Dragon's blood

Red and a bit magic, but no, it's not a real dragon blood. This resin is so named solely for its color but, in fact, it is the secretion of plants of different species, including Croton, the most studied, dracaena, pterocarpus and daemonorops, coming from tropical and subtropical areas. The blood of dragon is a known remedy since ancient times, Dioscorides, a Greek physician of the first century after Christ, wrote of this and in recent years even science has been very interested in dragon blood...

Cupuacu butter

In the local language cupuacu means fruit of the gods and, given the incredible beauty properties of its butter, also demonstrated by science, this name is not exaggerated! Cupuacu, scientific name Theobroma grandiflorum, is a tree related to cocoa and native to the tropical rain forests. Through cold pressing of its fruits a butter, precisely the cupuacu butter, is obtained, which is one of the new ingredients used in the cosmetic field for the beauty of skin and hair. Cupuacu butter, propert...

Soy oil, powerful anti-wrinkle

Soybean seed oil is a plant based oil that is obtained from soybean seeds, scientific name Glycine Max, through cold pressing or through chemical solvents. The cold pressing method is more expensive and the yield is lower, however, the product is of a higher quality, in particular from the point of view of the contained substances such as soy lecithin. The cold-pressed soybean oil, which we will discuss in this post, can be applied externally on the skin to bring important benefits. Soybean oi...

Natural cosmetics, like kings and queens Part 10, camellia oil

It is said that the women of the Japanese island Ooshima have always a fresh and young skin and wonderful hair. Their secret of beauty? The camellia oil, obtained though cold pressing of the seeds of the plant camellia japonica, called also common camellia, of the Theaceae family. Camellia is very appreciated for its ornamental role thanks to its flowers that bloom between January and March, characterized by an intense color from red to purple and rose. Camellia oil is an amazing product for ski...

Sea buckthorn oil, cosmetic use

From the fruits of the sea buckthorn, scientific name Hippophae rhamnoides, it is possible to obtain, through cold pressing, an oil with interesting cosmetic properties for the beauty of the skin that becomes healthy and luminous. This oil, according to scientific studies, (Zielinska et al, Lipids Health Dis, May 2017), is rich indeed in vitamin C, group B, carotenoids, polyphenols, tocopherol or vitamin E, highly antioxidant, and unsaturated fatty acids such as palmitoleic acid, a type of omega...

Macadamia nut oil

In the previous post we have seen the properties of Macadamia nuts, a type of oily fruit with a taste that reminds that of coconut, an anti-inflammatory action and a protective role on the cardiovascular system. From Macadamia nuts an oil is extracted, this oil may be used both for cooking, thanks to the high content in monounsaturated fats, the good fats for the heart, and the high smoke point, around 210 °C, but also, and especially, in cosmetics. In the article of today we will speak about th...

Avocado oil, cosmetic use

From the pulp of the fruit of the avocado tree, scientific name Persea americana, you get an oil suitable for both food and cosmetic use. In this post we will talk about how you can use avocado oil to take care of your beauty in a natural way. In fact, this oil is rich in vitamins, such as A, C, D and E (Tzu-Kai Lin et al, Int J Mol Sci, 2018), essential fatty acids and antioxidants. It has powerful moisturizing, elasticizing and nourishing properties and is ideal for dry, toneless and mature sk...

Tamanu oil

Studying the INCI, the label that, by law, should report all the ingredients used in a cosmetic formula, has made possible to observe that, unfortunately, a lot of substances contained in creams, serums, shampoos and conditioners are really useless to the skin, sometimes they are even dangerous. These ingredients are inserted in the cosmetics in order to make the products creamy, thick or to give the impression that the skin becomes smooth but, actually, they don’t bring any nourishment at all, ...

Rosehip oil

Rosa canina, also known as rosehip, belongs to the Rosaceae family, it is a very common wild rose used in bushes and on the edges of the garden for its ornamental role. But rosehip isn’t just pleasant to see but it is also an essential ingredient for our beauty, as ancient Egyptians and Greeks well knew and appreciated. From this rose a very versatile oil is obtained, this oil is useful for all types of skin, is rich in vitamin A, C and E, antioxidants, anti inflammatory substances and fatty ac...

Pomegranate seed oil

The pomegranate, Punica granatum, is a plant belonging to the Punicaceae family. It produces fruits rich in beneficial properties both for health and beauty. In this post, we will see what the pomegranate, and in particular the oil obtained by pressing its seeds, can do for skin and hair. Pomegranate seed oil has been studied a lot by science, it is indeed a very valuable product, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, phytosterols and punicic acid that give to the product anti-inflamm...

