horsetail
Zuplex's Horsetail extract is a silica-rich botanical extract known for strengthening, repairing, and revitalising skin and hair, delivering visible anti-ageing and fortifying benefits.
INCI NAME
Equisetum Arvense Extract, propanediol/glycerine, water
CHARACTERISTICS
Appearance: Golden brown liquid
Solubility: Water-soluble
USAGE
Use level: 1–5%
Shelf-life: 24 months
SOURCE
Equisetum arvense is one of the oldest plant genera on Earth, with a lineage spanning over 300 million years. It is native throughout the temperate and arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, distributed widely across Europe, North America, and large parts of Asia. The plant thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is commonly found along riverbanks, meadows, roadsides, and wetland margins. Horsetail is uniquely distinguished by its requirement for silicon as an essential mineral nutrient, which it absorbs from the soil in concentrations of 2–3%. The sterile green aerial stems constitute the botanical material used in cosmetic extractions.
TRADITIONAL USES
Horsetail has been used as a medicinal and cosmetic herb since the time of the ancient Greek and Roman Empires, where it was documented for its therapeutic uses, wound-healing and astringent properties In European folk medicine, horsetail was applied topically to accelerate the healing of cuts, burns, and poorly healing wounds, and to soothe inflammatory skin conditions. In traditional Austrian herbal medicine it was used both internally as a tea and externally in baths for skin and connective tissue disorders. In Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions, the plant was valued for remineralising and strengthening connective tissues, bones, hair, and nails. Native American peoples also applied the plant as a remedy for skin conditions. By the Renaissance, preparations of pounded stems in oil were used specifically for hair strengthening and scalp care. Its longstanding application in skin, hair, and nail support across multiple cultures has motivated the scientific investigation of its extract as a modern cosmetic active.
ACTIVE COMPONENTS
Horsetail extracts are widely used in cosmetics for both skin and hair. The extract is exceptionally rich in silica (silicon dioxide, 2–3%), which is absorbed from the soil and deposited throughout the plant’s stem tissue. Silica provides structural support for collagen and keratin biosynthesis, making it integral to both skin firmness and hair shaft integrity. The flavonoids present, notably kaempferol, quercetin, and apigenin glycosides, contribute potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, protecting skin cells from oxidative stress and environmental damage. Phenolic acids, including caffeic acid esters further enhance the extract’s free-radical scavenging capacity. Together, these constituents deliver a multifunctional profile well-suited to anti-ageing, fortifying, and revitalising formulations.
CLAIMS
Horsetail extract demonstrates activity across both anti-ageing and haircare applications. In an 8-week clinical study, a cream containing Equisetum arvense and soybean extracts applied daily by 15 female participants significantly reduced wrinkle scores from 8.7 to 6.1 (p < 0.005), with 93.4% of participants showing visible improvement.¹ For haircare, placebo-controlled studies have shown that silica-rich horsetail supplementation improves hair tensile strength and reduces breakage versus placebo,² while a 3-month randomised, double-blind study in women with self-perceived hair thinning demonstrated increased hair growth and strength³. Its silica content supports keratin structure and hair shaft integrity, and mechanistic research on Equisetum species indicates it may help reduce androgenic hair loss by inhibiting 5α-reductase and suppressing pro-inflammatory IL-6 secretion at the follicle level, though these findings are primarily from in vitro models.⁴