Skin & Hair Glossary of ingredients & terms. Defining what skin & hair ingredients are and how to best use them. Updated regularly.
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W
Wak- Wat Wh – Wi
- Wheat Protein, Wheat Amino Acids
- Wheat Protein strengthens hair and adds moisture.
- Wheat Amino Acids have greater ability to penetrate the hair to provide strength and reduce breakage.
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Wheat
White Clay
- White Clay is Kaolin. White clay is a mild exfoliant that unclogs pores. Suitable for all skin types, it is ideal for mature skin. White Clay clarifies and refines skin while reducing pore size.
- White Pine Bark
- White Pine Bark improves skin hydration and elasticity while decreasing skin fatigue while reducing the appearance of skin discoloration.
- White Tea
- White tea is gentle yet powerful. It has similar benefits to Green Tea with phenols and EGCG. As a topical ingredient, it helps even the skin tone. It is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It can reduce redness and inflammation around the delicate eye area, even if caused by light eczema. White tea also contains EGCG, which enables the production of new cells in the epidermis [1]. It also contains phenols that strengthen collagen and uniquely, elastin. This gives skin a bouncy, younger look while delaying wrinkles.
Blooming white water lily
- White Water Lily Extract
- White water lily extract is hydrating and conditioning, creating plumper, brighter and smoother skin.
- It’s anti-inflammatory and helpful to skin sensitized by harsh topicals, rashes, or skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea.
Willow Herb Extract
- White Willow
- White Willow unclogs pores, reduces redness and regulates sebum production.
- Willow Bark Extract
- Willow Bark Extract is an excellent acne remedy. It unclogs pores, reduces redness, and regulates sebum production. Yet it is gentle to the skin.
Willow Bark extract has analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties. [2]
Willow Bark contains salicin, from which salicylic acid is derived. Salicylic Acid is a natural bHA. Salicylic Acid purges clogged pores without excess drying the skin surface. Salicylic Acid does not cause the dryness that occurs with Benzoyl Peroxide or Retinol.
Salicylic Acid also helps build collagen to heal acne scars and improve skin care texture. Collagen production is a nice perk of acne treatment!
- Willow Herb Plant Extract
- Willow Herb Plant Extract is a plant extract that is an excellent antioxidant for soothing skin conditions including eczema.[3]
- Wild Yam
- Wild Yam Extract is an anti-inflammatory that reduces dark spots. It promotes collagen production and skin radiance. Saponins are believed to enhance skin restoration on a DNA level within the skin cells. [4] Diosgenin reduces the spots that can arise from sun damage.[5]
- Wine Bath
- A Wine Bath is a bath in only organic, chemical and pesticide-free wine. Part of a spa treatment for nourishment and restoration of the skin barrier, of French origin. If the skin barrier has been excessively damaged by burns or chemotherapy, the grape extracts gently rebuilds the skin. See Vinotherapy.
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Witch Hazel is a natural toner
Witch Hazel
- Witch Hazel is derived from witch hazel shrub bark. It is a natural plant-derived astringent that tones and cleanses. It calms irritation. It tightens pores and removes impurities.
REFERENCES
- Journal of Pharmacol Exp Ther 2003 306: 29-34
- Shara M, Stohs SJ. Efficacy and Safety of White Willow Bark (Salix alba) Extracts. Phytother Res. 2015 Aug;29(8):1112-6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5377. Epub 2015 May 22. PMID: 25997859
- Phytotherapy Research, July 2018, pages 1,220-1,240
- Yayoi Tada, Naoko Kanda, Akinori Haratake, Megumi Tobiishi, Hideyo Uchiwa, Shinichi Watanabe, Novel effects of diosgenin on skin aging, Steroids, Volume 74, Issue 6, 2009, Pages 504-511, ISSN 0039-128X
- Lee J, Jung K, Kim YS, Park D. Diosgenin inhibits melanogenesis through the activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase pathway (PI3K) signaling. Life Sciences. 2007 Jun;81(3):249-254. DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2007.05.009.