All types of tea – whether white, green, black, or oolong – are produced from the Camellia sinensis plant. There are different tea grades, growing conditions, and methods of extraction. Each tea, or extract, has different attributes and applications in skin care.

Cucumber is one the most cultivated vegetables around the world. It is composed of 95 percent water, but also contains ascorbic acid; caffeic acid; vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B12; and folic acid. These vitamins help to soothe skin irritations, reduce swelling, and prevent water retention. Its high water content helps to hydrate the tender skin in the eye region, as well as contract blood…

When most people hear mention of the aloe vera plant, the adjectives that come to mind are soothing, nurturing, and healing. Yet, despite aloe’s reputation as being beneficial to the body, in late 2015, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added “non-decolorized, whole-leaf aloe vera extract” to the list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer for purposes of…

Lavender is a hardy, fragrant shrub that has narrow leaves and grey-blue flowers and can grow to a height of three feet. While the aroma of lavender can be found throughout the entire plant, essential oil can only be obtained from the flower. Originally grown in the mountains of Europe, in poor but well-drained soils, lavender is now grown worldwide. However, the primary aromatherapy producers…

Vitamin E is a major, oil-soluble, naturally-occurring antioxidant in the body. It is a complex substance that exists in eight different molecular forms and is identified by two types: tocopherols and tocotrienols. There also exists an alpha, beta, delta, and gamma molecular form of both tocopherols and tocotrienols.