If you watch morning
television, you have no doubt seen this miracle ingredient flaunted
around in paid segments that claim you can delay a face lift
by using a cosmetic product; is it a marketing ploy or is there
actual benefit? After researching products and the raw ingredient,
does the ingredient live up to the claims?
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| Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croton_lechleri |
Dragon's Blood is a
colloquial term for the a red latex resin that is found in several
flowering plants around the world, however, the one we are talking
about here comes from Croton Lechliri (Sangre De Drago) plant
that is native to Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. For many years,
indigenous peoples have been using the sap as a “liquid bandage”
to seal wounds and encourage healing.
Properties:
* Anti-inflammatory
(Taspine, an alkaloid found in the sap.#)
* Anti-bacterial
* Anti-viral
* Barrier function
(second skin)
* Relieves sting from
insect bites
* Assists with wound
healing (Belgian study – found crude sap has the ability to
contract wounds, form scabs and form collagen 10-20 times faster than
nothing at all.#)
* FDA approved
treatment for gastrointestinal manifestations of HIV
(Proanthocyanidin – an antioxidant found in the sap.#)
 | |
| Image: Sap liquid in Glycerine - |
It does seem to have
practical and medical applications outside of cosmetic use, but what
does it claim to do for your skin? In a nutshell, it has
anti-inflammatory and healing properties, plus loads of antioxidants;
things that can turn a skincare product from therapeutic to active. As mentioned in the Belgian study, it assists in forming collagen.
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| Image: Sap powder - http://shop.newdirections.com.au/epages/newdirections.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/newdirections/Products/RMAA15DRAGBLPO |
Products using the
ingredient as the star of the show claim to improve hydration and
texture, however, there is no information pertaining to humectant
properties, it really just comes down to the fact that several of
these products also contain Hylauronic Acid. Dragon's Blood may be
the star, but it has a completely different mechanism of action.
 |
| Products containing Dragon's Blood. |
Products:
Not pictured: Skin Physics Gentle 3-in-1 Advanced Treatment Cleanser [PR], it lives in my shower, Klara Cosmetics RESET Dragon's Blood Mask [Purchase], could not find the product to purchase for this flatlay.
These
products are all sold as having Dragon's Blood as the main active,
and I have been playing around a lot with these products recently.
They all have one thing in common; they all soothe my skin. The
colour scheme of the packaging is just a given, since the resin is
red. I do give credit to this powerhouse that leaves my skin feeling soft and soothed.
Reviews
for each individual product will be linked as they are posted.
# Sources:
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