WHY DO SOME OF YOUR INGREDIENTS SOUND LIKE CHEMICALS?

You may have noticed the chemical-sounding names on skincare products before. This is due to a legal requirement that all products list the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name for each ingredient, to ensure the authorities know exactly what is in each product sold. We think that this is confusing for consumers and so give the everyday name too, for every ingredient we use.

WHAT PRESERVATIVE(S) DO YOU USE?

We have avoided common preservatives, such as parabens, in any of our products due to questions over their safety. However, we also wanted to ensure our products arrived with you bacteria and fungus free. For our water-containing products we use two, carefully researched preservatives to combat bacteria, fungus and germs that can contaminate a product and shorten its shelf life:

Phenoxyethanol, which occurs naturally in green tea, is a commonly used, non-toxic preservative that is considered the safest and most           effective on the market. Without a preservative such a phenoxyethanol, our products would last no more than a couple of weeks once opened. Phenoxyethanol is approved for worldwide use in all types of water-based cosmetics, up to a 1% concentration, and we use less than that amount. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has assessed the safety of phenoxyethanol several times, evaluating all scientific data, and has concluded that phenoxyethanol is a safe cosmetic ingredient.

Ethylhexylglycerin inhibits the growth and multiplication of odour causing bacteria, works to improve the efficacy of preservatives and acts as an antimicrobial stabilizer in combination with other ingredients. Wherever you see Phenoxyethanol, you will almost always see Ethylhexylglycerin. Ethylhexylglycerin acts as a suspending agent, supporting Phenoxyethanol in the preservation of cosmetic processes. The Environmental Working Group gives it a safety score of 1, meaning it is very safe, with little to no irritation to the skin.

Both Phenoxyethanol and Ethylhexylglycerin are synthetic preservatives, derived from natural sources. We feel that they offer the best balance of product safety - in ensuring our products reach you, and remain, in great condition - and staying within our "skin safe" approach.

DO YOU USE SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES?

Each of our products smells great, but their scent comes purely from natural ingredients. Sweet orange and Ylang Ylang oils are the main scents you'll pick up in our products. Our products don't contain synthetic fragrances, as the absence of 'parfum' on our ingredients list attests to.