Behind the Label

How I Choose My Ingredients

I’d love to tell you every ingredient in my products came straight from a garden. Many do. Some don’t, and I’d rather be honest with you about that.

When I formulate, I follow three priorities:

As natural as possible, always

Wherever a whole, natural ingredient does the job well, that’s what I use: plant oils, butters, botanicals, clays, and essential oils from suppliers I trust.

Safety

Anything made with water needs a preservative that truly works. A product that quietly grows mold or bacteria isn’t gentle care, it’s a risk. So I use proven preservatives, even when they’re made in a lab. Sometimes they are derived from natural sources and processed with additional substances.

Effectiveness

Natural only matters if the product works. When a processed ingredient does the job more gently or reliably, I use it and tell you why.

I put this list together to clear up confusion. Some of the best, safest ingredients in natural personal care have names that sound like they belong in a chemistry lab, not a garden. Here are the uncommonly known ingredients in my products, and why.   And the truth is simple: I don’t make anything I wouldn’t use myself.

Where My Ingredients Come From

For my essential oils and herbs, I source from suppliers who prioritize purity and traceability, with third-party testing and close relationships with the growers and producers themselves. This matters most with essential oils, where quality and purity vary widely from one supplier to the next.  All other ingredients come from established suppliers chosen for consistent high quality.

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

is derived from coconut and palm kernel oil and plant-based glucose. It acts as a gentle, effective surfactant that binds oils to water.

Glycerin (also known as glycerol or glycerine)

is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. It can be derived from plant oils, animal fats, or synthesized from petroleum. We use a pure vegetable glycerin in our products.

Kaolin Clay

is a fine, natural clay originally from Mt Kaolin, China. The same clay was later discovered in Cornwall, England and Georgia, USA. Georgia holds some of the world’s largest purest sedimentary kaolin deposits formed tens of millions of years ago. Kaolin clay is known for its drawing properties and is often used in facial and body masks.

Potassium Bitartrate (cream of tartar)

is tartaric acid and potassium. It forms naturally during the fermentation of grapes and is collected as a solid crystal byproduct inside wine barrels. It helps to dry, firm, and stabilize solid bubble baths and fizzies.

Propylene Glycol

can be plant derived or manufactured from petroleum. I use propylene glycol derived from vegetable glycerin. Like glycerin, propylene glycol attracts moisture from the environment and lower skin layers into the skin. It hydrates the skin, reduces flaking, and improves overall skin suppleness. It’s also a stabilizer with some antimicrobial properties.

Sodium Hydroxide (lye)

is made from ordinary salt (sodium chloride) and water. An electric current is run through the salt brine (electrolysis), splitting it into sodium hydroxide, chlorine gas, and hydrogen gas. In soap making, it’s the saponifying agent that turns oils into soap.

Sorbitan Oleate

is plant-derived: it’s made by reacting sorbitol with oleic acid (a fatty acid found in olive oil and other vegetable oils). It acts as an emulsifier, helping oil and water phases blend and stay stable.

Sorbitol

occurs naturally in fruits like apples, pears, and berries. It’s used as a humectant to draw moisture to the skin.

Titanium Dioxide

is a naturally occurring mineral, mined from ore (mainly ilmenite, also rutile and anatase) to produce the pure white pigment used for color and opacity. It is valued in sunscreen formulations.