INGREDIENT PHILOSOPHY

---

We are serious about low impact.  That goes for ingredients as well.  What does it mean to be "low impact"?  It means ingredients that have a minimal impact on the environment, particularly water.

By law, we are required to list the ingredients either by chemical name or the INCI name (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients).  Some disreputable companies make claims such as "our products have no chemicals in them", or "how can an ingredient with a name that long be good for you?"  Rather than stoop to scare tactics, we would rather be clear, and educate where possible.  

Firstly, let's address the ideas of "chemical", "natural", "synthetic", and such.  The word "chemical" is defined by scientists as "a substance consisting of matter".  Scientists tend to use the word chemical when discussing substances in terms of their atomic and molecular makeup (like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, iron, etc.).  Substances, or chemicals, can be naturally occurring, or they can be made (synthesized).  Chemists can make in the lab the chemical known as vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that is identical to the ascorbic acid found in fruit.  This "synthetic" vitamin C, while chemically identical to the natural vitamin C found in, let's say, an orange, may not be preferable to some consumers.  However, both chemicals, the natural and synthetic vitamin C, will prevent scurvy.  Frankly, eating an orange to get your daily requirement of vitamin C is preferable- not because the vitamin C is "better", but for all the other substances that are in the orange.  The co-vitamins, the minerals, the other nutrients essential for healthy living.

Wood (like from a tree) is a complex mixture of many different chemicals- all naturally occurring, of course- celluloses, lignins, fatty acids, fatty triglycerides, and many others.  But we don't usually talk about the chemicals that make up the wood, and we certainly don't assume that the wood is "bad" just because it can be described in chemical terms.  Chemistry is a language, and just like other languages, has a unique vocabulary.  Essential oils are complex mixtures of natural substances that have chemical names. And, it's OK!  Chemists use these chemical names to talk amongst themselves mostly.  Also, the names exist to ensure that all scientists have a common language, and use the same naming system (nomeclature).  It would be REALLY confusing to have multiple names for the same chemical depending on where you lived.    Having a universal naming system helps by standardizing the language on product labels.  Yes, some of the names may be hard to pronounce- but remember, we are required to use these chemical names in standard form to accurately communicate the composition of our products.

Now, on to the details!

Our ingredients are primarily plant-based, derived from coconut oil, corn sugars, proteins found in soybeans, amino acid derivatives, and materials like that.  We use essential oils where applicable, and do not use artificial dyes or fragrances.  That does not mean that our products are colorless.  there may be some color that comes from an ingredient.  For example, tangerine essential oil is yellow-orange- it is a part of the essential oil.  Our products containing tangerine essential oil have a yellow hue. 

We are concerned about the origins of the raw materials, as well as the biodegradability.  Being environmentally responsible demands attention in all phases of the process.