Herbal Body Wash: A Review of Evaluating Their Potential in Modern Skin Care Routine

Abstract

The growing awareness of the benefits of natural ingredient usage has raised a larger demand for the herbal body washes, which are crafted from the plant-based extracts that have now become increasingly trendy due to their skin-friendly properties and even work against the synthetic-based cleansers. This review examines the efficacy, safety, and formulation strategies of herbal body washes, emphasizing their role in modern skincare regimens. These formulations enrich the bioactive plant extracts, which offer multifaceted dermatological benefits, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties. By integrating the scientific validation with consumer demand, herbal body washes are self-assured to become a centrepiece of sustainable skin care practices.

Keywords

Introduction

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 Fig 2: Skin

The skin is reported to constitute approximately 15% of the body weight of an adult. It is, in fact, the largest organ in the human body. It serves to perform numerous functions like protection of the individual against chemical, physical, and environmental hazards, preventing excessive loss of water from the body, and controlling body temperature. The skin is a miracle organ that has several significant functions, ranging from safeguarding the body to establishing social intercourse.

Components of skin:

1. Epidermis: The outermost layer, or epidermis, acts as a barrier of protection. Mostly made up of keratinocytes, which generate the strong protein keratin, which aids in skin protection. Melanocytes, which generate melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour, are also found in the epidermis. Because the epidermis lacks blood arteries, nutrients are diffused into it from the dermis.
2. Dermis: The dermis or corium is a layer of skin between the epidermis (with which it makes up the cutis) and subcutaneous tissues that primarily consists of dense irregular connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. It is divided into two layers, the superficial area adjacent to the epidermis called the papillary region and a deep, thicker area known as the reticular dermis.
3. Skin appendages: Skin appendages are structures connected to the skin that have specific purposes, such as feeling, contractility, lubrication, and heat loss.
4. Subcutaneous fat: The layer of tissue beneath the dermis (the second layer of skin) is called subcutaneous tissue, or hypodermis. It is mostly composed of blood vessels, connective tissue, and fat cells (adipocytes).

Herbs use in herbal Body wash formulations

1.Aloe vera:

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Fig 3: Aloe vera

Benefits of aloe Vera in Body Wash:

• Helps in smooth the skin
• Helps in cleansing and keeps body healthy
• It consists of the maximum of Anti-Inflammatory fatty acids

2. Dragon fruit:

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Fig 4: Dragon fruit

Benefits of Dragon fruit in Body Wash:

• Dragon fruit is rich in Antioxidant
• It has high vitamin C content helps  to brighten the skin and reduce pigmentation
• Its Anti-inflammatory property helps to protect the skin from free radicals and premature aging.

3.Neem (Nimb):

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Fig 5: Neem

Benefits of Neem in Body Wash:

• Used to cure acne
• It can also serve as means to treat dry skin, wrinkles and scars
• In addition it can be used to moisten the skin for prolonged period  as a result of reducing dryness.

4. Olive oil:

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Fig 6: Olive oil

Benefits of Olive oil in the Body Wash:

• It moisturises the skin
• It contains antioxidant which protects skin from damage
• It helps in the smoothening the skin condition

• It helps in acne Control.

5.Honey:

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    Fig 7: Honey

Benefits of honey in Body Wash:

• It moisten and deeply hydrates the skin and enhance the texture
• It aids in the prevention of acne
• Its natural characteristics provides soft exfoliation to gently remove dead skin
• This possess much Anti-Oxidant property.

6. Rose oil:

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Fig 8: Rose oil

Benefits of Rose oil in Body Wash:

• It has been utilized long for skincare because it contains to high levels of antioxidant property
•  It is the natural citrus with astringent properties.
• It is more effective for treating stretch marks, boils, acne and wrinkles

7. Almond oil:

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    Fig 9: Almond Oil

Benefits of Almond oil in Body Wash:

• It maintains the skin hydrated and moisturized
•  It assist in repairing the skin
•  It diminishes the signs of aging.
• It enhances the complexion of the skin and makes

8. Cucumber

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 Fig10: Cucumber

Benefits of Cucumber in  Body Wash:

• It prevents from the acnes
• Antioxidant property reduces skin irritation and inflammations.
• It helps in cleansing the skin

Evaluation Parameters

1. Determination of pH: The pH of the formulated herbal body wash was determined by using a pH meter. 10 ml of body wash placed in 150 ml of beaker. Stir vigorously and then check pH using a pH meter.

2. Foaming Test: A tiny amount of the formulation was mixed with water in a measuring cylinder, and the initial volume was recorded. The cylinder was then shaken ten times to assess the herbal body wash's foamability. The foam's final volume was recorded.

3. Spreadability: The gel’s capacity to spread was manually assessed by gently rubbing it over the skin. Spreadability was compounded using the formula below.

Where,

S= MxL/T.     S=Spreadability      M is the weight attached to the top slide.
L = glass length           T = time in seconds

4.  Washability: After applying the formulation to the skin, the degree and ease of washing with water were manually assessed.

 5. Viscosity: A Brookfield viscometer with spindle number S-64 and a speed of 20 rpm was used to determine the viscosity of each formulation at 25°C. Three measurements were taken in duplicate for the determination, and the average was noted.

6. Skin Irritation Test: To test for skin irritation, apply the product to a tiny area of skin that is unlikely to be washed or rubbed off by accident. Take note of the skin's redness, swelling, and itching.

7. Cleaning Action: 5 grams of cleaning action. After soaking wool in grease, it was agitated for four minutes in a beaker filled with 200 millilitres of water and one gram of Polyherbal shower gel. After removing the solution, the sample was extracted, dried, and weighed. The formula was used to determine how much grease was eliminated

D * P = 100(1 - T / C) is the formula.

Where,                            

DP stands for Detergency Power Percentage.

T = Formulated Preparation Weight  C = Marketed Preparation Weight 

8. Saponification value: Saponification number represents the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to saponify 1-2 gm of fat under the specified conditions. Here, coconut and castor oil were taken as the fatty component for the saponification procedure.

9. Moisture content:

The moisture content was used to calculate the total amount of water in body wash. The weight was recorded as wet weight or starting weight in order to determine the quantity of moisture in 5 ml of body wash. A sample was dried in a hot air oven set to 100 to 115°C for an hour. The sample was weighed after cooling. This value indicates the dry weight of the sample. The moisture content was determined using the formula below:

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CONCLUSION:

A potential and environmentally friendly substitute for traditional skincare products is herbal body washes made with a combination of natural components like aloe vera, dragon fruit, neem, olive oil, honey, rose oil, almond oil, and cucumber. These compounds combined antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and moisturizing qualities offer a host of advantages for the general health of the skin. When combined, they help to provide a healthy, glowing complexion while addressing common skin issues like dryness, acne, irritation, and aging. The rising demand for organic and eco-friendly personal care products highlights the significance of these herbal formulations, which not only nourish the skin but also contribute to the improvement of the environment by reducing the use of synthetic chemicals. As consumer preferences continue to shift toward natural options, additional studies on the safety and effectiveness of these substances will confirm their inclusion in skincare routines. In the end, herbal body washes represent the future of skincare, emphasizing sustainability and wellness while providing a comprehensive, mild, and efficient way to maintain healthy skin.

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