One of the few crops to originate in North America, the sunflower, whose name comes from the Greek word helios, meaning sun, has been used throughout human history for food, decoration and healing. This spring, the bloom’s nutrient-rich oil infuses a host of launches for hair, skin and body. “Sunflower oil is very moisturizing— rich in vitamins A, D and E and essential fatty acids,” says Julie Bawden Davis, certified master gardener and author of Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening. “It is a light texture, easily absorbed by the body.”
Around 3000 B.C., Native Americans in Arizona and New Mexico would pound out sunflower seeds to make fiber-rich cakes, mush and bread. The oil, derived from squeezing the seed, was applied to skin and hair for conditioning, and was also used to relieve snakebites and sunstroke and served as a treatment for warts. The Aztecs and the Incas used the flower ceremonially, and priestesses wore wreathes of sunflowers as offerings to their solar deities. The bloom’s mashed-up petals and hulls also yielded a purple dye used for body and textile painting, and its dried stalks doubled as a building material. Spanish explorers brought the sunflower back to Europe.
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The bright yellow bloom is as popular as ever. Launching in April, Aveda’s Damage Ready Daily Hair Repair features sunflower oil for softening, while Dermalogica’s new UltraCalming line harnesses the flower’s skin-fortifying abilities. Oribe’s Shampoo for Moisture & Control is formulated with color-protecting sunflower extract and Zotos’ Hairtrition contains seed extract for follicle mending.
Nivea’s Touch of Honeydew Hydrating Shower Gel uses sunflower for hydration, while Philosophy’s antiaging Miracle Worker contains its oil to reinforce skin’s natural barrier. Darphin’s Orange Blossom Aromatic Care oxygenates skin tissue and detoxifies skin with a mix of jojoba, sunflower and safflower oils.
There are 67 species of sunflowers, which grow annually in full sun, and commonly reach between 8 and 12 feet in height. Within the flower’s center cluster are florets arranged in an interconnecting spiral pattern, which form successive Fibonacci numbers, producing the most efficient packing of seeds in the space. Sunflowers in the bud stage exhibit heliotropism, meaning the bloom’s centers face the east and follow the sun throughout the day. “Across the world, the sunflower is a symbol of light, hope, innocence and happiness,” says Bawden Davis.
Sunny Days
Nivea Touch of Honeydew Hydrating Shower Gel; $5.99
Zotos Hairtrition Sulfate-Free Color Protect Shampoo; $7.49
Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair; $24
Oribe Hair Care Shampoo for Moisture & Control; $37
Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate; $54
Darphin Paris Orange Blossom Aromatic Care; $80
Philosophy Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Retinoid Pads and Solution and Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer; $70, $55