Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Sunflower Oil;Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil | What-it-does: emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0
Sunflower does not need a big intro as you probably use it in the kitchen as cooking oil, or you munch on the seeds as a healthy snack or you adore its big, beautifulyellow flower during the summer - or you do all of these and probably even more. And by even more we mean putting it all overyour face as sunflower oil is one of the most commonly used plant oils in skincare.
It’s a real oldie: expressed directly from the seeds, the oil is used not for hundreds but thousands of years. According to The National Sunflower Association, there is evidencethat both the plant and its oil were used by American Indians in the area of Arizona and New Mexico about 3000 BC. Do the math: it's more than 5000 years – definitely an oldie.
Our intro did get pretty big after all (sorry for that), so let's get to the point finally: sunflower oil - similar to other plant oils - is a great emollient that makes the skin smooth and nice and helps to keep it hydrated. It also protects the surface of the skin and enhances the damaged or irritated skin barrier. Leslie Bauman notes in Cosmetic Dermatology that one application of sunflower oil significantly speeds up the recovery of the skin barrier within an hour and sustains the results 5 hours after using it.
It's also loaded withfatty acids(mostly linoleic (50-74%) and oleic (14-35%)). The unrefined version(be sure to use that on your skin!) is especially high in linoleic acid that is great even for acne-prone skin. Its comedogen index is 0, meaning that it's pretty much an all skin-type oil.
Truth be told, there are many great plant oils and sunflower oil is definitely one of them.
Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Olive Fruit Oil;Olea Europaea Fruit Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0-2
You probably know olive oil from the kitchen as a great and healthy option for salad dressing but it's also agreat and healthy option to moisturize and nourish the skin, especially if it's on the dry side.
Similar to other emollient plant oils, it's loaded with nourishing fatty acids: oleic is the main component (55-83%), and also contains linoleic (3.5-20%) and palmitic acids (7-20%). It also contains antioxidant polyphenols, tocopherols (types of vitamin E) and carotenoids and it's one of the best plant sources of skin-identical emollient, Squalene.
Overall, a great option for dry skin butless so for acne-prone or damaged skin.
Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Seed Oil*
Also-called: Green Tea Seed Oil;Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil | What-it-does: moisturizer/humectant
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
What-it-does: emollient
A super common emollient that makes your skin feel nice and smooth. It comes from coconut oil and glycerin, it’s light-textured, clear, odorless and non-greasy. It’s a nice ingredient that just feels good on the skin, is super well tolerated by every skin type andeasy to formulate with. No wonder it’s popular.
Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate
What-it-does: emulsifying
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
What-it-does: emollient
An "eco-designed" emollient ester coming from shea butter. While pure shea butter is a rich emollient that might feel greasy on the skin, this one is designed for its light, silky-soft feeling.
The manufacturer claims that it has a great sustainability profile, long lasting stability and a unique, light and silky feel that's ideal as a base for modern, eco-friendly body lotions and facial care products.
Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate
What-it-does: emulsifying
A multi-functional emulsifier that helps water and oil to nicely mix together. It also has a nice skin feeling, can act as a thickener and has some antimicrobial activity that makes it an active ingredient in some natural deodorants.
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Jojoba Oil;Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | What-it-does: emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0-2
Jojoba is a drought resistant evergreen shrub native to South-western North America. It's known and grown for jojoba oil, the golden yellow liquid coming from the seeds (about 50% of the weight of the seeds will be oil).
At first glance, it seems like your average emollient plant oil: it looks like an oil and it's nourishing and moisturizing to the skin but if we dig a bit deeper, it turns out that jojoba oil is really special and unique: technically - or rather chemically - it's not an oil but awax ester (and calling it an oil is kind of sloppy).
