The influx of products on the market containing botanicals – ingredients that come from the leaves, roots, bark or fruit of plants – is evidence that more people are moving towards natural skin care products. Botanicals won’t give you all day or all night protection – for that you’ll need a good natural skin care product like a shielding lotion - but they are refreshing and invigorating. However, not all botanicals are created equal - find out which botanicals are best for your skin.

In skin care products, flowers are among the most widely used botanicals. For some products, just the petals themselves are used, and for others they use the entire flower. The result is usually an oil or liquid derived directly from the plant which is then mixed with other ingredients to form a cream or lotion.

Your best bet is to stay away from the oils, or products that contain them. They clog the pores and prevent the skin from breathing. However, the liquids, called flower waters, can be used by themselves. Not only do flower waters not clog the pores, you can use them straight from the bottle instead of buying a skin care product that may contain irritating chemicals.

Which flower waters are best for your skin?

• Lemon Balm – best known for its ability to calm and soothe the nerves, lemon balm can be used on any skin type and is especially good for dry or sensitive skin.

• Lemon Verbena – also great for any skin type, it stimulates the skin and gives it a lift.

• Orange Flower – if you want a nice sprizter to keep your skin cool and relieve dryness, orange flower is a good choice. Also good for any skin type, it’s extremely gentle and is even safe for the delicate skin of children and infants.

• Rose Geranium - has the unique ability of being able to balance the skin: it adds moisture to dry skin, and calms down the production of sebum for oily skin.

• Rose – generally used as a toner, rose is gentle and refreshing. The scent is also very relaxing. It’s good for all skin types, and can even be used as a deodorant or room freshener.

If you’re looking for something you can splash on a few times a day to feel refreshed, botanicals such as flower waters will do the job. But don’t forget the shielding lotion. A good shielding lotion keeps out the harmful chemicals that natural skin care

treatment advocates are trying to avoid. Using a shielding lotion as the base, and a flower water spritz as a refresher, your skin will be protected and invigorated all day.