Equisetum fluviatile, commonly known as water horsetail, is a perennial horsetail growing in a damp and swamp area. It grows in great abundance in Great Britain and particularly in Scotland. They have hollow stems and lack proper leaves and flowers. The stems contain the constituents desired in skincare. E. fluviatile is one of the plants selected for the collaborative research project with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and collected from Scotland. The extract from E. fluviatile shows anti-inflammatory and skin brightening properties by inhibiting melanin synthesis

and tyrosinase expression activity. A natural derivative of apigenin, protoapigenone was found in E. fluviatile as one of the active compounds.