Look beyond green tea, black tea and matcha. Butterfly Pea flower is rich in antioxidants, great for overall health, and keeps your skin glowing and your hair healthy.  Known in  Ayurveda to enhance memory and boost brainpower, Butterfly Pea is also renowned throughout Asia for promoting dark, healthy, thick hair.

You’ll find Butterfly Pea all over Thailand.  It’s trendy not only for shampoos and beauty products but as a regular drinking tea.

Here’s what you need to know about Butterfly Pea and its benefits. 

Clitoria ternatea (butterfly pea - อัญชัน in Thai), is a plant species native to South East Asia and has been used for medical treatments in folk medicines for centuries. Butterfly pea tea is quite famous for its hue colour, and its earthy flavour said to be a mood enhancer and anti-stress.

BUTTERFLY PEA SKIN CARE BENEFITS

Butterfly pea extract is very useful in Skin and Haircare, thanks to a high concentration of naturally occurring polyphenols (Proanthocyanidin or condensed Tannis) and flavonoids, a potent antioxidant. Specifically, proanthocyanidin, which stimulates the natural production of collagen and elastin. 

Flavonoids are antioxidants that help reducing inflammation, redness, stress and, therefore, skin ageing.

Butterfly pea flower has anti-glycation properties, a potent ally to slow down skin ageing. (Glycation is a chemical reaction mainly caused by the excess sugar we ingest and oxidative stress, pollution and UV radiation - sugar molecules attach themselves to other molecules such as Collagen and Elastin,  causing loss of elasticity, uneven skin tone and ageing).

Recent studies have confirmed that lactic acid fermented Butterfly pea flower has a particularly strong free-radical scavenging and anti-inflammatory ability. It inhibits redness, itching, allergies, and irritation to the skin.

- Antioxidant

- Collagen and Elastin booster

- Anti-inflammatory

- Skin-soothing 

- Astringent

SHINY, HEALTHY AND STRONG HAIR WITH BUTTERFLY PEA EXTRACT

Butterfly Pea extract boosts hair growth as it contains a potent bioflavonoid,  anthocyanin, which increases blood flow in the scalp, strengthening hair follicles. It is considered one of nature’s most effective ingredient for promoting hair growth and darkening hair naturally.

HOW IS BUTTERFLY PEA GOODNESS EXTRACTED?

There are mainly three types of Butterfly Pea extracts used in skincare:

- Dried Power  (beautiful purple-blue colour) used for masks

- Glycerin extract (dark brown) used for serums, moisturisers, hair care.

- Fermentation (dark brown) used for serums, moisturisers, hair care.

ANTIOXIDANT TEA AND TINCTURE

You can get your dose of antioxidant orally as well:

 - Tincture in Alcohol  (beautiful purple-blue colour) 

-  Herbal infusion with hot water (beautiful purple-blue colour) 

Butterfly Pea is not oil soluble.

Fun Fact: Butterfly Pea is very PH sensitive. Try adding a slice of lemon to your butterfly tea and the blue colour will turn into ... pink! 

References:

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-0532/86/4/53/htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3480789/