Bacopa: brains & beauty: known as one of the best herbs for better mental function, bacopa also offers beauty benefits.(PERSONAL CARE: INSIDE OUT)

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What's the hottest new beauty trend from Bollywood? Centuries-old herbal ingredients borrowed from Ayurveda, the ancient Indian method of holistic healing. One Ayurvedic herb that's finding its way into skin and hair care products is bacopa.

This delicate creeping flower is best known for its brain benefits, but bacopa's potent antioxidant properties have caught the attention of cosmetic manufacturers for its potential as a skin-saving free radical fighter. Some are even adding bacopa to hair and body treatments, making it a pampering bioactive that can boost beauty from head to toe.

What It Is

Bacopa, also known as water hyssop or brahmi, grows wild throughout India, where it has been used since at least the sixth century AD as a tonic for the nervous system and heart. Packed with phytosterols and flavonoids, bacopa's real claim to fame is bacopasides--the saponins thought to repair damaged neurons in the brain.

What It Does

In-vitro research has shown that bacopa protects against DNA damage in human fibroblasts--cells that form connective tissue. More recently, lab studies suggest that bacopa also encourages cancer cells to die in connective tissue. If future studies support these findings, cosmetic manufacturers may look to bacopa as protection against skin damage, premature wrinkles, and age spots.