Oil
Ingredients overview
| what‑it‑does | emollient |
| what‑it‑does | emollient |
| irritancy, com. | 0 0 |
| what‑it‑does | emollient |
| what‑it‑does | antioxidant | antimicrobial/antibacterial |
| what‑it‑does | antimicrobial/antibacterial | perfuming |
| what‑it‑does | perfuming |
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Highlights
Key Ingredients
| what‑it‑does | antioxidant | antimicrobial/antibacterial |
Skim through
| Ingredient name | what-it-does | irr., com. | ID-Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil | emollient | goodie | |
| Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil | emollient | 0, 0 | goodie |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) | emollient | goodie | |
| Geranium Maculatum Oil | |||
| Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil | antioxidant, antimicrobial/antibacterial | icky | |
| Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Oil | |||
| Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil | antimicrobial/antibacterial, perfuming | icky | |
| Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil | perfuming | icky |
Ingredients explained
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 a wax ester (and calling it an oil is kind of sloppy).
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, beautiful yellow flower during the summer - or you do all of these and probably even more. And by even more we mean putting it all over your 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 evidence that 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.
Unless you live under a rock you must have heard about shea butter. It's probably the most hyped up natural butter in skincare today. It comes from the seeds of African Shea or Karite Trees and used as a magic moisturizer and emollient.
But it's not only a simple emollient, it's considered to be an NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor) that regenerates and soothes the skin and also protects it from external factors (such as UV rays or wind). If that would not be enough it's also rich in antioxidants (among others vitamin A, E, F, quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate). If you are looking for rich emollient benefits + more, shea is hard to beat.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
The essential oil coming from the leafs of the lovely herb, rosemary. It contains several fragrant components, including the well-known irritant, camphor (around 15%). It has a nice smell, is a potent antioxidant and it's also an antimicrobial agent.
If your skin is sensitive, it's probably a good idea to avoid it.
We don't have description for this ingredient yet.
We have to start by writing how fascinated we are by the amazing lavender fields of Provance and we do love pretty much everything about lavender: its look, its color, its scent.... but, when it comes to skincare, lavender is a questionable ingredient that you probably do not want in your skincare products.
First, let us start with the pros: it has a lovely scent, so no wonder that it is popular as a fragrance ingredient in natural products wanting to be free from synthetic fragrances but still wanting to smell nice. The scent of lavender is famous for having calming and relaxing properties and some smallish scientific studies do support that. Inhaled volatile compounds seem to have a soothing effect on the central nervous system and studies have shown that lavender aromatherapy can improve patient's anxiety and experience in hospitals.
The essential oil coming from the fruit (probably the rind) of the bergamot orange. It's a common top note in perfumes and contains (among others) fragrant compounds limonene (37%), linalyl acetate (30%) and linalool (8.8%).
A well-known issue with bergamot oil (apart from the fragrance allergens) is that it contains phototoxic compounds called furanocoumarins, but more and more commonly furanocoumarin-free versions are used in cosmetic products. Still, if you have sensitive skin and prefer fragrance-free products, bergamot oil is not for you.
