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What are arnica benefits for the skin? Learn how this little yellow flower, known as arnica, can be used on the skin to help speed healing, soothe irritation, and reduce pain.
What is Arnica?
Derived from a yellow mountain daisy that grows in Europe, arnica is a traditional herb that has been used medicinally for centuries.
Often made into a slave and applied to cuts, and bruises, arnica speeds healing time for many skin ailments. Over the years, arnica has become popular in natural skincare because of its valuable benefits to the skin.
Arnica reputedly increases circulation by stimulating white blood cell activity, thereby decreasing the amount of healing time and reducing inflammation.
What gives arnica it's superb anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving action? These properties are attributed to the presence of thymol derivatives. Thymol is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and acts as a vasodilator of subcutaneous blood capillaries, which helps facilitate the transport of blood and fluid accumulations, resulting in a quicker healing process.
These benefits may help people who struggle with skin concerns such as acne, eczema, rosacea, itchy, red, inflamed, bruised, and sunburned skin. Arnica is one of the most recommended topical treatments post-surgery to speed healing time.
Arnica Benefits for the Skin
- Increases white blood cell activity as well as blood flow to speed healing.
- Helps fade bruising on the skin more quickly by healing broken blood vessels.
- Relieves inflammation.
- Soothes itching and redness, including insect bites and sunburn.
- Calms rosacea very effectively.
- Naturally works as an analgesic to relieve topical pain all over the body.
- Helps reduce the appearance of age spots.
- Arnica is anti-microbial, thereby making it an excellent ally for acne-prone skin.
- Can be used on the scalp to help stimulate new hair growth
Interesting fact: Arnica is considered in the fashion industry as "The Fashion Pill." Many models are applying arnica creams to the skin for three days before a photoshoot claiming it makes their skin glow!
Arnica for Rosacea
Rosacea is a widespread benign disorder affecting at least 14 million people in the United States alone. The main symptoms of this facial condition include red or pink patches, visibly broken blood vessels, small red bumps, red cysts, and pink or irritated eyes.
Rosacea is considered a chronic, long-term, non-curable skin disease with periodic ups and downs, and treating it involves reducing and managing symptoms.
Arnica can help during flare-ups by increasing white blood cell activity, thereby giving the skin a fighting chance to combat the irritation. Along with increased white blood cells, arnica can calm the redness and inflammation associated with rosacea.
Arnica also helps with hydration, bringing much-needed moisture to the layers of skin. Rosacea is worsened by dehydrated skin, causing flaking and patchy skin.
Arnica for Sore Muscles and Joints
Arnica is an excellent helper for relieving sore muscles, joint stiffness and swelling, soreness due to arthritis, and general aches and pains. It calms the area and speeds healing by increasing blood circulation and stimulating white blood cells.
A personal story: I recently sprained one of my fingers. On days where it is quite sore, I will apply arnica salve and splint my finger. I can feel the arnica working right away, my finger gets warm, and I can feel the increased blood circulation. The next day my finger feels much better. I can tell that the arnica is helping to speed up the healing needed to take place.
Arnica for Acne
Because arnica is anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, it could make a useful topical treatment for acne; however, it should not be used on broken skin.
Arnica for the Scalp
Because arnica stimulates blood circulation, applying it to the scalp can help perk up the hair follicles, promoting better growth. The antibiotic properties of arnica help with conditions such as dandruff and itchy scalp.
Add a few drops of arnica oil to your shampoo or conditioner.
Precautions when using Arnica
There are some precautions to keep in mind when using this plant. Arnica should not be used on open wounds or broken skin, or near the mouth or mucous membranes. Internal use can cause nausea, vomiting, and even death - so keep it to only topical use!
Pregnant and nursing women should avoid arnica, as should those with chronic kidney or liver diseases.
Some people are allergic to arnica, so make sure to perform a patch test before use.
How to Make Your Own Arnica-Infused Oil
Learn how to make your own infused arnica oil in the following video:
The Best Arnica Products
Arnica comes in a variety of products, from oils to creams and salves. You can also purchase it in a homeopathic form for internal use.
Further down in the article, we will share with you our favorite arnica products.
Eminence Calm Skin Arnica Masque
One of the best ways to use arnica for skincare is a one to two times weekly masque. Arnica works better if not applied daily to the skin. The idea is not to overstimulate the skin but to let arnica do its work behind the scenes.
Eminence Calm Skin Arnica Masque allows you to use the excellent benefits of arnica in the form of a masque. A masque will allow for long-term benefits of arnica and not overstimulate the skin. Eminence is known for fantastic quality and uses the best organic ingredients.
Key Benefits of the Ingredients:
- Arnica- Ant-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, helps improve circulation.
- Marigold- Anti-irritant, anti-septic, gently soothes, cleanses, disinfects, and moisturizes the skin.
- Shea butter-Moisturizes, high in triglycerides and fatty acids, it is an excellent emollient for skin that revitalizes and repairs.
- Ivy leaf- Nutrient, antioxidant, supplies the skin with high potency Vitamin C.
- Horse chestnut- Anti-inflammatory, stimulant, increases circulation and tones the skin.
- Linseed- Anti-inflammatory, soothing, helps to relieve skin irritation.
- Biocomplex- Functions as an antioxidant booster of Vitamin A, C ester, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, Alpha Acid combats free radicals.
True Eminence products that are not outdated or imitation must be bought from an authorized distributor.
Although Eminence is available on Amazon, I do not recommend purchasing from there. The sellers on Amazon are not authorized, meaning they are selling counterfeit or old products.
I buy my Eminence online from Amy’s Skin Care, an authorized Eminence dealer with free shipping!
Herbal Choice Mari Organic Arnica Oil
A simple oil for those who don't want to make their own. This organic arnica oil is made with organic olive oil and organic arnica flowers.
As you can see, arnica is an excellent natural ingredient to include in your skincare regime. If you struggle with redness, rosacea, or irritated skin, you will significantly benefit from this nourishing plant.
Leave us a question or comment, and share with your friends if you know someone who could benefit from this marvelous plant!
I stubbed my big toe once so bad that I thought it was broken. Within minutes it started bruising and in 4 hours under my toe was almost black.
Friends said “you’re going to lose that nail”…. I said we’ll see.
I put arnica cream on the nail and toe at least every hour or more when I was awake.
I’m about 4 days the bruise was just about gone and by 7 days…. NOTHING!!!!
I just had major dental surgery here in Costa Rica and forgot my arnica…. found some and am putting it on the bruised area and the swelling area. Of course keeping it away from my mouth.
I’ll be good as new in a few days.
Wow, that is amazing! I am glad arnica could help you out, Micheal. I have used it for bruises and sprains with success as well. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us!