The most important ingredient in Vicco Turmeric skin cream is, not surprisingly, turmeric, long used in India as a spice for cooking and also for its medicinal and cosmetic properties. Vicco Turmeric is used to treat skin infections, boils, pimples, and acne.

Vicco is a large company which produces a line of products based on the the principles of Ayerveda, the ancient India system of natural medicine.

Turmeric

Turmeric has been used for some 4,000 years in India. In addition to its use as an important cooking spice--turmeric gives curry its distinctive flavor and color--turmeric has been used in both Chinese medicine and Ayurveda as an anti-inflammatory and to treat digestive and liver problems. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, researchers are investigating claims that turmeric may be useful in preventing some forms of cancer.

According to "India Parenting," turmeric is an excellent antiseptic. It also helps even out skin tone and color. And it makes the skin more elastic and supple, which explains why pregnant women use turmeric to help prevent stretch marks."

It is a tradition in India for brides to apply a turmeric mix to their entire body to soften their skin on the morning of their wedding.

Stearic Acid

Stearic acid is derived mostly from animals, but is it also found in some plants, including chocolate, according to the American Heart Association. The human body converts it to a mono saturated fat, one of the "good" fats. It is used to form margarine and spreads as well as cream bases for baked goods, and is often an ingredient in cosmetics.

Sorbital

Sorbital is a bulk sweetener found in many food products. It is also used as a humectant for protections against loss of moisture content, which makes it useful in cosmetic products.

Methyl and Propyl Parabens

Parabens are a class of ingredients most often used in the formulation of cosmetic care products. Parabens are controversial. As Real Self, a website that reviews ingredients in cosmetics explains, parabens can be absorbed by the human body, and have been linked, at least in animal studies, with endocrine disorders. However, only a small amount of parabens, perhaps one percent, are absorbed.

The FDA says that methyl parabens are generally recognized as safe.

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium hydroxide is also known as lye and caustic soda. As the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, or ATSDR, explains, sodium hydroxide is an odorless white crystaline solid that absorbs moisture from the air. It is used as a chemical base for soap, and in the manufacture of petroleum products.