Camellia
Referred to as the tea flower in China and tsubaki in Japan, this scentless flower produces an oil that’s been used for centuries in Asia. Geishas slicked it through their hair, and Japan’s famed women divers, the Ama, doused their skin with it for protection before deep-water plunges. “Oils stop trans-epidermal water loss,” says Manhattan dermatologist Dr. David Colbert. “When a water molecule meets an oil molecule, rather than evaporating it goes in the other direction, staying in the epidermis so skin stays hydrated.” As with the other It oils, camellia’s rich vitamin content (A, B, D and E) and essential fatty acids help it segue from face oil to lipgloss to shampoo. And while it may seem counterintuitive to wash your hair (or face) with them, oils actually draw out the dirt. “In biochemistry, like dissolves like,” says Colbert. “You’re washing away the oils you don’t want and replacing them with the oils you do want.” Your end result: glowing skin and glossy hair.
