Dragon's Blood May Be Skin Care's Next Big Ingredient

There are plenty of beauty treatments out there that sound way too outrageous to be real. This isn’t an entirely new phenomenon when it comes to the world of beauty, as history has showcased more of its fair share of rather strange trends that have (thankfully) fallen by the wayside. And now, in the 21^st century, something that’s seemingly grounded in antiquity is quietly creeping up as skin care’s newest heavy-hitting ingredient—dragon’s blood. 

We’re going to quickly disclaim dragon’s blood has no dragons involved whatsoever. In fact, at the risk of crying “misnomer,” there are no animals and no actual blood involved at all (although blood isn’t as alien to skin care as one would think). Read on to learn more about what exactly dragon blood is, if it has any effect on the skin, and its burgeoning potential as a mainstay ingredient in skin care.   

WHAT IS DRAGON’S BLOOD?

Unsurprisingly, there are no winged reptiles involved with dragon’s blood. Also called sangre de drago, dragon’s blood is a resin oil extracted from the Croton lechleri, a tree indigenous to South America. It’s named partly due to the fact the species of trees its cultivated from—along with its close relatives—are commonly referred to as “dragon trees.” Another reason has to do with the color of dragon’s blood itself: a vibrant red that evokes images of the fire-breathing reptiles.

Similar to aloe vera, dragon’s blood has been used for quite some time (thousands of years, to be exact). It was used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat different types of injury or pain. The flavonoids that serve as the main chemical foundation of dragon’s blood help to promote blood circulation, bestowing upon its previously-seen “magical” properties. The versatility of dragon’s blood use, as well as its extensive medicinal application throughout history, has inspired multiple modern medical authorities to continue research on what other benefits it may have when it comes to health concerns, both within skin care and beyond.  

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DRAGON’S BLOOD? 

Due in part to its historical ability to be used to improve blood’s circulation and hinder inflammation, the application of dragon’s blood to the skin may be able to soothe pain or discomfort caused by internal or external aggressors with further research. Its phytochemical constitution allows for it to be utilized in various forms, from antioxidative to antifungal. There are currently studies under way researching how differently-sourced dragon’s blood effect the skin and to test just how versatile this ingredient is.

WHAT IS DRAGON’S BLOOD USED FOR?

Where skin is concerned, based on studies it is theorized that dragon’s blood may be able to been applied to wounds and insect bites and any other uncomfortable sensations on skin, however further research and data is needed to support its use.