Snail slime

In order to move and craw easily snail produces a gel, the snail slime, that is also helpful to attach better to the surfaces and to heal wounds caused by moving. But snail slime is also a very powerful tool that we have to counteract acne, wrinkles, worry lines and crow’s feet, skin spots and stretch marks. In fact snail slime has smoothing, elasticizing, healing, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties and these benefits were already known by Hippocrates, a Greek physician of the fifth century...

Sweet almond oil

Sweet almond oil is a plant based oil obtained, as the name suggests, from the cold pressing of sweet almonds, the seeds of Prunus dulcis. This oil, thanks to the presence of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A, E and B, mineral salts and phytosterols, is well known and appreciated for its particularly moisturizing, soothing, elasticizing and protective properties that make it an ideal oil for the most delicate skin and also for children. The sweet almond oil helps regenerat...

Sun dried tomatoes

Sun-dried tomatoes are a delicacy that can be found everywhere at any time of the year. The need for drying tomatoes, typical summer product, comes from the desire to enjoy their benefits also in winter. Dried tomatoes are rich in provitamin A, even more than fresh tomatoes, but they also bring vitamin C, iron, potassium and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Dried tomatoes, thanks to their content in nutrients, protect the skin from premature aging and from the formation of stretch marks, accele...

Apricot kernel oil

From the kernels of apricots, through cold pressing, a delicate oil with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties is obtained. This oil results useful for external application and is a valuable ally in cosmetics for the beauty of the skin, of face and body, mature or sensitive or even inflamed and dry. Apricot oil is characterized by the presence of vitamins, including E and A, oleic acid and phytosterols with anti-inflammatory action, against free radicals and able to support the microcirculation...

Wheat germ

Wheat germ is a part of the caryopsis of the wheat, or Triticum aestivum. Although rich in nutrients, this part is removed together with the bran during grinding to obtain white flour. Wheat germ contains vitamins, such as vitamins from group B and E, which is a powerful antioxidant useful against free radicals and aging processes, mineral salts such as calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, but also folic acid, fibers and fatty acids omega 3, important to control cholesterol levels in the b...

Black cumin seed oil

Black cumin, scientific name Nigella sativa, is an Asian plant belonging to the Ranuncolaceae family. From black cumin seeds through cold pressing an oil with interesting anti-inflammatory, soothing, calming and regenerating properties is obtained. Known since ancient times, in fact a small bottle of black cumin seed oil was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamon, this oil can be used for cooking as well as a cosmetic remedy. Black cumin seed oil helps treat cough, bronchitis, allergic rhiniti...

Shea butter

Shea tree, scientific name Vitellaria paradoxa, is a plant of the Sapotaceae family, very widespread in Africa. From its seeds, improperly called nuts of shea tree, the famous shea butter is obtained, used both as a seasoning in African cooking tradition and as a base ingredient in various cosmetic products after removing any impurities. Shea butter is emollient, moisturizing, antioxidant due to the content of vitamins such as E, and nutritious. It helps the skin to remain elastic, soft, acts as...

Argan oil

From the seeds of the Argania spinosa plant, that grows in the south of Morocco, the argan oil is extracted. This oil is mainly used in beauty preparations for external applications but, in the countries of origin such as Morocco or Algeria, it can also be used in cooking. Argan oil for cooking use has a different preparation than that used for the skin care, in fact if used for cooking the fruit is roasted otherwise it is cold pressed, making it clearer. In this article we focus on argan oil fo...

Rosa rubiginosa

Rosa rubiginosa, also known as Rosa mosqueta, sweetbriar rose or eglantine, is a shrub of the Rosaceae family, widespread in the Andean region, particularly in Chile, it is also possible to find it in Europe. The fruits of this plant are very rich in seeds, which are cold pressed to extract an oil, the musk rose oil. This oil, for external use, has important anti-aging, healing and regenerating properties. In fact, this oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6, such as linoleic...

Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is a tonic for the body and very helpful in periods of stress and weakness. It contains also vitamins, such as vitamin A, B, E and C, in a higher quantity than that contained in oranges and kiwi. For this reason, sea buckthorn is a valid remedy in case of flu, fever, cold, in order to heal such illnesses but also to prevent them. It has antiseptic properties, it is a relief indeed for inflammations of the mouth and ulcers, antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Glycerin macerat...