The number of natural materials used in hair and skin care products is very large and is constantly increasing as a result of the additional benefits being proven by contemporary cosmetic researchers. In part the use of herbs has resulted from our awareness of our natural environment and heritage, and certainly plants satisfy the nostalgic urge, which is so marked in consumer cosmetics. Constant movement away from the use of animal derivatives and animal testing has accelerated the move to plant derivatives as a means of enhancing product performance or providing an attractive product.

Marketers are endeavouring to bring the countryside to the consumer in the form of natural cosmetics by incorporating natural ingredients. These ingredients provide a more satisfactory product, with increased consumer appeal. The skin is, after all, a natural integument and nothing could be more acceptable for its care than a substance derived from a natural source.