Beauty Glossary (Z)

Beauty Glossary Z terms and meanings from Zinc to Zirconium.

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Select the appropriate letter for beauty terms and meanings in that section.

Zinc ... Zinc is essential to the synthesis of DNA and RNA, of proteins, insulin and sperm. Your body needs zinc, to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, protein and alcohol. To dispose of carbon dioxide and to make good use of vitamin A.

• More than seventy different enzymes require zinc to do their work.
• Zinc bolsters the immune system and makes wounds heal faster.
• It's integral to the growth and maintenance of body tissues and plays a major role in the development of fetuses and the growth of children.
• Read More On the Zinc Essentials

Zinc Chloride ... Also called “Butter of Zinc”. It is a compound occasionally used in escharotic skin creams salves for the treatment of skin cancer and other dermal/epidermal conditions.

• Zinc chloride assists in the absorption of the herbal nutrients active ingredients of this formulation through the dermal layer and into the bloodstream.

Zinc Oxide ... Used to protect, soothe and heal the skin. Also provides good sun protection

• Zinc oxide lozenges are a popular over-the-counter cold remedy, but numerous studies have failed to demonstrate any significant effect.
• Zinc oxide is added to many breakfast cereals, as a source of zinc; a necessary nutrient. (Other cereals may contain zinc sulfate, for the same purpose.) Some prepackaged foods also include trace amounts
• Zinc white is used as a pigment in paints and is more opaque than lithopone, but less opaque than titanium dioxide. It is also used in coatings for paper. Chinese white is a special grade of zinc white used in artists' pigments.
• Because it absorbs both UVA and UVB rays of ultraviolet light, zinc oxide can be used in ointments, creams, and lotions to protect against sunburn and other damage to the skin caused by ultraviolet light. It is the broadest spectrum UVA and UVB absorber that is approved for use as a sunscreen by the FDA, and is completely photostable.
• Zinc Oxide is a main ingredient of mineral make-up mainly because of its vast array of colors.

Zinc Pyrithione ... An active ingredient in dandruff shampoos. It is cytotoxic and antifungal. It's use is not approved by the FDA.

Zinc Stearate ... Used in powder to improve texture and to lubricate

Zirconium ... An ionic plant derived trace mineral

Zwitterion ... A zwitterion is a chemical compound that carries a total net charge of zero and is electrically neutral, but carries formal charges on different atoms.

• Zwitterions are polar and are usually very water-soluble, but poorly soluble in most organic solvents.
• Examples of zwitterions are used as detergents and in drugs such as Fexofenadine (Allegra) and Cephaloridine