Amazing Creams - Skin and Body Care Products

Botanical extract of the comfrey plants used for its healing, soothing, and anti-irritating properties. Allantoin helps to heal wounds and skin irritations and stimulate growth of healthy tissue. Helps promote healthy skin.

A large and diverse group of primarily aquatic plantlike organisms. The algae have chlorophyll and can manufacture their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They are distributed worldwide in the sea, in freshwater, and in moist situations on land. Nearly all seaweeds are marine algae.

Algae, the major food of fish (and thus indirectly of many other animals), are a keystone in the aquatic food chain of life; they are the primary producers of the food that provides the energy to power the whole system. They are also important to aquatic life in their capacity to supply oxygen through photosynthesis. Seaweeds, e.g., the kelps (kombu) and the red algae Porphyra (nori), have long been used as a source of food, especially in Asia. Other useful algae products are agar and carrageen, which is used as a stabilizer in foods, cosmetics, and paints.

A natural marine-derived complex that functions as an anti-inflammatory agent.

An oil obtained by pressing sweet almonds. French almond oil, huile d'amande, is very expensive and has the delicate flavor and aroma of lightly toasted almonds. The U.S. Variety is much milder and doesn't compare either in flavor or in price.

A bitter herb native to the Mediterranean region with anti-inflammatory, astringent, emollient, anti fungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.

It contains a host of compounds that are biologically active and includes anthraquinones, saccharides and prostaglandins as well as other constituents.It furthermore contains enzymes (oxidase, amylase, catalase, lipase and alkaline phosphatase) amino acids (lysine, threonine, valine, methionine, leucine, isoleucine and phenylalanine) vitamins (vitamin b1, B2, B6, C, E, folic acid, choline and beta carotene) minerals (calcium, sodium, manganese, magnesium, zinc, copper and chromium.

Also known as leopard's bane, wolf's bane, mountain tobacco and mountain arnica, is a European flowering plant with large yellow capitula. It is a herb of pasture and open woodland throughout most of Europe and western Asia having orange-yellow daisylike flower heads that when dried are used as a stimulant and to treat bruises and swellings.

Avocado (Persea americana) is a tree and the fruit of that tree, classified in the flowering plant family, Lauraceae. It is native to Central America and Mexico.The pear-shaped fruit is botanically a berry or drupe, from 7 to 20 cm long, and weighs between 100-1000 g. It has a large central seed, 3-5 cm in diameter. Although it is classed as a vegetable , the avocado is really a fruit since it has a stone - but none-the-less it yields a rich and extremely deep penetrating oil, rich in vitamins A, D and E, lecithin, as well as potassium - known as the youth mineral.

It furthermore contains proteins, lecithin, beta-carotene and more than twenty percent essential unsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids contained are palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic. It is also high in sterolins, which are reputed to reduce age spots, help heal sun damage and scars. It is the sterolins (also called plant steroids) in the oil that helps to soften the skin and imparts a superior moisturizing effect.

In a study done at the Department of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in 1991, it was found that avocado oil significantly increases the amount of collagen in the skin - which normally is under attack as we grow older.

Avocado oil is easily absorbed into deep tissue, and with its wonderfully emollient properties, makes it ideal for mature skins. It also helps to relieve the dryness and itching of psoriasis and eczema.

Any of certain mat-forming shrubs of the genus Arctostaphylos, especially A. uva-ursi, native to North America and Eurasia, having small leathery leaves, white or pinkish urn-shaped flowers, and red berrylike fruits. Also called kinnikinnick.

Beech (Fagus) is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. The fruit is a small, sharply 3-angled nut 10-15 mm long, borne in pairs in soft-spined husks 1.5-2.5 cm long, known as cupules. The nuts are edible, though bitter with a high tannin content, and can be called beechmast.

Beeswax is a product from a bee hive. Beeswax is secreted by honeybees of a certain age in the form of thin scales. The scales are produced by glands of 12 to 17 days old worker bees on the ventral (stomach) surface of the abdomen. Beeswax is used commercially to make fine candles, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals including bone wax (cosmetics and pharmaceuticals account for 60% of total consumption), in polishing materials (particularly shoe polish), as a component of modeling waxes, and in a variety of other products.

Any of about 40 species of short-lived ornamental and timber trees and shrubs of the genus Betula, the largest genus of the family Betulaceae. Birches are found in the Northern Hemisphere. The fruit is a small nut or short-winged samara (dry, winged fruit). Birches produce economically important timber. Oil obtained from birch twigs smells and tastes like wintergreen and is used in tanning Russian leather.