So what the heck is a wax ester and why is that important anyway? Well, to understand what a wax ester is, you first have to know that oils are chemically triglycerides:one glycerin + three fatty acids attached to it. The fatty acids attached to the glycerin vary and thus we have many kinds of oils, but they are alltriglycerides. Mother Nature created triglycerides to be easily hydrolyzed (bebroken down to a glycerin + 3 fatty acid molecules) and oxidized (the fatty acid is broken down into small parts) - this happens basically when we eat fats or oils and our body generates energy from it.
Mother Nature also created wax esters but for a totally different purpose. Chemically, a wax ester is a fatty acid + a fatty alcohol, one long molecule. Wax esters are on the outer surface of several plant leaves to give them environmental protection. 25-30% of human sebum is also wax esters to give uspeople environmental protection.
So being a wax ester results in a couple of unique properties: First, jojoba oil is extremely stable. Like crazy stable. Even if you heat it to 370 C (698 F) for 96 hours, it does notbudge. (Many plant oils tend to go off pretty quickly). If you have some pure jojoba oil at home, you should be fine using it for years.
Second, jojoba oil is the most similar to human sebum (both being wax esters), and the two are completely miscible. Acne.org has this not fully proven theory that thanks to this, jojoba might be able to "trick" the skin into thinking it has already produced enough sebum, so it might have "skin balancing" properties for oily skin.
Third, jojoba oil moisturizes the skin through a unique dual action:on the one hand, it mixes with sebum and forms a thin, non-greasy, semi-occlusive layer; on the other hand, it absorbs into the skin through pores and hair follicles thendiffuses into the intercellular spaces of the outer layer of the skin to make it soft and supple.
On balance, the point is this: in contrast to real plant oils, wax esters were designed by Mother Nature to stay on the surface and forma protective, moisturizing barrier and jojoba oil being a wax ester is uniquely excellent at doing that.
Isopropyl Shea Butterate
What-it-does: emollient
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Tea Seed oil;Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil | What-it-does: emollient
A beautiful golden-yellow oil coming from the Camellia tree. It's a 5 -10 meters high tree with spectacular white flowers native to Asia. It's pretty common there and also used as cooking oil or salad dressing. Sometimes Camellia oil is referred to as "the olive oil of Asia".
So what can it do for the skin? Similar to many other great non-fragrant plant oils, it's a great emollient and moisturising oil for dry skin. It's light in texture, absorbs fast into the skin and leaves it soft and supple.
It contains a bunch of good-for-the-skin stuff: it's very rich (70-85%) in nourishing and moisturising fatty acid, oleic acid (though if you are acne-prone be careful with oleic acid), contains significant amount of antioxidant vitaminE (0.15%) as well as great emollient and antioxidant squalene (2-3%).
All in all, a skin goodie especially for dry skin.
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
Also-called: Castor Oil | What-it-does: emollient, perfuming | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0-1
Castor oil is sourced from the castor bean plant native to tropical areas in Eastern Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. It is an age-old ingredient (it’s over 4,000 years old!) with many uses including as a shoe polish, food additive and motor lubricant. You would be reasonable to think that putting shoe polish on your face wouldn’t be the best idea, but it turns out castor oil has some unique properties that make it a stalwart in thick and gloss-giving formulas (think lipsticks and highlighters).
So what is so special about it? The answer is its main fatty acid, called ricinoleic acid (85-95%). Unlike other fatty acids, ricinoleic acid has an extra water-loving part (aka -OH group) on its fatty chain that gives Castor Oil several unique properties. First, it is thicker than other oils, then its solubility is different (e.g. dissolves in alcohol but not in mineral oil), and it allows all kindsof chemical modificationsother oils do not, hence the lots ofCastor oil-derived ingredients. It is alsomore glossy than other oils, in fact,itcreates the highest gloss of all natural oils when applied to the skin. Other than that, it is a very effective emollient and occlusive that reduces skin moisture loss so it is quite common in smaller amounts in moisturizers.
