Organic Horsetail (Shavegrass), cut and sifted
CTFA Name: Organic Horsetail Grass
INCI Name: Organic Equisetum Arvense (Organic Horsetail)
Country of Origin: Albania
Packaging: Biodegradable Bags
Description: Dried grass pieces; little to no aroma
Applications: Skincare, Soap Manufacturing, Hair Care
Benefits: skin firming, nail growth, hair growth, skin soothing, toning, boosts natural collagen production, wound healing, anti-inflammatory
Suggested formulas: lotions, creams, toners, serums, shampoo, conditioner, hair treatment, facial masks
Organic Horsetail, also known as Shavegrass, has tremendous natural silica content. Silica is incorporated into skincare products to help increase firmness of skin, boost natural collagen production, and help grow hair and nails. Organic Horsetail is a naturally astringent material, making it ideal to use in acneic skincare lines.
We have offered Hydrogenated Horsetail Butter for years and it is extremely popular among those making hair care formulations. We have added Organic Horsetail Grass to our lineup so you can extract it in other forms and use it across the board in your formulations.
Silica is an integral ingredient in increasing skin and hair firmness and elasticity. In addition to helping boost natural collagen production, horsetail (shavegrass) is also a natural astringent material, meaning you can incorporate this into toners and serums to help reduce pore size and reduce sebum production on the skin.
Organic Horsetail is an excellent ingredient to use for wound healing salves, balms and creams. The National Library of Medicine did a study in 2015 showing that a 3% horsetail ointment used on women who had an episiotomy during delivery showed a decrease in pain and an increase in wound healing.
When used in nail care products, incorporating Organic Horsetail showed a decrease in nail fungus and nail psoriasis. You can extract the organic horsetail into an oil, such as Hazelnut Oil or Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then include other anti-fungal ingredients like Tea Tree Essential Oil, Frankincense Carterii Essential Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Oregano Essential Oil, Clove Bud Essential Oil, Cinnamon Essential Oil and White Thyme Essential Oil to create a nail oil. This would both help to reduce fungal infections and it would help strengthen nails due to the high silica content.
Organic Horsetail is so so so good for hair care products. This is the primary use of our hydrogenated horsetail butter because it is so rich in silica. You can extract the organic horsetail into an oil and incorporate that into liquid shampoos and conditioners, shampoo and conditioner bars, masks and hair oils. Using products with organic horsetail helps to increase elasticity of hair strands, and helps to promote new hair growth.
How to use Organic Horsetial/Shavegrass:
How to extract- you can infuse into an oil or water/hydrosol/glycerin. Horsetail/Shavegrass is best when infused with a little heat. You don’t want to overcook it, so don’t boil it, but you do want a little heat initially to start the extraction process. It will work equally well in either oil or water, so you’ll extract it based on your finished formula. Use a brew bag/mesh bag to contain the grass in the liquid. This allows full access to the plant material without having to strain the finished material
If you’re making an all oil/butter based product, I would extract into either the oil or butter and not in water so that you don’t have to worry about a preservative.
In Soap- If you’re going to use it in soap bars, you can extract into water then use this as the balance of your lye water. Add the extracted water to your lye solution after the lye has gone through the heat phase to help preserve the silica value. You can also grind down the organic horsetail and add it to your soap bars as an exfoliant.
In Skincare- organic horsetail makes an excellent addition to any line targeting skin firmness and elasticity. Use the oil extracted version in facial creams and oils; use the water/hydrosol/glycerin extracted version in serums and toners.
In Haircare- extract into glycerin, water, hydrosol, or oil to create your base. Blend into our Premium Conditioner Base to create a hair mask; use as the oil or water binder in your shampoo and conditioner bars; use in a hair oil treatment.
Organic Horsetail/Shavegrass is sold in ½- pound biodegradable bags, 1-pound biodegradable bags, 5-pound biodegradable bags, 25-pound and 55-pound sizes. Any orders larger than 250-pounds please email us for pricing.
This information is for reference only. These recommendations have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not mean to treat, cure or remedy any diseases.