In this regular series, Tracey Ryan, the master formulator behind Bia, enlightens us with her expert knowledge of the plant kingdom and how botanicals can benefit skin.
Ingredient:
Comfrey, also known as Plant of the Broken Bone, Knitbone
Latin name:
Symphytum officinale
Native to:
Europe and Asia. Comfrey grows in moist meadows, ditches and banks.
Key nutrients:
Allantoin, mucilage, saponins, tannins and inulin. Comfrey is not safe for consumption (its pyrrolizidine alkaloids can be toxic) but is very popular in modern herbalism for topical use.
Essential benefits:
The allantoin in comfrey is a well-known anti-inflammatory and emollient that helps develop a protective film over skin cells, reducing water loss. This help skin stay moister, softer and better hydrated. Allantoin also allows the outermost layer of skin cells to shed more easily, creating a smoother, moisturised and even tone.
Little known details:
Medieval herbalists used comfrey for bone setting. The roots were dug up in spring and grated to produce a “sludge” that was packed around a broken bone. It hardened like plaster of Paris, hence its colloquial name Boneknit.
Where to find it:
Bia Skin Superfood features a lovely macerated oil of comfrey, which delivers all its benefits to your skin.