Blueberries are a group of flowering plants in the genus Vaccinium. The species are native to North America and eastern Asia. They are shrubs varying in size from 10 cm tall to 4 m tall; the smaller species are known as "lowbush blueberries", and the larger species as "highbush blueberries". Blueberries, especially wild species, contain antioxidants which have been found to reduce the risks of some cancers. At the 2004 International Conference on Longevity, a group of researchers released details of a study that suggests certain compounds found in blueberries (and some similar fruits, including cranberries) have a significant impact in reducing the degradation of brain function, as in Alzheimer's Disease and other conditions. Research at Rutgers has also shown that blueberries may help prevent urinary tract infections.

Butcher's broom is a small, clump-forming shrub with erect shoots bearing stiff, ovate, leaf-like cladophylls. Tiny green flowers appear in late winter and spring on the cladophylls. The herb stimulates the a-adrenergic receptors of the smooth muscle cells in the vascular wall and in doing so supports and strengthens the dilated venous vessels. It is also useful for facial products, used to remove make up, anti-cuperosis products and cosmetics to be applied to the eye surround or on sensitive and irritated skins.

Calendula (Marigold) is a genus of about 12-20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the area from Macaronesia east through the Mediterranean region to Iran.

The name Calendula stems from the Latin calendar, meaning first day of the month, presumably because pot marigolds are in bloom at the start of most months of the year. The common name marigold probably refers to the Virgin Mary, or its old Saxon name 'ymbglidegold', which means 'it turns with the sun'.

It is ideal in for dry, dehydrated, irritated and delicate skin as the saponins and mucilage has humectant properties.

Due to the presence of carotenoids in its chemical composition, it has great re-epithelizing properties - making it ideal for general healing, wound healing, eczemas as well as fighting the signs of aging.

The presence of essential oil and salicylic acid gives it an antimicrobial and anti-oxidizing action, which results in an antiseptic action great for any infections, including acne.

Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean (or preferably castor seed as the castor plant, Ricinus communis, is not a member of the bean family).

Castor oil has an unusual composition and chemistry, which makes it quite valuable. Ninety percent of fatty acids in castor oil are ricinoleic acid. Ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated, 18-carbon fatty acid, has a hydroxyl functional group at the twelveth carbon, a very uncommon property for a biological fatty acid. This functional group causes ricinoleic acid (and castor oil) to be unusually polar, and also allows chemical derivitization that is not practical with other biological oils. Since it is a polar dielectric with a relatively high dielectric constant (4.7), highly refined and dried Castor oil is sometimes used as a dielectric fluid within high performance high voltage capacitors.

Castor oil maintains its fluidity at both extremely high and low temperatures. Sebacic acid is chemically derived from castor oil. Castor oil and its derivatives have applications in the manufacturing of soaps, lubricants, hydraulic and brake fluids, paints, dyes, coatings, inks, cold resistant plastics, waxes and polishes, nylon, pharmaceuticals and perfumes.

The roe of a large fish, especially sturgeon, that is salted, seasoned, and eaten as a delicacy or relish.

WORD HISTORY: Although caviar might seem to be something quintessentially Russian, the word caviar is not, the native Russian term being ikra. Caviar first came into English in the 16th century, probably by way of French and Italian, which borrowed it from Turkish havyar. The source of the Turkish word is apparently an Iranian dialectal form related to the Persian word for "egg," khayah, and this in turn goes back to the same Indo-European root that gives us the English words egg and oval. This rather exotic etymology is appropriate to a substance that is not to everyone's taste, giving rise to Shakespeare's famous phrase, "'twas caviary to the general," the general public, that is.

Long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. It forms the primary structural component of green plants. The primary cell wall of green plants is made primarily of cellulose..

Small herbaceous annual plant of the family Apiaceae, native to Asia. Common names include Gotu Kola, Asiatic Pennywort, Antanan, Pegaga, and Brahmi . The herb centella has been used extensively, internally and externally, as a medicine since the 17th century in Africa, India, the Philippines, Java and France.

This perennial is also known as Roman chamomile. The foliage is feathery with an apple scent, and it is accented by white, daisy-like flowers with down-turned petals.
Culinary Uses
Roman chamomile foliage can be chopped and stirred into butter or sour cream that is used to top baked potatoes.
Medicinal Uses
German Chamomile is most often used for medicinal purposes, and is usually administered as a tea. It can also be administered as a compress for external healing and as a bath for babies. Here are a few uses:
• Soothes and relaxes at bedtime.
• Relieves restlessness, teething problems, and colic in children.
• Relieves allergies, much as an antihistamine would.
• Aids digestion when taken as a tea after meals.
• Relieves morning sickness during pregnancy.
• Speeds healing of skin ulcers, wounds, or burns.
• Treats gastritis and ulcerative colitis.
Other Uses
• Makes a relaxing bath or footbath.
• Lightens fair hair and conditions complexion. Make a rinse by simmering 2 teaspoons dried flowers in 8 ounces of water for 15 minutes.
• Potpourri (dry flowers face down.)
Chamomile Cleansing Milk Must be kept refrigerated. Good only for 2-4 days. Place 1 cup of warm milk in a bowl. The milk must be kept warm throughout, however it must never boil and a skin must not form on the milk. The easiest way to accomplish this is by placing the bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Add 3 tablespoons fresh chamomile flowers. Stir gently from time to time so as not to break up the flowers. Infuse until the milk smells strongly of chamomile. Strain into glass jars. Excellent for oily skin

