Gazall B Kothari, Skincare Formulator & Founder, LEAFOBERRYY, decodes how heritage botanicals meet high-performance science for stunning results.
In a world overflowing with clinical-sounding ingredients and futuristic skincare claims, the quiet resurgence of ancient botanicals feels almost poetic. It is as though beauty has found its way back home — to herbs, flowers and timehonoured healing traditions that cared for skin long before serums and ampoules existed. What has changed is not the botanicals themselves, but the clarity with which modern science now explains what ancient cultures instinctively understood.
Gotu Kola: From Ayurvedic Remedy To Global Skin Saviour
Once a humble healing herb crushed into pastes by Ayurvedic practitioners, Gotu Kola now returns under its global identity — Centella Asiatica — beloved by sensitive-skin devotees worldwide. Science confirms what traditional healers long believed: Its natural triterpenoids stimulate collagen, repair damage and strengthen compromised skin barriers. This evolution feels less like reinvention and more like destiny.
Ideal for: Sensitive, irritated, acne-prone or ageing skin.
Found in: Serums, moisturisers, soothing gels.
Benefits: Strengthens the skin barrier, reduces redness, accelerates healing.
Kasturi Haldi: Royal Rituals, Refined By Science
The bridal turmeric once reserved for royalty, Kasturi Haldi has long been prized for its glowenhancing powers. Today, advanced extraction and micronisation techniques allow it to target pigmentation and inflammation with precision, without the staining that once made it challenging.
Ideal for: Dull skin, uneven tone, acne-prone skin.
Found in: Face masks, brightening serums, spot treatments.
Benefits: Reduces pigmentation, controls breakouts, restores radiance.
Tip: Best used two to three times a week for a natural glow.
Rose: Timeless Romance Meets Dermatological
Calm
Beauty’s enduring love affair with flowers continues through Rose, the eternal queen of skincare. From simple gulab jal spritzes to ultra-refined extracts, rose now delivers calm, dewy luminosity, a grandmother’s beauty ritual rewritten through dermatology.
Ideal for: Dry, sensitive, dehydrated or mature skin.
Found in: Hydrating mists, creams, toners, face oils.
Benefits: Deep hydration, soothing, toning and redness reduction.
Hibiscus: Nature’s Answer To Firm, Radiant Skin
Once crushed into glossy pastes for glowing skin, Hibiscus is now celebrated as the ‘Botox plant’. Its natural acids gently exfoliate, while antioxidants slow elastin breakdown, offering visible firmness without intervention.
Ideal for; Ageing skin, dullness, mild texture concerns.
Found in: Gentle exfoliants, serums, masks.
Benefits: Firms, smooths, boosts radiance.
Tip: Crush hibiscus leaves with milk and apply as a mask.
Lotus: Purity, Balance & Quiet Radiance
Symbolising purity rising untouched from the mud, the Lotus is valued today for its amino acids and natural brightening compounds. Its extracts soften, refine and illuminate the complexion with serene consistency.
Ideal for: Uneven tone, dullness, stressed skin.
Found in: Brightening creams, serums, toners.
Benefits: Enhances radiance, softness and clarity.
Fermented Rice Water: The Art Of Patience In Skincare
Once the secret of Japanese and Korean beauty rituals, fermented rice water intensifies amino acids and vitamins over time. The result is a powerhouse essence that tightens pores, smooths texture and restores glow.
Ideal for: Combination, oily, dull or textured skin.
Found in: Essences, toners, serums
Benefits: Minimises pores, evens tone, enhances luminosity.
Tip: Ferment rice water for 12 hours and use as a toner. (Also strengthening when used as a hair rinse.)
24k Gold: Where Heritage Meets High Luxury
Revered by Egyptian queens and Ayurvedic healers alike, gold was believed to enhance vitality and radiance. Today, micro-ionised 24k gold calms inflammation, boosts luminosity and improves the performance of other actives.
Ideal for: Anti-ageing, luxury skincare, tired or dull skin.
Found in: Serums, masks, night creams, ampoules.
Benefits: Enhances radiance, soothes skin, amplifies actives.
The Modern Magic Of Ancient Ingredients
What makes these botanicals compelling today is not nostalgia, but performance. Each carries a natural constellation of antioxidants, minerals and phytonutrients, now elevated through advanced extraction and formulation science. The result is skincare that honours the past while delivering modern efficacy – rooted, soulful and undeniably effective.
