Angelica an herb also known as wild celery, is used most in Chinese medicine, and is one of my favorite herbs to use for treating and soothing many skin conditions naturally. Angelica contains potent nutrients in it such as nourishing minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, volatile oils, angelic acid, valeric acid, safrole, linoleum acid and scopoletin, which are all nutrients that contain anti-aging, anti-septic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help treat skin conditions well.
However, it is extremely important to know how to use the herb properly to help treat and heal the skin properly. Here I will share with you my personal experiences with using angelica root for treating skin conditions such as eczema, acne and cold sore blisters.
Making an Angelica Bath
The nutrients in angelica have the ability to help treat and soothe eczema naturally by hydrating and softening the skin. It also helps relieve inflammation while killing any harmful bacteria that could cause the eczema to worsen. The best way I find to use this herb to treat eczema is in a bath.
To make an angelica bath, it is best to place two cups of an angelica infusion into a bath filled with warm water along with a cup of coconut oil. Coconut oil also contains medicinal properties in it as well that help treat and relieve eczema symptoms such as itchiness, dryness and inflammation.
Once the bath is made, it is best to get in and soak for as long as possible. I always try to soak in an angelica bath for an hour so the nutrients from herb and coconut oil has the time to soak deep beneath the pores of the skin to help cleanse, nourish, moisten and soften up the eczema patches well.
After the bath, I simple step out of the tub and lightly pat my skin dry with a cotton towel and apply my favorite angelica cream, which is L'Occitane En Provence Angelica Hydration Cream. It helps seal in more moisture some my skin can stay hydrated so the eczema has an easier time healing up.
Angelica Face Wash for Acne
Due to the anti-septic, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties in angelica, this herb has the ability to treat and clear up acne beautifully so you can have softer glowing clearer skin naturally.
My favorite way to use angelica to help treat and clear up acne is by making a face wash by simply combining ten drops of angelica root tincture into two cups of aloe juice in a large glass jar. The aloe juice also contains medicinal properties in it as well that are essential for healing up acne prone skin. Once the two ingredients have been combined together, you will then have a lovely gently, yet potent angelica face wash to use daily and nightly for cleansing and treating acne.
The best way I find to use the homemade facial cleanser is by pouring a small amount onto a wet warm facial cloth and rubbing the wash all over my acne prone skin until I feel it is clean. Once I have wiped down my acne prone skin with the wet cloth soaked in the angelica face wash I simply allow my face and skin to air dry and breathe freely for about an hour before applying any makeup or facial cream. I feel the fresh air helps dry out the acne and allows the skin to heal and really absorb the potent nutrients from the angelica face wash.
To help clear up acne it is best to use this cleanser twice daily, every day until the acne is gone. Then you can use the face wash once daily to help prevent the acne from coming back and help prevent signs of aging.
Angelica Tea for Cold Sores
I get cold sores when my immune system is weak, or when I have been exposed to the sun for long periods. One of the way that can help soothe and heal up my cold sores fast when I get them is by placing a cotton ball dipped in angelica tea directly onto the sores for twenty minutes at a time three to four times daily. The angelica root contains anti-inflammatory, anti-septic and anti-viral properties in it that help soothe and speed up the healing of my cold sore greatly. However, I have to apply the cotton ball soaked in angelica tea three to four times a day every day for about a week to get the sores too fully heal up beautifully, but this remedy does work well.
Precautions Using Angelica
It is extremely important not to ingest fresh raw angelica roots because the herb is poison in this form. Always used dried angelica when making baths or teas. Always make sure you use standardized angelica tinctures as well in any skin care recipe for safety reasons. Overall, using angelica root with care should cause no side effects at all, but if for some reason, you do breakout in a rash from using any of the skin care remedies above it is best to stop using them immediately and seek out medical help.
