Know Your Ingredients: Camphor

What it is
Camphor is a white or transparent waxy crystalline solid with a strong aromatic odor. It is derived from the wood of the camphor tree (Cinnamomum Camphora) but can also be produced synthetically.

What it does
Camphor is very used to impart scent to products.
It is also used in some skincare products to relieve itching and irritation, but not without side effects.

Side effects
Camphor is a counter-irritant. When it is applied on the skin it produces a feeling of cooling and dilates blood vessels. This causes local inflammation to relieve inflammation in deeper tissues. Basically it substitutes one type of inflammation for another. This is not good for skin, no kind of inflammation is.