Do you know the treasures that may be lurking at the bottom of your garden? Melissa, also known as lemon balm or balm mint, is enjoying a revival as the ingredient du jour by the beauty industry. Where once you may have found 12th century nuns calming their nerves by dabbling with the herb, today you'll find the likes of Jade Jagger and Cindy Crawford paddling in Kneipp's melissa herbal bath tablets.
"We have used it in our medicated cleansing line, as the herb is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, which responds well on the skin without stripping it," says Sally Penford of Dermalogica.
"It's calming, soothing and even people prone to allergies tend to respond well to it," says Susan Curtis of Neal's Yard, which has used melissa in its new hand cream. While cosmetics companies are enabling us to smear it on and wallow in the stuff, Merri Mayers, founder of natural skincare range Comfort & Joy, drinks it as a tea, "I've used it as a gentle antidepressant. Infuse a handful of torn leaves in a cup of boiled water and let it steep for five minutes. Stick it in the fridge for a home-made antiseptic skin tonic, but make a fresh batch after 24 hours."
Melissa officianalis can also in be found in southern Europe, central Asia and Brazil. The different strains of the species have been used in western and eastern medicine for complaints ranging from anxiety and depression to healing wounds and dry skin conditions such as eczema.
Twelfth-century French nuns and monks closely guarded the secret of "carmelite water", which combined melissa with lemon peel, nutmeg and angelica root to ward off nervous headaches and fever. The 16th-century Holy Roman emperor, Charles V, reportedly drank the restorative water. In fact, melissa's historical importance is confirmed by The London Dispensary (1696), which states: "An essence of balm, given in canary wine every morning will renew youth, strengthen the brain, relieve languishing nature and prevent baldness."
Last month, the restorative nature of the herb was confirmed by researchers at Northumbria University, who found that melissa helps with some areas of memory. So the question is, does melissa have a place on the beauty altar next to our beloved lavender, rose or camomile, or is it just another fad? "Melissa has been used in Tibetan medicine for more than 3,000 years. It was even been made into an incense and burnt to help ease psychological problems," says Christopher Hansard, physician of Tibetan Dur Bon medicine at the Eden Medical Centre, London, but adds, "Herbal medicine does go through fads. Take St John's wort, its popularity has meant that many people have taken it out of its proper context and use." Therefore, it's always best to consult your doctor before using the herb.
Dr Nick Lowe, a consultant dermatologist, advises caution for eczema sufferers, since irritation could occur, and those suffering from heart, thyroid or blood pressure problems should not use melissa.
If you're going to use it, try to get the best grade: "Like wines, it varies in quality due to the soil in which it's grown," says Harley Street aromatherapist Shirley Page. "Crops harvested in mountainous areas are usually better quality."
