This, Not That: Body Care Edition

Our skin is the largest organ in the body and it also absorbs much of what we put on it. So when it comes to taking care of it, it’s important to pay attention to the ingredients in our body care products. Natural ingredients are a great place to start. If you’re looking to switch to more natural skincare, we have a few tips to get you started.

Since deciphering ingredient labels might as well require a master’s degree, here are a few things you want in your body care and things you should avoid. Plus if you’ve ever wondered about the ingredients in our Body Butters (and new Age-Defying Body Crèmes), we’ll go into detail about each and every one. Let’s get started!

Natural Preservatives, Not Parabens

Keeping harmful bacteria and mold out of skincare and cosmetics is important. Which is why you want natural preservatives that are effective alternatives to the chemical options. Our Body Butters and new Age-Defying Body Crèmes use caprylhydroxamic acid (aka octanohydroxamic acid), a preservative naturally derived from coconuts. One of the main things you want to avoid is parabens. Already banned in the European Union, they are synthetic compounds used as preservatives in toothpaste, deodorant, cosmetics, and skincare products. Parabens can disrupt hormones, increase the risk of cancer, and cause skin irritation. Common names include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and isobutylparaben.

Natural Fragrance, Not Synthetic Fragrance

When it comes to smelling good, natural fragrances are the way to go. Perfumes, shampoos, lotions, and body butters can all be enhanced with a variety of natural scents and fragrances. This can be done with essential oils, isolates, and extracts. Most importantly, all of these fragrances start in nature. On the other hand, synthetic and artificial fragrances should be avoided. Thousands of chemicals, including phthalates, can be listed in cosmetic and perfume ingredients simply as “fragrance”. Phthalates, sometimes listed as DEP, DBP, and DEHP, are also found in nail polish, hair sprays, and perfumes. They are known endocrine disruptors and can also affect hormones and reproductive systems in men, especially young children.

Natural Oils & Butters, Not Mineral Oil

Giving your skin nourishment can help improve overall texture and appearance. Natural oils, butters, and plant extracts give your skin the nourishment and nutrients it needs. These ingredients are packed with fatty acids and vitamins that can moisturize and help improve the look and texture of your skin and leave it silky soft. Another ingredient that can sneak into body care products is mineral oil, a distillate of petroleum jelly. While it doesn’t carry the same risks as other harmful ingredients, it doesn’t moisturize or nourish your skin like natural oils and butters. Instead, it acts as a barrier, which can clog pores and prevent toxins from leaving your body. It should especially be avoided if you’re acne-prone.

All the Good Stuff

If you’re looking for something that has all of the good stuff and none of the bad, you’re in luck! Both our Body Butters and new Age-Defying Body Crèmes use clean, natural ingredients to help hydrate, soften, and support glowing skin texture. Plus they’re cruelty-free, gluten-free and vegan. The new Age-Defying Body Crèmes feature a number of additional ingredients that help firm and nourish the skin, including argan, squalane and vitamins C, B5, and E.

Argan oil is packed with skin-loving omega fatty acids, vitamin E, and linoleic acid, making it a light moisturizer that helps restore moisture and hydration to rough, dry skin. Our plant-derived squalane has a similar molecular makeup to our skin’s cell membrane. It helps fight against inflammation, skin damage and free radicals. And the aloe, green tea, mango, and avocado extracts are packed with vitamins and moisturizing benefits. These natural extracts help soften and condition the skin, leaving it nourished and silky smooth.

Choose from three varieties: Unscented, Crisp Pear & Quince, and Grapefruit Cardamom. The Crisp Pear & Quince scent is created using only natural fragrance that comes from isolates, extracts, and essential oils. The Grapefruit Cardamom scent is created with essential oils.

Please note, due to the Ginger Root Extract, the Age Defying Body Crèmes are not KidSafe, pregnancy or nursing safe.

All the Ingredients

Here’s where we get down to the nitty-gritty. If you’ve glanced at the labels and saw something you didn’t recognize, not to worry. Here’s a list of the ingredients that are in both our Age-Defying Body Crèmes and Body Butters. (Keep scrolling to see the ingredients that are exclusively in the Body Crèmes.)