Chestnuts (Castanea), including the chinkapins, are a genus of eight or nine species of trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts produced by these trees. Most are large trees to 20-40 m tall, but some species (the chinkapins) are smaller, often shrubby. All are deciduous.

The cinnamon tree is an evergreen tree with light brown, papery bark and leathery leaves. The tree shows small, yellow-white clusters of flowers in summer, after which oval, purple berries appear.

Parts used:
The inner bark, leaves, and oil are used for herbal preparations and for culinary purposes.

Properties
Cinnamon is a pungent, sweet smelling, warming herb that stimulates the circulation, relieves spasms, and helps to control high blood pressure, bleeding and indigestion.

It contains a volatile oil which is obtained from the leaf or the bark. The oil obtained from the bark contains cinnamaldehyde and smaller amounts of trans-cinnamic acid, o-methoxycinnamaldehyde, eugenol and monoterpenoids. The oil from the leaf contains far smaller amounts of cinnamic aldehyde and higher quantities of eugenol, eugenol acetate and benzyl benzoate. Furthermore, it contains procyanidins, diterpenes, phenylpropanoids and polysaccharides. On the skin it has an astringent effect and it helps to tighten loose skin.

Any of a class of organic compounds, the most abundant proteins in the animal kingdom, occurring widely in tendons, ligaments, dentin, cartilage, and other connective tissues. Their molecules share a triple-helix configuration. Collagens occur as whitish, inelastic fibres of great tensile strength and low solubility in water. Soluble when first synthesized (the form used in personal-care preparations), collagen changes to a more stable, insoluble form. Glue made from collagen in animal hides and skins is a widely used adhesive. Specially treated forms of collagen are used in medicine and surgery (including lip implants and other cosmetic surgery).

A volatile silicone compound used to reduce the greasy feel of tanning oils.

Species of Rose hip, Rosa canina (Dog Rose), have been used as a source of Vitamin C. Rosehips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus and as an oil. They can also be used to make jam, jelly and marmalade. Particularly high in Vitamin C, with about 1700-2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product, one of the richest plant sources. Contain vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidant flavonoids. As a herbal remedy, rosehips are attributed with the ability to prevent urinary bladder infections, and assist in treating dizziness and headaches.

Eleutherococcus (Siberian ginseng) is the root of Eleutherococcus senticosus, a plant in the ginseng family. Many people in Russia, including athletes and cosmonauts, use it to increase endurance and resistance to stress.Russian researchers call it an "adaptogen," a substance that promotes adaptation to environmental stress of all kinds. In the past such a substance was called a tonic, something that tones or stretches the system, making it more resilient, better able to bend under pressure rather than break. Traditional Chinese medicine places great value on tonic plants because it believes in strengthening natural defenses.

A revolutionary, plant-derived skin protectant, contributes to skin's elasticity, softness and smoothness.

An inert substance used as a diluent or vehicle for a drug.

Detachment and shedding of superficial cells of an epithelium or a tissue surface.

Scaling or desquamation of the horny layer of epidermis.

Any of a large group of monobasic acids, especially those found in animal and vegetable fats and oils. Characteristically made up of saturated or unsaturated aliphatic compounds with an even number of carbon atoms, this group of acids includes palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids.

Fucus is a genus of seaweed that lives in the intertidal zones of rocky shores. A common species found on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America is Fucus vesiculosus or bladder wrack. On the Pacific coast of North America, the most common species is Fucus gardneri.

Ginger is a deciduous perennial with thick, branching rhizomes and sturdy, upright stems with pointed lance-like leaves. Yellow-green flowers, with a deep purple lip with a yellow marking are produced, followed by the fruits, which resemble fleshy capsules.

Parts Used
The fresh and dried rhizomes are used and an essential oil is also extracted..

Properties
Ginger is a sweet, pungent and aromatic herb that has expectorant properties. The herb increases perspiration, improves digestion and liver function, controls nausea, vomiting and coughing. It stimulates circulation, relaxes spasms and relieves pain.

The Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), sometimes known as the Maidenhair Tree, is a unique tree with no close living relatives. It is one of the best known examples of a living fossil. For centuries it was thought to be extinct in the wild, but is now known to grow wild in at least two small areas in Zhejiang province in eastern China, in the Tian Mu Shan Reserve.

There seem to be basically three effects of Ginkgo extract on the human body: it improves blood flow (including microcirculation in small capillaries) to most tissues and organs; it protects against oxidative cell damage from free radicals (antioxidant); and it blocks many of the effects of PAF (platelet aggregation, blood clotting) that have been related to the development of a number of cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and CNS (Central Nervous System) disorders.

Perennial herb prized in the Orient for its purported curative properties. Based on an ancient Chinese legend, early emperors proclaimed it a panacea to be ingested or used in lotions and soaps. The genus name, Panax, is derived from the Greek "panakeia," which means universal remedy. The term "ginseng" is derived from the Chinese term "jen-shen," which means "in the image of a man."

The plant is responsible for increasing phospholipid synthesis in the blood, inhibiting ATPase in the brain and many other effects. It has also been shown that Ginseng has a strong anti-radical effect.

This vast amount of properties give Ginseng an almost unlimited use in cosmetics. Its activity makes it useful in nourishing creams, in treating wrinkled and aged skin and in all cosmetic products used to retard the onset of age.

The commercial name for glycerol, a colorless, odorless, syrupy liquid-chemically, an alcohol-obtained from fats and oils and used to retain moisture and add sweetness to foods. It also helps prevent sugar crystallization in foods like candy. Outside the world of food, glycerin is used in cosmetics, inks and certain glues.

A syrupy, sweet, colorless or yellowish liquid, C3H8O3, obtained from fats and oils as a byproduct of saponification and used as a solvent, an antifreeze, a plasticizer, and a sweetener and in the manufacture of dynamite, cosmetics, liquid soaps, inks, and lubricants.

It is a large shrub with white flowers and is indigenous to Asia and China, but commercially grown in Africa, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia.The young leaves and buds are normally used.

The same plant is used to produce green, black and oolong tea. When green tea is made the leaves are rapidly dried, while black tea is first fermented and then dried and oolong tea is only partly fermented before drying.

Properties
The tannins interact with proteins and are astringent and also have antioxidant activity. One of the polyphenols in green tea - epigaltocatechin galate (EGCC) is thought to be 200 times more powerful than vitamin E for neutralizing free radicals. It contains caffeine as well as triterpene saponins, carotenoids and non-protein amino acids (theanine, 2-amino-6-ethylamidoadipinic acid). It has three major benefits - that being a powerful antioxidant and thereby reducing free radical damage in the skin, a potent anti-inflammatory agent thereby reducing inflammation in the skin, and most importantly having a inhibitory action on collagenase - an enzymatic action in the skin where the collagen is broken down, resulting in more firm and elastic skin.

The horse chestnut tree is large with sticky buds and palm-like leaves. White flowers, with a pink to yellow basal spot, appear in 30 cm spikes in late spring and globose, green-brown, spiny fruits follow, containing 1-3 shiny, red-brown seeds.

Horse chestnut is a bitter, astringent herb that lowers fever and reduces local edema. It has diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties and is excellent to boost venous health and reduce capillary fragility.

The main constituent of the herb is aescin, which is a complex mix of saponins, which have excellent anti-inflammatory properties.

Due to the excellent venous tonic effect of horse chestnut when applied topically on the skin, it helps to prevent vein and capillary fragility. It also balances the circulation in the skin, thereby promoting not only a clear skin, but an even complexion and good skin tone, and is used in good quality cosmetics, hand creams, lotions, as well as slimming and cellulite products.

Due to the saponins contained it has a potent anti-inflammatory effect on the skin.

A gellike aminoglycan that is found in the tissue space, the synovial fluid of joints, and the vitreous humor of the eyes and acts as a binding, lubricating, and protective agent.Hyaluronic acid is a substance that is normally produced by the body. Hyaluronic acid is what gives skin its volume and fullness. If present in a skin-care product. it will add fullness and reduces the prominence of the wrinkles in the previously wrinkled area. Hyaluronic acid also attracts and binds water, and this also helps maintain fullness in the effected area.

Also known as Cogon Grass, Imperata cylindrica is a species of grass in the genus Imperata. It is placed in the subfamily Panicoideae, supertribe Andropogonodae, tribe Andropogoneae. It is planted extensively for ground cover and soil stabilization near beach areas and other areas subject to erosion. Other uses include paper-making, thatching and weaving into mats and bags. However, its most common usefulness may be seen in its medicinal properties which include astringent, febrifuge, diuretic, tonic and styptic action.

