As far as their uses in beauty, you'll often find kola nut in products for firming, boosting, energizing, and stimulating the skin, like: Prescriptives Comfort Cream Soothing Relief For Sensitive Skin ($39.50), Clinique Deep Cleansing Emergency Mask ($19.50), and Elemental Herbology SOS Circulation Serum.
Source: Flickr User nickjohnson
Carmine red, alternately known as Cochineal, Crimson Lake, and Natural Red 4, was a favorite of the Aztecs and is perhaps the oldest true red dye. It's no less popular today than it was in the court of Moctezuma I, and is used in everything from Cherry Coke to your favorite lip glosses and eye shadows. There's just one little catch: carmine is made from the boiled, dried, then powdered bodies of female cochineal beetles. This is problematic for vegetarians and people who oppose the use of animal products in cosmetics. So this January, the FDA passed a new regulation requiring that cochineal and carmine be listed by name on labels. It doesn't go into effect 'til Jan. 5, 2011, though, so you've got a while to wait for the info on whether your favorite products are full of creepy crawlies.
MICA/(my-kah)/n./ 1. A sheet silicate mineral characterized by a near perfect atomic arrangement that creates a series of hexagonal crystals in two varieties—brown, or Phlogopite, which contains iron and magnesium; and clear white, or Muscovite, which contains potassium and aluminum; /n./ 2. Derived from the Latin word Micare, meaning “to glitter,” in reference to its brilliant appearance; /n./ 3. A popular ingredient in mineral makeup that provides a hypoallergenic alternative to talc and a translucent glow to skin, e.g., “Learn to love mica, the all-natural sparkler that keeps your skin glistening sans irritation.”
KIGELIA / (ki-ga-li-ya)/ n./ 1. The sausage-shaped fruit from the Kigelia Africana, a semi-deciduous tree that is found in wet desert areas across Africa; /n./ 2. Possessing a long cultural history as both an ingested and topical aphrodisiac, disinfectant, and skincare miracle worker that has been known to fight acne, tighten sagging skin, and enhance breasts, e.g. “Get blemish-free skin and go up a cup size with a generous slathering of kigelia extract.”
Try it: Liz Earle Superskin Bust Treatment with Kigelia Extract, $52, www.us.lizearle.com
Carmine red, alternately known as Cochineal, Crimson Lake, and Natural Red 4, was a favorite of the Aztecs and is perhaps the oldest true red dye. It's no less popular today than it was in the court of Moctezuma I, and is used in everything from Cherry Coke to your favorite lip glosses and eye shadows. There's just one little catch: carmine is made from the boiled, dried, then powdered bodies of female cochineal beetles. This is problematic for vegetarians and people who oppose the use of animal products in cosmetics. So this January, the FDA passed a new regulation requiring that cochineal and carmine be listed by name on labels. It doesn't go into effect 'til Jan. 5, 2011, though, so you've got a while to wait for the info on whether your favorite products are full of creepy crawlies.
MORINGA SEED/(Mo-Rin-Ga Seed)/n./ 1. The seed of the Moringa oleifera tree, which is grown mainly in semi-arid tropical and subtropical areas and is native to southern India and northern Africa; /n./ 2. Used since ancient Egyptian times in skin preparations and ointments for its rich fatty acid content and high levels of vitamins A and C; /n./ 3. Possessing an ability to purify water and inhibit pollution particles from sticking to hair and skin, thus preventing damage, e.g., “Stay smog-free and keep your skin clear and your hair shiny with Moringa seed.”Try it: Decleor Hydra Floral Moisturizing Mask with Moringa Seed Extract, $42, www.decleordirect.com.