• Water
• Butyrospermum Parkii Butter: Shea Butter contains a huge concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids that make it incredibly nourishing and moisturizing for skin.
• Glycerin: Naturally derived from plant oils, it adds body and consistency to products and helps the skin to attract and retain its own natural moisturizer by softening the skin.
  
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Also known as Fractionated Coconut Oil, it’s made by separating the fatty acids and the glycerol in coconut oil. It has a skin-penetration ability and helps bind moisture to the skin.
• Glyceryl Stearate: Naturally derived from palm kernels, olives, or coconuts, it is used as an emollient, helping to bind moisture to skin without leaving a greasy feeling on the skin.
• Dicaprylyl Ether: Naturally derived from caprylic acid, a fatty acid found in coconut and palm kernel oils, it’s used as a skin-conditioning agent.
  
• Cetearyl Alcohol: Naturally derived, this is a fatty alcohol and can act as an emulsifier, giving proper texture to products and preventing the product from separating.
• Cetyl Alcohol: Naturally derived from coconut, palm, or vegetable oil, this fatty alcohol helps bind moisture to the skin and can act as an emulsifier.
• Glyceryl Caprylate: Naturally derived from vegetable oils, it’s a skin-conditioning agent and emulsifier that helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions.
  
• Sodium Polyacrylate: The only synthetic ingredient in our butters and crèmes, it is absorbent, increases the viscosity of products, helps form a protective film, and stabilizes mixtures with other ingredients. The FDA has deemed it GRAS and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review has deemed it safe in cosmetic formulations.
• Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate: Naturally derived, it’s a skin-conditioning amino acid-based emulsifier that helps water and oil to mix and maintain stabilization over time.
• Cetearyl Glucoside: Naturally derived, it’s a blend of Cetearyl alcohol and glucose that functions as an emulsifier and adds thickness to create high viscosity creams.
  
• Xanthan Gum: Naturally derived from corn syrup, it’s used as a stabilizer, thickener, binder, and skin-conditioning agent that helps ingredients stay suspended in other ingredients.
• Caprylhydroxamic Acid: Naturally derived from coconuts, it’s used as a biodegradable preservative as an alternative to parabens, isothiazolinones, and formaldehyde.
• Sodium Phytate: Naturally derived, it helps stabilize products and moisturizes skin, improves elasticity, and may help improve the appearance of cellulite.
  
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: Aloe Vera leaves contain antioxidants, such as beta carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and folic acid. This extract helps to bind moisture to the skin.
• Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract: Naturally derived from green tea, this extract helps bind moisture to the skin, contains antioxidants, and also works as an emollient and astringent to help soften and cleanse the skin.
• Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract: Naturally derived from cucumbers, it’s skin-softening and functions as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and natural fragrance component.
• Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract: Naturally derived from mangos, this extract is a skin-conditioning agent.
• Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract: Naturally derived from avocados and rich in vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin E, it acts as a skin-conditioning agent.

Our Age-Defying Body Crèmes feature a few extra premium ingredients that help firm and nourish the skin.

• Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil: Argan is packed with skin-loving omega fatty acids, vitamin E, and linoleic acid. It’s a light moisturizer that helps restore moisture and hydration to rough, dry skin.
• Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate: A lipid (fat) soluble stable form of Vitamin C.
• Panthenol: A vitamin B5 derivative, it helps improve hydration and reduce inflammation in the skin. When applied topically, it penetrates into lower skin layers, adding moisture.
• Squalane: Our plant-derived squalane has a molecular makeup similar to our skin’s cell membrane, allowing it to absorb rapidly. It helps fight against inflammation, skin damage and free radicals. When used regularly, it can help boost collagen production.
• Sodium Hyaluronate: Naturally derived from vegetable sources, it helps restore skin moisture, promoting a vibrant and youthful complexion. It also helps to smoothe the appearance of fine lines.
  
• Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil: Safflower Seed Oil is an emollient that contains beneficial fatty acids, primarily linolenic acid, that can help diminish the appearance of dry skin. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
• Zingiber Officinale Root Extract: Ginger Root Extract helps with circulation and skin conditioning.
• Tocopheryl Acetate: Vitamin E has both antioxidant and skin-conditioning properties.