SHI ZHEN GAO - Soothing Ointment

Also known as: Shi Zhen Gao, Soothing Ointment, Soothing Eczema Ointment.

The ointment version of Shi Zhen Shui Gao. Nine ingredients, a jojoba and beeswax base, and the same two herbs doing the work: Amur cork bark and Chinese indigo.

Where the cream spreads and absorbs, this one sits and dries. That is the point of it. Use it on skin that is weeping or eroded, and switch to the cream once the surface has closed.

What's doing the work

• Huang Bai (Phellodendron amurense, Amur cork bark) dries damp and drains fire, the workhorse for hot, wet, itchy skin.
• Qing Dai as Polygonum tinctorium (Chinese indigo) leaf and stem extract, the plant Qing Dai is prepared from. The published trial support is for concentrated indigo naturalis ointment in plaque psoriasis (Lin YK et al, Archives of Dermatology 2008;144(11):1457-1464), a stronger preparation than a cosmetic leaf extract. The tradition behind it is much older than the trial.
• Zinc oxide and calcium sulfate are the drying minerals and give it the matte, chalky finish.
• Jojoba seed oil and beeswax hold it in place so it stays where you put it.

How to use

Apply to clean, dry skin 3 to 5 times daily and allow to absorb.

Pairs well with

It can be drying on its own. Two ways round that: once absorbed, apply Zi Cao Shui Gao over the top, or mix the two together in your palm before applying. Once the weeping has stopped, Shi Zhen Shui Gao or Huang Lian Gao is usually the better fit.

Full ingredients

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Nut Butter, Calcium Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Phellodendron Amurense (Amur Cork) Bark Extract, Polygonum Tinctorium (Chinese Indigo) Leaf/Stem Extract, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.

Ingredient list current as of publication. Check the panel on the item you receive.

Good to know

• 30ml / 28 g.
• Steroid free. No silicones, parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic fragrance or artificial colour.
• Not vegan. Contains beeswax. Halal and cruelty-free.
• Contains shea nut butter. Avoid if you have a tree nut allergy.
• The indigo pigment can mark light fabric. Let it absorb before dressing.
• Patch test before the first full application.
• Made in the UK. For external use only. Keep out of reach of children.

Dermatology M, formulated by Dr Mazin Al-Khafaji. Selected and reviewed by Dr. Stacee Munroe, OMD, L.Ac. Cosmetic use only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.