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), is a shrub native to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of Arizona, California, and Mexico. Jojoba is grown for the liquid wax (commonly called jojoba oil) in its seeds. This oil is rare in that it is an extremely long straight-chain wax ester and not a triglyceride, making jojoba and its derivative jojoba esters, more similar to sebum and whale oil than to traditional vegetable oils. Jojoba oil is easily refined to be odorless, colorless and oxidatively stable, and is often used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and as a carrier oil for specialty fragrances.

Lactic acid, also known as milk acid, is a chemical compound that plays a role in several biochemical processes. Lactic acid is popularly known as an AHA in the cosmetics industry. It is widely used as a milder alternative to glycolic acid. It is primarily used as an anti-aging chemical claimed to soften lines, reduce photodamage from the sun, improve skin texture and tone and improve overall appearance.

Precautions should be taken when using lactic acid as a cosmetic agent because it can increase sensitivity to the sun's UV radiation.

Lavender is an aromatic, tonic herb with a sweet scent. It relaxes spasms, benefits the digestion, stimulates peripheral circulation and the uterus and lowers fever. It is anti-septic and has an anti-depressant effect.

It contains ursolic acid, which is not only antibacterial, but also active against lipid oxidation and inhibits elastase - which results in tissue degeneration as well as inflammatory processes as well as tissue degradation such as psoriasis and eczemas.

The rosmarinic acid and polyphenolic derivatives have good antioxidant properties, which is helpful in countering aging.

On the skin, lavender oil tones and revitalizes it and it is useful for all types of skin problems, such as abscesses, acne, oily skin, boils, burns, sunburn, wounds, psoriasis, lice, insect bites, stings. It also acts as an insect repellent.

A tree of the genus Tilia, known as a "lime tree" in Britain and a "linden tree" in North America.

Also known as Tilia or Lime tree, this is a genus of about 30 species of trees, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere, in Asia (where the greatest species diversity is found), Europe and eastern North America; it is absent from western North America.

The tree produces fragrant and nectar-producing flowers, the medicinal herb lime blossom. They are very important honey plants for beekeepers, producing a very pale but richly flavoured honey. The flowers are also used for herbal tea. T. cordata is the preferred species for medical use, having a high concentration of active compounds. It is said to be a nervine, used by herbalists in treating restlessness, hysteria, and headaches. Usually, the double-flowered lindens are used to make perfumes. The leaf buds and young leaves are also edible raw.

An artificial microscopic vesicle (sac) consisting of an aqueous core enclosed in one or more phospholipid layers, used to convey vaccines, drugs, enzymes, or other substances to target cells or organs.

Edible, richly flavored nuts of ornamental evergreen trees in the family Proteaceae. Macadamias originated in the coastal rainforests and scrubs of northeastern Australia. Macadamias are grown in quantity also in parts of Africa and South and Central America. The nuts contain much fat but are a good source of minerals and vitamin B. Macademia oil is prized for containing approximately 22% of the Omega-7 palmitoleic acid[1], which makes it a botanical alternative to mink oil, which contains approx. 17%. This relatively high content of "cushiony" palmitoleic acid plus macadamia's high oxidative stability make it a desirable ingredient in cosmetics, especially skincare.

The mango is a genus of about 35 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae, native to India, of which the Indian Mango M. indica is by far the most important commercially. Reference to mangos as the "food of the gods" can be found in the Hindu Vedas.

The fruit flesh of a ripe mango contains about 15% sugar, up to 1% protein, and significant amounts of vitamins A, B and C. The taste of the fruit is very sweet, with some cultivars having a slight acidic tang. Mangoes are very juicy; the sweet taste and high water content make them refreshing to eat, though somewhat messy.

Melilot (Melilotus), also known as Sweet Clover, is a genus in the family Fabaceae. Members are known as common grassland plants and as weeds of cultivated ground. Originally from Europe and Asia, it is now found worldwide.

Menthol is a covalent organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. Menthol has local anesthetic and counterirritant qualities, and it is widely used to relieve minor throat irritation. Menthol is included in many products for a variety of reasons. These include:
• In non-prescription products for short-term relief of minor sore throat and minor mouth or throat irritation o Examples: lip balms and cough medicines
• As an antipruritic to reduce itching
• As a topical analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains such as muscle cramps, sprains, headaches and similar conditions, alone or combined with products like Camphor or Capsicum. In Europe it tends to appear as a gel or a cream, while in the US patches and body sleeves are very frequently used o Examples: Tiger Balm IcyHot patches or knee/elbow sleeves
• In decongestants for chest and sinuses (cream, patch or nose inhaler) o Examples: Vicks Vaporub
• In certain medications used to treat sunburns, as it provides a cooling sensation (then often associated with Aloe) .
• In perfumery, menthol is used to prepare menthyl esters to emphasise floral notes (especially rose)
• In first aid products such as ``mineral ice to produce a cooling effect as a substitute for real ice in the absence of water or electricity (Pouch, Body patch/sleeve or cream)

Mulberry (Morus) is a genus of 10-16 species of deciduous trees native to warm temperate and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and North America, with the majority of the species native to Asia.The fruit is edible and is widely used in pies, tarts, wines and cordials.

