What is horsetail extract and what can it do for my skin?
The benefits of horsetail extract have been known since ancient Greek and Roman times. Horsetail is a member of the Equisetaceae family and is actually a “living fossil”. It contains an enormous amount of evolutionary intelligence through its long lifetime of over one hundred million years!
Horsetail has been a herbal remedy for centuries. Ancient horsetail plants were over thirty metres tall, as tall as modern palm trees, and the plant is a perennial with a stem that resembles a horse’s tail, hence the name.
It does not reproduce with seeds, making it sterile, it reproduces with spores instead. It goes by many different names, including Shavegrass, Bottle Brush and Scouring Rush. The last is because its stem is covered in silicates that are abrasive enough to scour metal pots. Horsetail is commonly found in North America as well as temperate areas of Asia and Europe.
Horsetail has the highest amount of silica in the plant kingdom, a powerful healing herb which was used as far back as ancient China and Europe for inflammation, cooling fevers, for fluid retention, to heal skin conditions and to strengthen hair and nails. It also contains calcium, iron, manganese and antioxidants. Besides being an antioxidant, horsetail is also an antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory herb.
The numerous benefits of Horsetail
Horsetail is known for its many beneficial properties. Science continues its research to bring the unique abilities of Horsetail to light. However ancient civilisations have been using horsetail as a healing remedy for many reasons:
Antioxidant
When damage occurs to body tissues or as we age, this creates oxidative stress and our oxygen molecules split into single atoms. These atoms have unpaired electrons which is not their natural state, and they want to be paired. They are called free radicals because they go on a mission to scavenge the body and find other electrons to become a pair. This causes a chain reaction of damage, damaging healthy cells which in turn damages more heathy cells, which in turn damages proteins and DNA. As our skin is one of the largest organs of the body, free radicals cause wrinkles and sagging.
Applying antioxidants to your skin helps to protect the body by donating electrons to stabilise these free radicals.
Anti-inflammatory
Along with free radicals, when the body’s tissues are damaged, this also creates inflammation. This is the redness and puffiness associated with wounds. Inflammation is a red flag, calling the immune system to the scene for help. Inflammation can also cause the formation of free radicals, starting a cycle of damage: damage causes inflammation, which causes free radicals, which causes damage, which creates more inflammation and free radicals. Reducing inflammation breaks this cycle. Skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and eczema are all results of inflammation.
As a seasoned skincare expert with a deep understanding of botanical remedies and their impact on skin health, I bring forth my extensive knowledge to shed light on the intriguing topic of horsetail extract and its benefits for the skin.
Horsetail extract, derived from the Equisetaceae family, is truly a remarkable botanical treasure with roots tracing back to ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. What makes horsetail particularly fascinating is its status as a "living fossil," having thrived for over one hundred million years. This longevity attests to the plant's evolutionary intelligence, a testament to its ability to adapt and survive through the ages.
In the realm of herbal remedies, horsetail has held a significant place for centuries. The plant, characterized by a stem resembling a horse's tail, was once towering at over thirty meters, comparable in height to modern palm trees. Its unique method of reproduction, utilizing spores instead of seeds, renders it sterile and distinctive in the botanical world. Horsetail goes by various names, such as Shavegrass, Bottle Brush, and Scouring Rush, the latter highlighting its stem's abrasive nature due to silicate content, potent enough to scour metal pots.
Horsetail's geographical prevalence includes North America, as well as temperate areas of Asia and Europe. However, it's not just the plant's historical significance or its peculiar reproductive strategy that makes it noteworthy; it's the wealth of beneficial compounds it harbors, making it a potent ally in skincare.
At the forefront of horsetail's skin-enhancing properties is its exceptionally high silica content, a powerful healing herb known since ancient times in China and Europe. Silica plays a pivotal role in addressing inflammation, cooling fevers, fluid retention, and promoting skin healing. Moreover, horsetail boasts additional nutritional elements, including calcium, iron, manganese, and antioxidants.
The antioxidant prowess of horsetail is particularly noteworthy in the context of skincare. As our skin undergoes damage over time, whether due to environmental factors or aging, oxidative stress occurs. This leads to the formation of free radicals, unstable atoms with unpaired electrons, triggering a chain reaction of cellular damage. Horsetail's antioxidant properties come into play by donating electrons to stabilize these free radicals, thereby protecting the skin from the detrimental effects of oxidative stress.
Furthermore, horsetail emerges as an anti-inflammatory powerhouse. Inflammation, often visible as redness and puffiness, is a natural response to tissue damage. However, chronic inflammation can lead to a cascade of issues, including the formation of free radicals and damage to healthy cells. Horsetail's anti-inflammatory properties are crucial in breaking this damaging cycle, making it beneficial for various skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, and eczema.
In summary, horsetail extract stands as a botanical marvel with a rich history and a plethora of skin-loving benefits. From its ancient roots to its modern applications, this "living fossil" continues to contribute to skincare, offering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that promote healthy, radiant skin.
