Salicornia herbacea extract (inci)

Salicornia herbacea extract refers to an extract from the plant "Salicornia herbacea", the glass lard, also called Marsh samphire (Jointed glasswort). Salicornia herbacea is the name of a plant genus in the foxtail family (Amaranthaceae), which mainly colonises the tidal flats of sea coasts.

Salicornia herbacea extract is used in cosmetic formulations. The substance acts as an emollient (makes the skin smooth and supple) and as an emulsifier (a surface-active substance which is used in cosmetic products as an additive to combine two immiscible liquids - e.g. oil and water - to form an emulsion).

The name glassmelting refers to the fact that in the past the ashes of this plant were used to make soda ash (the ashes contain about 15% soda ash). Soda was used to melt glass.