A botanical name for olive.

Panthenol is the alcohol analog of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), and is thus the provitamin of B5. In organisms it is quickly oxidized to pantothenate. Panthenol is a viscous transparent liquid at room temperature, but salts of pantothenic acid (for example sodium pantothenate) are powders (typically white). It is well soluble in water, alcohol and propylene glycol, soluble in ether and chloroform, and slightly soluble in glycerin.

Bio-technologically produced active ingredient which enables the cells to store energy and to release it when necessary.

Natural rubber. Ancient Mayans and Aztecs harvested it from the hevea tree and used it to make waterproof boots and the balls which they used to play a game similar to basketball. It is what we call an elastomer, that is, it recovers its shape after being stretched or deformed.

A family of low perennial herbs with species found on all continents, most frequently in north temperate regions. Among the better-known members of the family are the primroses (genus Primula), cyclamens (genus Cyclamen), pimpernels (genus Anagallis), and loosestrifes (chiefly genus Lysimachia). Species of all these genera are cultivated as rock-garden, border, and pot plants. The primrose, a common and favored wildflower of England, has often been celebrated in poetry. A common yellow species (P. veris) is called cowslip in England.

A provitamin is a vitamin precursor that the body converts to its active form through normal metabolic processes. Vitamin B5 is an oily acid, widely found in plant and animal tissues. Performs an important role in the oxidation of fats and carbohydrates and certain amino acids; occurs in many foods.

Retinol, the dietary form of vitamin A, is a yellow fat-soluble, antioxidant vitamin important in vision and bone growth. It belongs to the family of chemical compounds known as retinoids. Retinol is ingested in a precursor form; animal sources (milk and eggs) contain retinyl esters, whereas plants (carrots, spinach) contain pro-vitamin A carotenoids. Hydrolysis of retinyl esters results in retinol while pro-vitamin A carotenoids can be cleaved to produce retinal. Retinal, also known as retinaldehyde, can be reversibly reduced to produce retinol or it can be irreversibly oxidized to produce retinoic acid.

The rose hip, also called the rose haw, is the fruit of the rose plant. It is typically red to orange but may be dark purple to black in some species.

Rose hips of some species, especially Rosa canina (Dog Rose), have been used as a source of Vitamin C. Rosehips are commonly used as a herbal tea, often blended with hibiscus and as an oil. They can also be used to make jam, jelly and marmalade..

Particularly high in Vitamin C, with about 1700-2000 mg per 100 g in the dried product, one of the richest plant sources.

Contains vitamins A, D and E, and antioxidant flavonoids

As a herbal remedy, rosehips are attributed with the ability to prevent urinary bladder infections, and assist in treating dizziness and headaches.

Also known as rose syrup, it is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals. Due to the perfume industry's immense demand for rose oil, rosewater has the status of an inexpensive by-product. Rosewater has a very distinctive flavour and is used heavily in South Asian, West Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine-especially in sweets. In Iran it is also added to tea, ice cream, cookies and other sweets in small quantities. It is also used for religious purposes in Hinduism and Islam. In the Western world, rosewater is better known as an ingredient in cosmetics than as a food flavoring, though it is used in some marzipan and is sometimes used to flavor the shell-shaped French cookie called a madeleine. Muslims were the first to distill roses and obtain the rose water. Rose perfumes are made from attar of roses or rose oil, which is a mixture of volatile essential oils obtained by steam-distilling the crushed petals of roses. The technique originated in Persia (the word rose itself is from Persian). It is also believed that Muslims introduced the rose into Spain from which they spread into Europe.

Also called rutoside and sophorin, is a citrus bioflavonoid found in buckwheat and the fruit of the Fava D'Anta tree (from Brazil) and other sources. Rutin is a a strong antioxidant, and therefore plays an important role in inhibiting some cancers. .

Rutin also strengthens the capillaries, and therefore can reduce the symptoms of haemophilia. It also may help to prevent a common unpleasant-looking venous edema of the legs. Rutin, as ferulic acid, can reduce the cytotoxicity of oxidized LDL cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease.

