You might have seen the ingredient Lilly Pilly in your favorite Original & Mineral hairstyling and hair care products, and wondered why O&M loves including it in formulas.

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Here are some facts: This superplant is harvested from a Myrtaceae. S. paniculatum tree, which is endemic to New South Wales. You can find them along a coastal strip in five separate geographical areas: Jervis Bay, Coalcliff, Botany Bay, Central Coast and Seal Rocks.

Also called Riberry, Lilly Pillies were regularly consumed as food and medicine by the Aboriginal people in Australia. Because of its sweet, tarty taste children loved to snack on them, while the adults turned to them for medicinal purposes. Today, because the plant’s fruits and flowers are rich in nutrients and anti-aging properties, it has now become a highly sought-after component in hair care products.

Below, we share the five reasons why Lilly Pilly is a beloved ingredient by holistic hair stylists.

1.      It emits a clove-like fragrance.

Ever wonder where Original & Mineral gets that floral-like scent in their products? The aroma of Lilly Pilly flowers resembles that of cloves with some fruity top notes. So now you know the secret. 😊

2.      It is a natural hair plumper due to it rich astringent content.

Famous for its rich astringent content, Lilly Pilly helps build firmness into the hair, making it a great ingredient for hair sprays. This is also why you can find Lilly Pilly in O&M Rootalicious – the Vitamin C and fruit acids in the plant assist in pumping up the fullness and volume of the strands especially fine ones.

3.      It protects the hair and scalp from free radicals.

Apart from its astringent properties, Lilly Pilly is also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins that help create a protective barrier against free radicals and oxidative stress. In fact, studies have shown that Lilly Pilly has 2 times higher oxygen radical absorbance capacity than blueberries.

4.      It slows down hair aging.

Due to its high antioxidant content, it helps neutralize “reactive oxygen species” in the body that cause hair aging. These reactive oxygen species damage the cellular structures in the body, causing problems such as hair loss and premature greying.

5.      It is anti-inflammatory.

In traditional medicine, Lilly Pilly pulp is popular for its ability to treat sore ears. Aboriginal Australians relied on the plant to fight illnesses and strengthen their immune system as well. The vitamin E and anthocyanins, as well as the essential minerals like magnesium and potassium effectively reduce inflammation, which speeds up healing of wounds. So if you or your client has scalp issues like eczema and dermatitis, using hair products that contain Lilly Pilly could help diminish the swelling and the likelihood of them ever coming back.