Ingredients from around the world

You might not be able to make a trip to New Zealand or Ghana right now, but you can use their star ingredients in your skincare routine ASAP
H ere are some of the most exciting indigenous ingredients from around the world and the products you must get your hands on.
1. Mugwort from South Korea
Mugwort or artemisia princeps is a weed that has been an indispensable herb in Korean history. It’s known for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (hello collagen regulator) properties, making it a powerful mainstay for many of South Korea’s cutting edge skincare. It’s great on sensitive skin, and is used to treat eczema, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, and it calms skin, reduces redness and even helps retain moisture.
2. Shea butter from Ghana
It’s such a staple in so many of our products that it’s easy to forget its origins—the nuts of karité trees that grow in the Sahel region, from West to East Africa. Its intensely moisturising properties are a product to survive by in the dry desert. It’s known for its healing properties too, and can be used for both hair and skin. It’s also called women’s gold, because of the amount of employment and income it generates among women in the region. The butter is still extracted using traditional methods (apparently an 18-step method), thus ensuring sustainable farming too. It’s great for all kinds of skin, and its fatty acids moisturise without making your skin oily. It is also supposed to help prevent acne (it’s anti-inflammatory, anti fungal, anti-bacterial and an antioxidant). Because of its ability to retain moisture and its antioxidant properties, it works to promote cell regeneration.
3. Rice water from Japan
Waste not, want not much? There couldn’t be a more sustainable hack than this one—the incredible brightening properties of rice water aka, the water you happened to boil your rice in. The Japanese discovered the effects of the mineral-rich water centuries ago, and they’ve now been perfected in a lab. Its natural starch content helps to relieve irritated skin and soothe sunburn. It also has ferulic and phytic acid elements that make it a powerful antioxidant and helps to brighten skin tones. Rice bran (with the husk), also known as komenuka, is incredibly moisturising and Vitamin-rich (A, B2, B12, and E).
4. Ashwagandha from India
Ashwagandha is used to relieve stress and is meant to calm the brain, reduce swelling (inflammation), lower blood pressure, and alter the immune system When applied topically, it is also an anti-inflammatory, and supports collagen regeneration.
5. Cloudberries from Norway
Cloudberries are an Arctic berry that is rich in Vitamins A, B, C and E. The vast amounts of water they are surrounded by are abundant sources of marine collagen and omega-3. Their antioxidant properties help to heal blemished skin, and they have potent calming powers. Cloudberries also boast ellagic acid, which prevent collagen breakdown and help to minimise UV damage too.
6. Kiwi seed oil from New Zealand
Kiwi seed oil is the perfect skincare ingredient thanks to its particularly high concentrations of alpha linoleic acid (ALA) or omega-3, which has been repeatedly shown to have near magical results in building and maintaining moisture in your skin. It’s great for treating sensitive skin, oily skin, acne, psoriasis and eczema. It’s also a ‘dry’ oil, making it easy to use in tropical weather, since it gets absorbed easily.