While it is very unlikely (and this is true for pretty much every ingredient), cases of reactions to castor oil have been reported, so if your skin is sensitive, it never hurts to patch test.
Aroma**
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
Also-called: Elderberry Fruit Extract | What-it-does: astringent
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Tocopherol - goodie
Also-called: Vitamin E | What-it-does: antioxidant | Irritancy: 0-3 | Comedogenicity: 0-3
- Primary fat-soluble antioxidant in our skin
- Significant photoprotection against UVB rays
- Vit C + Vit E work in synergy and provide great photoprotection
- Has emollient properties
- Easy to formulate, stable and relatively inexpensive
Read all the geeky details about Tocopherol here >>
Squalane - goodie
What-it-does: skin-identical ingredient, emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1
It seems to us that squalane is in fashion and there is a reason for it. Chemically speaking, it is a saturated (no double bonds) hydrocarbon (a molecule consisting only of carbon and hydrogen), meaning that it's a nice and stable oily liquid with a long shelf life.
It occurs naturally in certain fish and plant oils (e.g. olive), and in the sebum (the oily stuff our skin produces) of the human skin. As f.c. puts it in his awesome blog post, squalane's main things are"emolliency, surface occlusion, and TEWL prevention all with extreme cosmetic elegance". In other words, it's a superb moisturizer that makes your skin nice and smooth, withoutbeing heavy or greasy.
Another advantage of squalane is that it is pretty much compatible with all skin types and skin conditions. It isexcellent for acne-prone skin and safe to use even if you have fungi-related skin issues, likeseborrhea or fungal acne.
The unsaturated (with double bonds) and hence less stable version ofSqualane is Squalene, youcan read about it here >>
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Sacha Inchi Seed Oil;Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, emollient, moisturizer/humectant
An emollient plant oil coming from theSacha Inchi plant from the Colombian Amazon.
Similar to other plant oils, it's loaded with nourishing and moisturizing fatty acids: it's especially rich in α-Linolenic acid (42-49%) and linoleic acid (32-38%) and contains less oleic acid (9-14%). It also contains a decent amount ofantioxidant vitamin E (200 mg/kg).
Arnica Montana (Arnica) Extract* - icky
Also-called: Arnica Extract;Arnica Montana Extract
A nice yellow flower living in themountains that's famously used to treat bruisings. Its role in skincare is questionable though. Read more here >>
Borago Officinalis (Borage) Leaf Extract* - goodie
Also-called: Borage Leaf Extract;Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract | What-it-does: antioxidant
When it comes to borage and skincare, the seed oil is the one that's usually mentioned thanks to its uniquely high gamma-linolenic acid content.
But the leaves are not useless either: they containgreat antioxidant compounds, like polyphenols and flavonoidsand show significant free-radical scavenging activity (though much less than vitamin C and similar to thesynthetic antioxidant, BHT).
Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract* - goodie
Also-called: Calendula Extract, Marigold Extract;Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract | What-it-does: soothing, antioxidant, perfuming
The extract coming from the popular garden plant Calendula or Marigold. According to manufacturer info, it's used for many centuries for itsexceptional healing powers and is particularly remarkable in the treatment of wounds. It containsflavonoids that give the plant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract*
Also-called: Alfalfa;Medicago Sativa Extract
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Spiraea Ulmaria (Meadowsweet) Extract* - goodie
Also-called: Meadowsweet Extract, Filipendula Ulmaria Extract;Spiraea Ulmaria Extract | What-it-does: soothing, astringent
The extract coming from the leaves and/or blossoms of Meadowsweet, a native to Europe plant that likes to grow in damp places such asmeadows or the banks of streams.
It's main "skincare thing" is that it contains salicylic acid derivatives that give the extract anti-inflammatory properties. It also hastannins that make Spiraea Ulmaria Extract astringent, as well asspiraeosidethat has anti-cellulitic properties.
Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle) Ethyl Ester
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Avocado Oil, Persea Americana Oil;Persea Gratissima Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 0-3
The oil coming from the pulp of one of the most nutritious fruits in the world, the avocado. It's loaded with thenourishing and moisturizing fatty acid, oleic (70%) and contains some others including palmitic (10%) and linoleic acid (8%). It also contains a bunch of minerals and vitamins A, E and D.
Avocado oil has extraordinary skin penetration abilities and cannourish different skin layers. It's a very rich, highly moisturizing emollient oil that makes the skin smooth and nourished. Thanks to its vitamin E content it also has some antioxidant properties. As a high-oleic plant oil, it is recommended for dry skin.
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Apricot Kernel Oil;Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil | What-it-does: emollient | Irritancy: 0 | Comedogenicity: 1-2
The emollient plant oil coming from the kernel (the seed of the seed) of the deliciousapricot fruit. Like other plant oils, it contains antioxidant vitaminE and nourishing fatty acids (mostly oleic acid 54-74%, linoleic acid 12-35%).
It's a nice general purpose emollient, has nourishing and moisturizing properties (as a high oleic oil it's ideal for dry skin types) and is quite easily absorbed into the skin.
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil* - goodie
Also-called: Grape Seed Oil;Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil | What-it-does: antioxidant, emollient
A goodie plant oil coming from the polyphenol-rich seeds of the grape. It's a light emollient oil that makes your skin feel smooth and nice and also contains a bunch of good-for-the-skin stuff. It's a great source of antioxidant polyphenols, barrier repair fatty acid linoleic acid (about 55-77%, while oleic acid is about 12-27%)and antioxidant, skin-protectant vitamin E.
Limonene - icky
What-it-does: perfuming, solvent, deodorant
A supercommon and cheap fragrance ingredient. It's in many plants, e.g. rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, peppermint and it's the main component (about 50-90%) of the peel oil of citrus fruits.
It does smellnice but the problemis that it oxidizes on air exposure and the resulting stuff is not good for the skin. Oxidizedlimonene cancause allergic contact dermatitis and counts asa frequent skin sensitizer.
Limonene's nr1 function is definitely being a fragrance component, but there are several studies showing that it's also a penetration enhancer, mainly for oil-loving components.
All in all, limonene has some pros and cons, but - especially if your skin is sensitive -the cons probably outweigh the pros.
Citronellol - icky
What-it-does: perfuming
Citronellol is a very common fragrance ingredient with a nice rose-like odor. In the UK, it’s actually the third most often listed perfume on the ingredient lists.
It can be naturally found in geranium oil (about 30%) or rose oil (about 25%).
As with all fragrance ingredients, citronellol can also cause allergic contact dermatitis and should be avoided if you have perfume allergy. In a 2001 worldwide study with 178 people with known sensitization to fragrances citronellol tested positive in 5.6% of the cases.
There is no known anti-aging or positive skin benefits of the ingredient. It’s in our products to make it smell nice.
Geraniol - icky
What-it-does: perfuming
Geraniol is a common fragrance ingredient. It smells like rose and can be found in rose oil or in small quantities in geranium, lemon and many other essential oils.
Just like other similar fragrance ingredients (like linalool and limonene) geraniol also oxidises on air exposure and becomes allergenic. Best to avoid if you have sensitive skin.
Linalool - icky
What-it-does: perfuming, deodorant
Linalool is a super common fragrance ingredient. It’s kind of everywhere - both in plants and in cosmetic products. It’s part of 200 natural oils including lavender, ylang-ylang, bergamot, jasmine, geranium and it can be found in 90-95% of prestige perfumes on the market.
The problem with linalool is, that just like limoneneit oxidises on air exposure and becomes allergenic. That’s why a product containing linalool that has been opened for several months is more likely to be allergenic than a fresh one.
A study made in the UK with 483 people tested the allergic reaction to 3% oxidised linalool and 2.3% had positive test results.
