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Ingredient Watch
This flavonoid (a type of vegetable-derived compound) has been popping up in lots of products lately, promising skin texture and anti-ageing benefits. Evidence has yet to show whether it's really the holy grail of skincare ingredients, but quercetin certainly does have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. If you're in the market for a new magic makeup must-have or have have trouble with skin inflammation and irritation, there are plenty of products that offer quercetin as their signature ingredient.
Olive oil and olive leaf extract are known to be ultra nourishing as they are both rich in glycerides, which soften the skin. They better equip the skin’s ability to absorb moisture so skin takes on a more radiant, less lacklustre appearance.
Olive oil is more widely known for its food uses, but is frequently used in both skin- and haircare, to treat dandruff in the latter.
Everybody's skin gets all crazy at one point or the other, but we're not all sensitive to the same things. If you've been having breakouts, redness or irritation, you may be allergic to a common ingredient. The following ingredients are absolutely A-OK for most people, but they might not be for you.
Turmeric (aka turmeric root, Indian saffron or curcuma longa) is a shrub that is related to the ginger family. It's grown throughout India, Asia and Africa, and while it's most commonly known for its golden colour and use in curry powders and mustards, turmeric is also used to dye fabrics and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to aid digestion and liver function, relieve arthritis pain and topically treat wounds.
In cosmetics, turmeric has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent to soothe skin and recent research has shown it boosts the enzyme that produces the skin's natural antioxidants, so expect to see it pop up in various skincare ranges, though purifying it without losing its power is both tricky and costly.
This traditional Tahitian coconut oil is the signature ingredient in several products and its divine scent alone merits it a definition.
Monoi gets its gorgeous fragrance from Tahitian gardenias, which are submerged in the pure oil and left to soak. It's also known for its skin-friendliness, because it doesn't contain any emulsifiers.
The macadamia nut tree is native to the East coast of Australia, though it is also cultivated in Hawaii now. The trees can reach as high as 20m and have glossy leaves, but are most famous for producing the macadamia nut. In fact, they are the only Australian native species that is grown on such a large scale for food.
The Kakadu plum—aka the gubinge or billy goat plum—grows natively across Northern Australia. It's been a traditonal healing remedy of the Indigenous people for thousands of years thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Dubbed a "super food," there is no other fruit worldwide that produces the same potent levels of vitamin C (the Kakadu plum contains 3000mg of vitamin C per 100g of fruit which is over 50 times the concentration found in oranges), antioxidants and bioactives.
Lilly pillies are evergreen rainforest plants that have glossy green leaves. In spring to early summer they develop fluffy white flowers followed by long-lasting reddish-purple berries.
It's one of the most popular plants in Australia today but is used in cosmetics because it is rich in age-defying vitamin C, antioxidants and exfoliating fruit acids.
I'm not sure why, but I have been under the impression that bergamot—an ingredient I often come across in fragrances—is a spiny flower. Indeed it is, but I did not know that the Italian and Ivory Coast-based plant also produces a pear-shaped yellow citrus fruit. It is not, however, in any way, shape or form, related to the bergamot herb.
Sage (salvia officinalis), also known as garden meadow, is a silvery-green plant with fragrant leaves.
The most common variety of sage was first found growing in regions around the Mediterranean but it can now be found in parts of North America also.
The leaves of the sage herb have been used to relieve sprains, swelling and ulcers, as well as improving the nervous system and memory.