Beauty Glossary S – from Safflower to Systemic

Safflower … An unsaturated vegetable oil derived from the Safflower plant.

• It is used for its moisturizing and softening properties.
• The flowers are used in decoctions for skin eruptions, acne and skin blemishes.

Sage … Sage has a stimulating, rejuvenating and antiseptic property. Helps heal skin eruptions, check perspiration and stimulates the skin.

Sage Extract … A tonic and curative herb with astringent and healing properties. Obtained by extraction from the flowering tops of the plants.

Sage Oil … An astringent, antiseptic oil used for its sedating and calming effects on the skin.

Saint John’s Wort … Extracts from this herb are said to help ease pain, reduce swelling, and speed wound recovery.

• To produce a quality extract, each St Johns Wort flower must be plucked delicately and covered with a soft cloth. Do not to crush the tender petals. The flowers must be worked immediately and can be dried for tea, made into an oil, or a tincture.

Salicylates … Esters or salts of salicylic acid, such as aspirin; used as topical irritants and as anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents and prostaglandin inhibitors.

Salicylic Acid … Occurs naturally in wintergreen leaves, sweet birch and selected plants. This Beta Hydroxy Acid improves the appearance and condition of the skin. This acid has micro-exfoliating action causing exfoliation and is also used an anti-microbial in medicine.

Saline … Saline means containing salt or of salt.

Salve … Healing ointment.

Sambucus (Elder Flowers) … Extracted from the flowers of the elder tree. Used for its mildly tonic and diuretic properties.

Sandalwood Oil … A powerful antibiotic and antiseptic. Used to treat infections, reduce puffiness, soothe and heal.

Saponaria Extract … Also known as Soapwort and Fullers Herb. The extract foams like a lather. It is used as a foaming, natural cleanser for the skin.

• The crushed leaves or roots of Saponaria officinalis have been used as a soap since the Renaissance and museum conservators still use the soap for cleaning delicate fabrics. It makes a fine shampoo and soapworts are also used in the food industry, especially in the making of halva, a sweet made using tahini and honey.

Saponin … Any plant cell derived glycoside with soapy action that can be digested to yield a sugar and a sapogenin aglycone. Saponin is used to solubilize membrane proteins.

Sarsaparilla … Useful in scaling skin conditions such as psoriasis and for the correction of systemic problems such as skin and rheumatoid arthritic conditions.

Saw Palmetto … A herb that acts to tone and strength the male reproductive system and is of value in infections of the genito-urinary tract: This herb influences the entire reproductive apparatus through its sedative and nutritive properties.

Scale … Accumulation of stratum corneum corneocytes (scaly, dry, whitish or brown skin). Scale is a common feature of many skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis, dry skin and ichthyosis.

Scar … A dense fibrotic tissue formed on the skin following repair after injury or disease.

SD (Specially Denatured)Government required prefix with ethyl alcohol to signify it is unfit for human consumption. (SD 40 contains Bitrox, one of the bitterest substances known.)

SD 40 Alcohol … Used primarily in hair spray as a resin solvent.

Sea Salt … Useful exfoliant in body scrubs; helps soften and soothe the body.

Seasonal Coloring … Spring, summer, autumn and winter seasonal color groups that are flattering to particular kinds of coloring.

Sea Kelp … A large coarse seaweed or wrack that is used as a skin soother and iodine sources.

Seaweed … A plant with gelatin-like, moisture-retaining properties. A main ingredient in peel-off moisturizing masks, and used in face creams and lotions as a thickening agent. Also makes a great nutritional supplement because of the minerals and vitamins within the seaweed.

Sebaceous Duct … Duct through which the sebaceous gland empties sebum into the sebaceous follicle.

• Sebaceous Gland … Gland in the dermis that produces sebum. Distributed over almost the entire body but concentrated on the face, upper back and chest.
• Seborrhea … Increased sebum secretion. Implicated in the pathogenesis of acne.

Seborrheic Dermatitis … Common inflammatory condition of the skin that most often affects the scalp and face (areas above the neck), however, the armpits, and groin, buttocks and skin folds underneath the breasts can also be affected.

