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What goes into your skincare can end up going into your body.

Our ingredient choices provide your body with the best it deserves. You really can’t presume that of all skincare brands, even if they claim to be natural. Sadly, there is no real regulation of natural/organic in skincare and most of the industry is based in petro-chemicals.

METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE (MI)

A preservative which is permitted for use under European regulation but believed by leading dermatologists to be causing a dramatic rise in contact dermatitis/eczema caused by skin contact with a topical allergen. Frequently used to replace parabens by ‘green washing’ brands.

POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEGs)

Multiple PEGs exist with different numbers after them. They are emulsifiers, which are used as they are cheap, that can be replaced by better natural versions.

PHALATES

These can be an ingredient in your skincare or in the actual packaging. Potential hormone disruptors.

OXYBENZONE

Sunscreen ingredient associated with photoallergic skin reactions, hormonal system effect and associated with endometriosis.

PETROLEUM & PETROLEUM JELLY

Used as a barrier product, for us shea of mango butter would be preferable to petroleum. While it barriers well, in our experience, they never solve the issue they are there to

alleviate. Lip balms for example are nearly all petroleum based and why we believe people have to so repeatedly put them on.

MINERAL OIL, LIQUID PARAFFIN

Petroleum by-products that coat the skin, clogging the pores. Used in many products because it is cheap and inert. It is in most cleansers, moisturisers and baby products.

SYNTHETIC COLOURS

Why does your skin need to be exposed to fake colours in your skincare? They are of no benefit to your skin.

FRAGRANCE/PARFUM

Ingredients most likely to cause sensitivity and skin irritation. Legally you don’t have to declare all your fragrance ingredients and can just put ‘Parfum’. This one word can be

used to hide 5-100+ ingredient parts.

PHENOXYETHANOL

An antibacterial preservative used by many ‘fake’ natural brands to replace preservatives. Increasing data shows it has the potential to irritate skin and lungs so we won’t use it.

SILICONES

Look for ‘cone’ on the end of an ingredient name. Used to make products feel silky smooth and fill gaps in the skin. We feel they put a plastic layer on your skin. There is then debate

about whether they block other ingredients getting into the skin and cause pores to clog.

BUTYL, ETHYL, METHYL & PROPYL PARABEN

Preservatives used to extend shelf life of products. Widely used in the beauty industry. An increasing number of studies have shown a risk of skin rashes and in the worse case that

they are a potential carcogen.

ALUMINIUM

Aluminium is used to plug the sweat glands in your armpits and block them & it does this very successfully. In the ingredients list on your deodorant it will list as one

of these: Aluminum chlorohydrate, Aluminum zirconium, trichlorohydrex glycine, Aluminum hydroxybromid, Aluminum sulfate OR Sodium aluminum chlorohydroxy

lactate. There has been much medical discussion about Aluminium having potentially harmful risks on your health, especially as it is being sprayed into a lymph node filled

armpit. It been linked heavily to endocrine disruption and breast cancer, with many oncology departments telling you to avoid it.

SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE

Will be in all your shampoos, bubble baths and children’s body washes. It is also used in engine degreasers, car washes and floor cleaner. It is a cheap foam and thickener and is what makes bubbles. A potential skin irritant with strong links to eczema and psoriasis.

ACRYLATES COPOLYMER/CARBOMER

A common form of micro plastics you will find in your beauty bottles. Carbomer is a term used for a series of polymers primarily made from acrylic acid, white, fluffy powders very

frequently used as gels in beauty products. They are in most hand sanitiser gels. They help to distribute or suspend an insoluble solid in a liquid and are used to keep emulsions from

separating into their oil and liquid components but may be adding to the micro plastic issue in our water eco system.

PROPYLENE GLYCOL (PG) & BUTYLENE GLYCOL

A solvent used in beauty bottles to absorb water or to maintain moisture in a product, a wetting agent. In nearly all skincare, pet food, anti-freeze and industrial brake fluid. You

can make skincare without it so we see no need to put it and any of it’s potential skin and eye irritation risks in our bottles.

It is highly likely you will find them in your bathroom, go and look at your current skincare bottles.

Go to www.ewg.org/skindeep or download their Healthy Living app to barcode scan products and look at individual ingredients and their health impact for your body.