Aging Skin? Reverse It With These 4 DIY Flower-Infused Beauty Treatments

Spring blossoms like sunflowers and dandelions aren’t just gorgeous — they’re loaded with nutrients. When applied to your skin, these nutrients can aid in reversing signs of aging like dark circles and stretch marks. The best part? You don’t have to pick any of these flowers to reap their youth-inducing benefits. Instead, use them in their dried, essential oil, or tea forms to create DIY flower-infused beauty treatments. This allows you to turn back the clock without breaking the bank on pricey skincare products. Here are four easy ways to harness the beautifying superpowers of spring blossoms.

To Fade Stretch Marks: Sunflower

The oil extracted from the flower contains vitamin E that repairs cellular damage to diminish the appearance of skin “tears.” Sunflower oil is also rich in fatty acids including oleic and linoleic acids. These fatty acids hydrate and plump skin to make marks less noticeable quickly. Plus, this oil is non-irritating for most people and can be used for all skin types like dry, normal, oily, and acne-prone.

Try it: Once a day, rub a dime-size amount of sunflower oil like Life-Flo Organic Pure Sunflower Oil (Buy from Vitacost.com, $14.99) onto stretch marks; let absorb.

To De-Puff Eyes: Dandelion

Diuretic dandelion flushes excess fluids that pool beneath eyes — and using it in chilled form shrinks blood vessels to further nix swelling. This dark circle-reducing benefit is thanks to the high amounts of vitamins A, E, and C in dandelions, which are necessary for reducing overall hyperpigmentation. While you can get these skin health benefits from sipping dandelion tea, apply it around your eyes for a more direct effect.

Try it: Pour brewed dandelion tea into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. In the morning, rub a cube around each eye for one minute.

To Shrink Pores: Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle plants contain a compound called salicylic acid. This acid is an astringent agent that penetrates pores and removes oil, dead skin cells, and other impurities that make them appear enlarged. These exfoliating properties are why salicylic acid is especially beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin.

Try it: Fill a lidded jar with fresh or dried honeysuckle flowers like Sierra Tea Dried Honeysuckle Flower (Buy from Amazon, $10.51), and add in enough witch hazel (it helps tightens pores) to cover flowers; steep for two days. Strain the liquid into a small bottle; apply to skin with a cotton pad.

To Soothe Rashy Skin: Calendula

Calendula oil’s potent anti-inflammatory properties help quickly ease redness and irritation on contact. And mixing it with milk strengthens the skin’s barrier to ward off future inflammation because it’s rich in proteins including casein and lactoferrin. Before using topically, allow the milk to come to room temperature. Why? Fridge-cold milk can feel uncomfortable on skin as you’re applying it.

Try it: In a bowl, combine one tablespoon of calendula oil like Herb Pharm Calendula Oil, (Buy from iHerb. com, $11.98) and one cup of room temperature milk. Soak a washcloth in the liquid, apply to rashes, let sit 10 minutes, then rinse.

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.