Seborrheic Keratosis … Benign skin lesion that is the most common skin tumor in the middle-aged and elderly. Usually found on the face, shoulders, chest and back. The lesions are flesh colored to tan or brown.

Sebum … A viscous, pale yellow natural oil secretion of the sebaceous glands in the skin and scalp that lubricate and protect and also are implicated in the pathogenesis of acne. Contains squalene, waxes and cholesterol.

Secretion … A release of material such as saliva or urine.

Sedative … Relaxes the nervous system and promotes sleep.

Self-tanner … A sun tanning product that contains DHA, which reacts with amino acids in the top layer of skin, causing it to temporarily darken (2-4 days).

Selenium … A major antioxidant nutrient; protects cell membranes and prevents free radical generation thereby reducing the risk of cancer and disease. Selenium also preserves tissue elasticity; slows down the aging and hardening of tissues through oxidation and helps in the treatment and prevention of dandruff.

Selenium Protein Complex … (Biomin S-P-C) Neutralizes free radicals on the skin and serves as a counter irritant.

Selenium Sulfide … An ingredient found in dandruff shampoos that inhibits mitotic activity and kills yeasts.

Sensitizer … An ingredient that causes the skin to become sensitive to other ingredients or the environment; A sensitizer also refers to an ingredient that causes the skin to redden, swell, blister or itch.

Serum … The clear portion of any body fluid; the clear fluid moistening serous membranes.

• Also blood serum; the clear liquid that separates from blood on clotting.
• Also Immune serum; blood serum from an immunized animal used for passive immunization; an antiserum, antitoxin, or antivenin.

Sesame Oil … Emollient oil with anti-fungal, anti-viral and antibacterial properties. Also used as a base in preservative-free skincare products because it won’t turn rancid when stored at room temperature.

Shea butter … An excellent emollient for use in creams, lotions. Alleviates dry skin. see Karite Butter.

Shelf Bra … A bra that is donned below the breast to just under the nipple, which helps to uplift the breasts for added cleavage.

Shelf Life … The length of time a product can be expected to remain fresh.

Shepherds Purse … A plant used for its diuretic, astringent and anti-inflammatory properties, for instance in water retention due to kidney problems, as a treatment of diarrhoea, wounds, nose bleeds, and other conditions. It also acts as a stimulator of the menstrual process.

Shiatsu … A Japanese method of massage that uses Acupressure.

Siberian Ginseng … (Eleutherococcus Senticosis) Ginseng has been used to help increase our resistance and resilience to stress (adaptogen). A herb said to promote an overall improvement in health.

Silica (silicon dioxide) … Absorbent, anti-caking, abrasive.

Silica Microbeads … They function as a heat resistant carrier molecule (a delivery system with unique carrying abilities) because of their ability to hold and absorb material. Silica Microbeads also impart a smoothness and resilient texture to the skin, as they possess a ball-bearing, silky emolliency.

Silicone … A compound of silicon used in shine-enhancing hair products to seal the cuticle of hair and in many oil-free cosmetics.

Silk Amino Acids … A natural water-soluble source of acid derived from liquid silk; these acids help moisture penetrate the skin (aid in absorption) and aid in skin healing. Used in skin and hair products, powder, and color makeup. See Amino acids.

Skin Care … Skin maintenance activities utilizing products to keep the skin clean, moist and attractive, including cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and treatments to control acne, blemishes and postpone visible signs of aging.

Skullcap … A widely relevant nervine that helps relax states of nervous tension while renewing and revivifying the central nervous system. Used in cases of exhaustion or other depressed conditions.

• It has a specific use in the treatment of seizure and hysterical states as well as epilepsy and may be used to ease pre-menstrual tension.
• it is found in prescriptions for fevers, colds, high blood pressure, hypertension, insomnia, headache, intestinal inflammation, vomiting of blood, and other conditions.
• Skullcaps actions include: nervine tonic, anti-spasmodic and hypotensive.

Skunk Cabbage … Skunk Cabbage may be used in tense or spasmodic conditions occur in the lungs. It acts to relax and ease irritable coughs. Also used in asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. As a diaphoretic it will aid the body during fevers. Its actions include: anti-spasmodic, diaphoretic and expectorant.