White, crystalline solid organic compound used chiefly to make aspirin and other pharmaceutical products, including methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen, for medicines and flavourings), phenyl salicylate (for sunburn creams and pill coatings), and salicylanilide (a cutaneous fungicide). It and certain derivatives occur naturally in some plants, particularly species of Spiraea and Salix (willow). Large amounts are used in producing certain dyes.

Any of numerous herbs of the genus Saxifraga, having small, variously colored flowers and leaves that often form a basal rosette.

Scutellaria is a genus of about 300 species of plants commonly known as skullcaps. The genus is widespread in temperate regions and on tropical mountains.

Any of certain species of red, green, and brown marine algae that generally are anchored to the sea bottom or to a solid structure by rootlike holdfasts.The most obvious seaweeds are brown algae; mosslike carpets of red algae are seen at low tides. Seaweeds are used as food, and brown algae are used in fertilizers. The red alga Gelidium is used to make the gelatin-like product called agar.

All seaweeds are rich in compounds that are of specific use in the cosmetic industry, such as polygalactosides, fucose polymers and ursolic acid. Polygalactosides react with the protective outer surface of the skin and the Ion-ion interaction form a protective moisturizing complex, while the fucose polymers are hygroscopic and act as hydrating agents and the ursolic acid helps form a protective barrier on the skin.

Shea is an African tree from the seed of which is extracted shea butter, which is used in cosmetics.Traditionally in West Africa, the slightly greenish shea butter is extracted from its fruit (called nuts), which is much like an avocado, by crushing and boiling. This substance is edible. It is consumed in traditional cuisine and used in the chocolate industry as a substitute for cocoa butter. Shea butter is known especially for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer and emollient of skin. It further adds and maintains moisture in dry, brittle hair, in addition to revitalizing, repairing and preventing breakage, and promoting hair growth.

Silicone - Any of a group of silicon compounds in solid, liquid, or gel form, characterized by wide-range thermal stability, high lubricity, extreme water repellence, and physiological inertness and used in many medical products, including surgical implants and dental impression materials.

Soybean is a sweet, cooling and slightly bitter herb used in Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments. It has sedative, anti-spasmodic, diaphoretic (causes sweating) and anti-pyretic properties, with hormonal balancing effects and has great benefit to the liver and circulation.

The oil expressed from the seeds has a multitude of benefits for the skin.

Soybean is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, including the two essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic, that are not produced in the body.

The oil has a regenerative effect on the cutaneous tissues due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, and therefore enhances local circulation in the area treated to bring about revitalization of the dermis.

The combined properties of soybean oil makes it a valued emollient for cosmetic use.

Not only is it a superb moisturizer, but its intrinsic phytoestrogen content is valuable in promoting good skin care. The protease inhibitor effect that it also has can play a role in fighting unwanted changes in the cell, which gives the oil anti-tumor properties.

The oil contains a high proportion of phytosterols. These components have been attributed with the improvement of certain disorders of the conjunctive tissue and cutaneous injuries, because they cause an increase in the collagen biosynthesis of the fibroblasts and enhance the reduction of reticular collagen. Phytosterols contained in the oil may therefore be used in specific treatments for aged skin, thanks to their revitalizing and emollient properties.

The antioxidant effect of the oil also plays a role in preventing premature aging.

The presence of sugars and amino acids cooperate in moisturizing the moisture of the horny layer of the skin and give it back the elasticity and flexibility that are characteristic of normal skin.

Known also as Hypericum perforatum, it is a yellow-flowering, perennial herb indigenous to Europe, which has been introduced to the Americas and grows wild in many meadows. The common name comes from the fact that it traditionally flowers by and is harvested on St John's day, 24 June. The genus name "hypericum" is derived from the Greek words hyper (above) and eikon (picture) in reference to the traditional use of the plant to ward off evil, by hanging plants over a picture in the house during St John's day. The first recorded use of Hypericum for medicinal purposes dates back to ancient Greece, and has been used ever since. The herb was also used by Native Americans internally as an abortifacient and externally as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antiseptic. The aerial parts of the plant can be cut and dried for later use in the form of herbal tea, which has long been enjoyed both for its pleasant (though somewhat bitter) taste and for its medicinal properties. In modern medicine, standardized Hypericum extract (obtained from H. perforatum) is commonly used as a treatment for depression and anxiety disorders. In homeopathy, Hypericum is used in the treatment of numerous medical problems.

Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. It is native to Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisine all over the world. The name derives from French clou, a nail, as the buds vaguely resemble small irregular nails in shape. Cloves are harvested primarily in Indonesia (Banda Islands, known as the "Spice Islands") and Madagascar; it is also grown in Zanzibar, India, and Sri Lanka.Clove essential oil is used in aromatherapy and oil of cloves is widely used to treat toothache in dental emergencies. They can also be used to freshen the breath, as in the Cloved lemon kissing game.

