Reading the list of ingredients on food packaging is a fairly common practice these days. We like to know what we’re putting into our bodies. But how many people take the time to check out what’s in the products we put ON our bodies?

Our skin is the largest organ of the human body and it can absorb what it comes into contact with. Since its main function is protection, it basically should keep bad things from getting in, and good things from getting out.

Protecting it from things like sun damage and bacteria, while preserving moisture and promoting healing are important things that you don’t want to take lightly, right? And on top of that, who doesn’t want to have beautiful, smooth, glowing skin? It just makes us look and feel great!

So knowing what ingredients are in your skincare products is a good way to start caring for your epidermis; that’s the fancy word for skin. Read on to learn more about the ingredients we include in our natural skincare products and how they can help improve, nourish, and protect your skin.

#1 Aloe

One of the more commonly recognized ingredients in our skincare products is aloe. It’s made from the gel of a succulent plant that grows in warm, dry regions, and has been used topically for centuries.

It has 75 components - including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids, and is well known for its skin protection against sunburns and overall wound healing properties.

The gel from the aloe leaves can be extracted in several ways, depending on the intended use. The gel is the clear pulp at the innermost part of the leaf, and it’s the part that is most used for topical products. Aloe latex is the bitter yellow liquid between the outer skin and the pulp that seeps from the leaf when it’s cut.

For protecting and repairing damaged skin, aloe is a main staple!

#2 JoJoBa

Pronounced “Hoh-Hoh-Buh”, this oil comes from the JoJoBa shrub that grows in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States.
It has long-chain fatty acids, which make it very close in composition to the sebum or normal oil secreted by human skin. This quality enhances the absorption into the skin and leaves it feeling more hydrated.

#3 Almond Oil

Almond oil comes from, you guessed it, almonds! Who would have thought those tasty little nuts would make such a beautiful oil for your skin! Almond oil is typically cold pressed using a hydraulic or screw press to squeeze the moisture from the seeds.
Almond oil is rich in Vitamin E and has a healthy dose of Magnesium too. It has been used for centuries to promote healthy skin.

#4 Avocado Oil

This edible oil is made from the pulp of avocados. Once the skin and stone are removed, the fleshy part of the avocado is ground to a paste and then pressed to extract the oil.
Avocado oil is rich in fatty acids and nutrients, including vitamins A and E, which help fight free radicals and UV damage. It also moisturizes the skin and may reduce the appearance of dark spots.

#5 Shea Butter

This comes from the nut of the African Shea Tree. The “butter” is widely used as a moisturizer, salve, and lotion.

Inside the nut are two oily kernels that are ground into a powder and boiled in water. During this process, the butter rises to the top and becomes solid. Although it's called “butter”, there are no dairy products involved in making shea butter. But the high amounts of vitamins and fatty acids make it an easy-to-spread consistency. When used on the skin, it helps to maintain moisture, making skin soft and smooth.

The color can vary between light gray, ivory-almond, and light yellow in its raw form. Sometimes it’s colored with borututu root to add a deeper level of yellow and extra nutrients.

The shelf life of unrefined shea butter is about two years from the date of manufacturing and packaging, making it a desirable ingredient to add to skin care products.

#6 Cocoa Butter

When you think of cocoa, you probably think of chocolate. And you’re right if you think cocoa butter comes from the same place as the beans we use to make chocolate! But there’s another way to smother yourself in the chocolatey goodness of cocoa beans, minus all the sugar!

Cocoa and Cacao come from the same plant. The cacao grows in large pods and the beans inside are used to make both cocoa and cacao. But it’s the way they are prepared that makes them different. Cocoa is processed with high heat, and cacao is a less processed form.
Cocoa butter is made from the fat that comes from cocoa beans, which are fermented, dried, roasted and pressed. Like most tropical oils, cocoa butter is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial. It also contains polyphenols that can have positive effects on skin, like improving collagen retention and production, and is deeply hydrating.

#7 Vitamin E

Manufacturing Vitamin E oil is a little more complicated than the nut oils you read about earlier. 20% of vitamin oils on the market are made from plant extraction, and the other 80% are made from chemical synthesis. The natural forms of Vitamin E can be made from things like cold pressed vegetable, nut, and seed oils. Oil from sunflowers is one common type.

Most vitamin E oils are fat soluble, and are widely used for a variety of health and beauty products and treatments. Vitamin E is well known for such benefits as an antioxidant and to help prevent premature aging.

#8 RoseHip Seed Oil

The fruit and seeds of the wild rose give us this wonderful seed oil. Have you ever smelled a wild rose? Its fragrance is intoxicating! Although the rosehips do not carry that same scent, they’ve had their own value as a health and beauty ingredient since ancient times.

The oil comes from the fruit and seeds of the wild rose bush, and is made by pressing the rose hips to extract the oil. The rosehips are very recognizable from the rest of the plant. They’re those little orange fruit you see hanging on the bush.
Full of Vitamin C, they are great for protecting and repairing the skin after sun damage. Rosehip seed oil can help your skin stay fresh and healthy by creating new skin cells, brightens skin, reduces inflammation, and may even prevent blackheads. When skin cells are produced more often, it might keep your pores from becoming clogged.

#9 Hemp Seed Oil

As with most seed oils, this one is made by cold pressing seeds under high pressure to extract the oils. Hemp seed oil contains 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been known to improve symptoms of atopic dermatitis, better known as eczema.

Among other benefits, it’s also good for other skin conditions, like cradle cap, acne, and psoriasis. It may also help the skin resist infection and inflammation.

Although the hemp plant is related to Cannabis, it does not contain psychoactive properties.

And one more thing…it is considered to be non-comedogenic. Which is a very long word meaning simply, that it isn’t likely to clog your pores.

#10 Natural Essential Oils

Depending on which essential oil you are using, they have different methods of oil extraction. Due to the potency of essential oils, they are always blended with a carrier oil.

Carrier oils are typically a botanical oil that’s made from fruits, nuts, and seeds.

Examples of good carrier oils are the ones mentioned above. Things like JoJoBa Oil, Almond Oil, and Vitamin E oil all blend well with essential oils.

Essential oils derived from plants make aromatic extracts by either cold pressing, resin tapping or solvent extraction. The flowers and leaves are the most common parts of a plant for making essential oils. When combined with carrier oils, they can be an effective product that utilizes the benefits of both oils.

Knowing what you’re putting on your skin is as important as what you’re putting in your body, and using the most natural ingredients is a high priority. Remember to use the best quality products for the best results!

…and rest assured, we’re using the best quality ingredients over here in our skincare products.

Ingredients We Use In Our Natural Skincare Products