Table of Contents
1. The ingredients of certified natural cosmetics:
Simmondsiachinesisseedoil– Jojobawachs
The wax is pressed from the nuts of the jojoba bush. It liquefies at room temperature and is therefore often called oil. Because it resembles the fats in our natural skin barrier, it can support their function particularly well.
Ricinuscommunisseedoil (Castor) – castor oilThe oil comes from the seeds of the miracle tree. It consists of about 80 percent ricinoleic acid, which is known for its skin-soothing effect . By the way: The term in brackets stands for “Castor Oil Plant” – the English name of the miracle tree – and has nothing to do with nuclear power.
Sodium Hyaluronate – hyaluronic acid
The sugar compound binds up to six liters of water per gram – a record! It comes from plant microorganisms, e.g. B. Soy protein after it has been treated with bacteria in the laboratory. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component of our skin , but its proportion decreases with age.
Tocopherol–VitamineThe protective vitamin protects the skin from free radicals – aggressive molecules that attack other cells. It also serves as a natural preservative for the entire care product .
Lecithin
The natural emulsifier combines water with oil. It originally came from the food industry – and today it is mostly obtained from soybeans.
Sodiumphytate
The salts of the so-called phytic acid are obtained from rice bran. They reduce water hardness and improve skin feel. They also contain antioxidants that protect against free radicals and stabilize other active ingredients.
Geraniol – Rose essential oil
This oil is added to a cream to give it a pleasant scent. It is one of the 26 perfume substances with a particularly high allergy potential, which must be reported separately if their content in the product exceeds 0.01 percent.
The ingredients of natural cosmetics
Coco-Caprylate
The alcohol obtained from coconut oil spreads very well and makes the skin feel smooth. In this respect it is similar to the silicone that is often found in conventional products, but in contrast it is purely vegetable.
Squalane
The odorless oil gives a silky feel without being greasy. It will e.g. B. extracted from olive oil or more recently from sustainably grown sugar cane. A major advance: It used to come from shark liver – devastating for the ocean health cops. Since the oil is a natural component of the body’s hydro-lipid film, it is also tolerated by allergy sufferers.
ButyleneglycolThe chemically produced solvent helps the skin to retain moisture, making it look plumper. Butylene Glycol also improves the consistency of thick creams, making them easier to apply.
Imidazolidinylurea
The artificial preservative makes a cream more durable – for at least six months after opening. It is derived from nourishing urea, but can split off formaldehyde: a pungent-smelling gas that irritates the mucous membranes and is suspected of causing cancer. That is why a cosmetic product must not contain more than 0.6 percent imidazolidinyl urea. This upper limit has nothing to do with the content of pure urea (urea) in moisturizing creams.
Lactic acid–lactic acid
The syrupy liquid is not made from milk, but from plants, e.g. B. grain or potatoes. It binds moisture, has an antibacterial effect and stabilizes the pH value of the cosmetic product. At the same time, lactic acid is one of the body’s own substances and is found in saliva, for example.
Phenoxyethanol
The preservative slows down bacteria. It’s nature-identical — meaning it’s found in plants like green tea and chicory, but replicated in the lab. In cosmetics, it may contain a maximum of one percent, otherwise it could trigger allergies .
The ingredients of classic cosmetics
Liquid paraffin And petrolatum – mineral oil
Both fats are derived from petroleum and almost never cause allergies. They do not penetrate deep into the skin, but lie on it like a film – this reduces water loss. Aromatic compounds (MOAHs) suspected of causing cancer were recently discovered in them. So far there is no scientific evidence for this. However, the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment admits data gaps, so that no conclusive assessment is possible. Absorption through the skin is considered unlikely; However, mineral oils are also found in care products that we absorb into our bodies through our mouths, e.g. B. Lip balm.
The syrupy alcohol is often synthetically produced and moisturizes the skin in two ways: by providing moisture itself – and helping the cells to retain it. Incidentally, the accusation that glycerin dries out in the long term is wrong: a concentration of 30 percent would first have to be exceeded. And these amounts are usually not used in care creams.Lanolin – wool wax
The wax obtained from sheep’s wool provides moisture – because it can not only absorb several times its weight in water, but also resembles our body’s own skin fat and thus penetrates particularly deeply. At the same time, it accelerates wound healing and is used as an emulsifier to combine oil and water.Prunusdulcis – almond oil
The yellow oil regenerates dry skin . It consists, among other things, of around 20 percent of anti-irritant linoleic acid. Another five percent is palmitic acid, which strengthens our protective barrier. Also contain: The vitamins A, B, D and E, the z. B. protect against environmental influences and accelerate cell renewal.
Chamomillarecutita – real chamomile
Your plant extracts refine the pores, reduce inflammation and itching . Not to be confused with Roman chamomile, which is used in aromatherapy for its calming effects.
