What would you expect to find if you took a trek deep into the Amazon Rainforest? Lush vegetation? Exotic creatures – both friendly and not? Maybe dragons? It’s hard to think of the Amazon Rainforest and not let your mind wander and get carried away in the mystery that’s shrouded in the region. If there was a place on earth where mythical creatures really exist, the Amazon seems like reasonable spot for them to hide out.
It turns out that dragons really do exist in the Amazon Rainforest, just not in the form you’re thinking of. Deep in the Rainforest of South America is where you’ll find the Dragon’s Blood tree, or if you want to be more scientific about it, the Croton Uechleri tree.
Croton Uechleri is a tree found throughout certain parts of South America, with heart-shaped leaves and flowers that resemble a dragon’s hand – which is in part where it got its name. The “blood” part of the dragon blood comes from the rich, red-colored sap that seeps through the gray, mottled bark when cut, resembling blood oozing from a wound.
For centuries, natives of the region have known about the healing properties of this jewel-toned sap and have used it throughout time for practically every medicinal purpose under the sun – from digestive issues to immune support and wound healing. Dragons blood is a medicinal staple among natives in the region.
Today, Dragon’s Blood has become recognized throughout the world for its miraculous healing capabilities, and this includes its ability to perform magic on your skin. Dragon’s Blood is an amazing new skincare ingredient, and we can’t stop talking about it.
Getting Acquainted with Dragon’s Blood
Many a person who has wandered through the Amazon Rainforest has learned about the healing properties of Dragon’s Blood merely by chance. There’s no shortage of things that bite or sting, and there’s plenty of branches and pokey things to result in an abrasion or two. If a local spots you with a cut, bite or scrape, they’re going to immediately direct you to Dragon’s Blood.
It’s hard to miss Dragon’s Blood sap when it’s being sourced from the Croton Uechleri tree. A diagonal slash is made into the bark and a cup is placed at the lower end of the slash to collect the slow seeping sap, similar in the way that rubber sap is extracted from rubber trees.
Except Dragon’s Blood sap creates such as stark visual contrast, that it’s hard not to stop and take notice. The thick sap eventually hardens into a resin, but in commercially produced products, you’re more likely to find it as a powder, tincture or infused as an amazing complementary ingredient in prepared products.
Dragon’s Blood and Skin Care
You may have noticed Dragon’s Blood popping up in skincare lately. Maybe you’ve considered trying it but worry that it’s just another “fad” ingredient that skincare company marketing departments have jumped on board with. We all know there’s nothing worse than spending money and time on a skincare product that’s more hype than it is action.
This isn’t the case with Dragon’s Blood.
Dragon’s Blood has been a respected skin tonic for hundreds of years, and it’s chockfull of all the good stuff that’s important for skincare. Dragon’s blood is an antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant powerhouse.
Dragon’s Blood contains phytochemicals, like phytosterols, diterpenes, proanthocyanidins, and let’s not forget about alkaloids – one of the most powerful being aspine with its well-known healing properties. All of this combined makes Dragon’s Blood effective in helping treat a variety of skin ailments.
Considering all of this, it’s easy to see why Dragon’s Blood would be great for soothing acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. But what about its recent surge of popularity in anti-aging skincare products? How does Dragon’s Blood support healthy skin and work to keep it looking young, fresh and rejuvenated?
As we age, there’s a natural process that occurs. Even someone who lives the cleanest possible life is eventually going to show some outward signs of aging. While how quickly these signs begin to appear seem to have a lot to do with a combination of lifestyle and heredity, there’s no stopping the hands of time.
However, we may be able to exert some control over how quickly the process happens. Everyday stress, diet, lifestyle and environmental toxins all slowly creep in and have an accumulative effect on the health and appearance of our skin. Quality skincare can help you combat some of these stressors and slow down the visible aging process.
Dragon’s Blood can play an important role in this. As a healing agent, Dragon’s Blood creates a protective barrier over the wound, which keeps all the bad stuff out while the body does its thing in fighting infection and cell regeneration. When used in skincare products, Dragon’s Blood creates a light barrier that helps the skin maintain moisture while providing an antioxidant-rich force against all those nasty environmental toxins that try to settle into your skin. This creates less stress on the skin and promotes a generally healthier environment – both good things in the anti-aging game.
Dragon’s Blood also helps to reduce inflammation, which is important for reducing redness, swelling and blotchy skin discolorations that can plague us at any age. The anti-inflammatory properties also support healthy collagen production, which is key if you want to maintain youthful plumpness to your skin.
Is Dragon’s Blood a miracle ingredient of mythical proportions? No, it isn’t. But it is one of nature’s best offerings for healthy, beautiful looking skin. It can be a nice compliment to your skincare routine, especially when combined with other powerful natural ingredients.
Better Together
Dragon’s Blood is capable of producing some pretty impressive results on its own. That leaves us to wonder what happens when it’s combined with a few of nature’s other offerings known for supporting beautiful skin.
Amazing things are what happens.
When Dragon’s Blood is combined with top natural skincare ingredients, like Vitamin C, rose hips and green tea, the effects are amplified. In a serum that’s infused with all of this goodness, you get an antioxidant powerhouse that leaves your skin feeling velvety soft and smooth, and looking nothing short of radiant.
There’s never a bad time to use skincare products that have been infused with Dragon’s Blood, but there are extra benefits that come from applying a gentle serum right before bed. While you’re in blissful slumber, your skin is hard at work repairing itself and generating new skin cells. When you apply Dragon’s Blood serum at bedtime, you’re supporting this process with all the protective anti-inflammatory properties. Trust that you’ll wake up looking refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Back to Nature
If you’ve noticed a strong trend toward gentle, natural ingredients – including ones that you may not have heard of before, it isn’t all in your imagination. We’re ready to get back to basics, back to nature and back to the most beautiful version of ourselves – both inside and out. We hope you’ll try our new Dragon’s Blood Facial Serum and discover for yourself the benefits of this ancient, healing botanical.
"Digestive Health;Immune System;Inflammatory Conditions " "Anti-Inflammatory;Diet/Nutrition;Environment;Healthy Choices and Habits;Mindful Aging;Natural Skincare Regimen;Non-toxic;Sleep Habits;Stress Management " "Acneic;Dehydrated;Hyperpigmentation;Inflammatory Conditions;Loss of Collagen;Loss of Elasticity;Mature;Oxidative Stress;Premature Aging;UV Damage " "Ascorbyl Glucoside;Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract;Croton Lechleri Resin Extract;Rosa Canina Fruit Extract;Rosa Canina Seed Oil;Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate "