections such as coughs, sore throats, and headaches. You can also steep the hibiscus plant in hot water, and breathe in the vapor to clear any nasal congestion.  

• It can also boost your energy.

Adding a few drops of hibiscus extract CBD oil, such as the Zilis Ultra CBD, can boost energy throughout the day. CBD oil itself can help reduce stress and frustration, and combined with hibiscus, you get an energy boost during the day.  

• It can promote relaxation and calm hot flashes.

If you’re going through a tough hormonal menopause period, drinking hibiscus tea can help soothe these hot flashes. Alternatively, adding a few drops of hibiscus essential oil into the diffuser while meditating, or just to soothe yourself before sleeping, is another way to calm the senses and lessen the hot flashes.

• It can help slow down the aging.

Being rich in Vitamins A & C plus antioxidants makes hibiscus a must-have ingredient for skincare. If you have access to the plant, make a poultice, and add it with agar to make a mask. You can also add a few drops of hibiscus essential oil, or even purchase skincare with hibiscus extract to open up the secret to eternal youth.

• It can help in curing acne.

It’s one thing to get acne during your teenage years, but it’s a whole different story of getting and fighting acne even through your adult years. Many adults still suffer from acne, and if you’re looking for a natural way to clear acne scars, masks with hibiscus extracts can do the trick. There are also plenty of hibiscus body soaps that can eliminate acne scars on the body, plus they also have a nice, soft scent.  

• It can boost your immunity.

There’s no harm in taking natural supplements with hibiscus extract in them to boost your immunity. Make sure you speak to your doctor about this. If you’re planning to take supplements, get natural or herbal supplements.

• You can maintain fluid balance in your body.

Hibiscus flower extracts can help to maintain fluid balancing and remove excess water retention, which means also reducing puffiness on the facial skin. A daily massage with hibiscus extract combined with a facial oil can help reduce puffiness, remove fine lines and wrinkles, and help regulate the body’s lymphatic system.

• It can speed up your metabolism.

A few drops of hibiscus extract to flavor your water can help improve your body’s metabolism naturally. As it’s a good source of Vitamin C, hibiscus extract can also be added to smoothies, cereals, and protein shakes.

• It can stop hair fall and darken the hair.

As mentioned earlier, a popular form of using hibiscus is in shampoos, conditioners, or hair masks to reduce hair fall and darken the hair. Hair oil in the form of hibiscus hair oil can be massaged into the hair one hour before shampooing to ensure you get the full benefits of hibiscus.

All of the remedies or benefits described above are just natural and alternative ways of getting the most out of a plant. Natural remedies and treatments often need to be done consistently and constantly to see its effects and benefits. If you’re someone who loves natural skin, body, and haircare as a supplementary therapy, you can try hibiscus extract in the form of oils, bar soaps, masks, teas, and lotions.