Why Nettle is Being Used in Skincare
Nettle is one of those plants most people try to avoid. It grows wild, it stings, and it is usually seen as a nuisance. But it has been used for generations in traditional remedies, including on the skin, and there is now research starting to explain why.
What is interesting about nettle is what it naturally contains.
Studies have shown that nettle is rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavonoids. These are the types of compounds often linked to helping protect the skin from everyday environmental stress. A review published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2013 looked at Urtica dioica and highlighted its antioxidant activity.
There has also been research into its anti-inflammatory properties. Papers published in Molecules in 2018 and the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine in 2015 explored how compounds in nettle interact with inflammatory pathways. This helps explain why nettle has traditionally been associated with calming and soothing the skin.
Nettle also contains vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C and E, along with silica and zinc. These are all nutrients known to support normal skin function. Its composition was outlined in Food Chemistry in 2007.
Some studies have also looked at antimicrobial activity in nettle extracts. Research published in the African Journal of Biotechnology in 2009 found that it showed some ability to act against certain microorganisms, which adds to its relevance in skincare.
For us, working with nettle is not about following a trend. It comes from going back to where we started.
On our family farm in the north west of Ireland, nettles have always grown freely, without interference. They were never something new or discovered, they were simply part of the land. The kind of plant our grandparents would have turned to first, before there was anything bottled or branded.
That way of thinking still shapes what we do now. Instead of adding more steps or complexity, the focus is on using what is already there and working with it carefully.
The European Medicines Agency herbal monograph on Urtica dioica recognises its long history of traditional use, which sits naturally alongside the research that is emerging today.
At Améa, the aim is simple. To take a plant that has always been part of everyday life and use it in a way that feels considered, traceable, and true to where it came from.