Ultra-Violet A rays.

An invisible band of radiation at the upper end of the visible light spectrum. With wavelengths from 10 to 400 nm, ultraviolet starts at the end of visible light and ends at the beginning of X-rays. The primary source of ultraviolet light is the sun.

Ultra Violet B rays

Light waves that have a shorter wavelength than visble light, but longer wavelength than x rays. UVA light is closer to visible light than UVB.

A fat-soluble vitamin or a mixture of vitamins, especially vitamin A1 or a mixture of vitamins A1 and A2, occurring principally in fish-liver oils, milk, and some yellow and dark green vegetables, and functioning in normal cell growth and development. Its deficiency causes hardening and roughening of the skin, night blindness, and degeneration of mucous membranes. Also called retinol.

Water-soluble nutrient and vitamin essential for life and for maintaining optimal health. It is also known by the chemical name of its principal form ascorbic acid. It is used by the body for many purposes. As a participant in hydroxylation, vitamin C is needed for the production of collagen in the connective tissue. These fibers are ubiquitous throughout the body, providing firm but flexible structure. Some tissues have a greater percentage of collagen, especially: skin, mucous membranes, teeth and bones.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and acts as a substrate for ascorbate peroxidase.

Vitamin D is a hormone precursor that contributes to the maintenance of normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Despite its name, vitamin D is not a true vitamin, but it could best be described as a conditional vitamin, since human skin can create it in some circumstances. Vitamin D is also known as calciferol.

Older people (age 50 and over) have a higher risk of developing vitamin D deficiency. The ability of skin to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol to pre-vitamin D3 is decreased in older people. The kidneys, which help convert calcidiol to its active form, sometimes do not work as well when people age. Therefore, many older people may need vitamin D supplementation.Dark-skinned people living at higher latitudes may require extra Vitamin D because their high level of skin pigmentation generally retards the absorption of UV rays. At higher latitudes the decreased angle of the sun's rays, reduced daylight hours in winter, and protective clothing worn to guard against cold weather prove detrimental to the absorption of sunlight and the production of Vitamin D. Light-skinned people at higher latitudes also face these problems, but the lower amount of pigmentation in their skin allows more sunlight to be absorbed, thereby reducing the risk of Vitamin D deficiency.

Tocopherol, or Vitamin E, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant. Vitamin E is often used in skin creams and lotions because it is believed to play a role in encouraging skin healing and reducing scarring after injuries such as burns.

In foods, the most abundant sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils such as palm oil, sunflower, canola, corn, soybean and olive oil. Nuts, sunflower seeds, seabuckthorn berries, and wheat germ are also good sources. Other sources of vitamin E are whole grains, fish, peanut butter, and green leafy vegetables. Fortified breakfast cereals are also an important source of vitamin E in the United States. Although originally extracted from wheat germ oil, most natural vitamin E supplements are now derived from vegetable oils, usually soybean oil.

Nymphaea alba, the European White Waterlily or White Lotus, is an aquatic flowering plant of the family Nymphaeaceae.

The red variety which is in cultivation came from lake Fagertärn (Fair tarn) in the forest of Tiveden, where they were discovered in the early 19th century. The discovery led to a large scale exploitation which nearly made it extinct in the wild before it was protected.

It is found all over Europe and in parts of North Africa and the Middle East in freshwater.

Witch Hazel is an astringent produced from the leaves and bark of the North American shrub, Witch-hazel. Witch Hazel is mainly used externally on sores, bruises and swelling. The main constituents of the extract include tannin, gallic acid, catechins, proanthocyanins, flavonoids (kaempferol, quercitin), essential oil (carvacrol, eugenol, hexenol), choline, saponins, and bitters. Witch Hazel Hydrosol is used in skincare. It is a strong anti-oxidant and astringent. It has been recommended for psoriasis, eczema, cracked or blistered skin, for treating insect bites, poison ivy, and as the treatment of choice for varicose veins and hemorrhoids.

Also known as Corn silk, is tall, stout, annual grass (Zea mexicana or Euchlaena mexicana) of the family Poaceae (or Gramineae), native to Mexico. A sweet, soothing and cooling herb with diuretic properties, stimulates bile, helps prostatitis, enuresis in children, prevents the formation of stones in the kidneys, clears bladder and urinary tract infection, and lowers blood sugar levels. It contains saponins, flavonoids, bitter substances, polyphenols, sugar, mucilage and potassium salt. The essential oil contained in the corn silk contains carvacrol and other terpenes. Known for its calming effect, it is traditionally used for treating boils and sores.