Soothing & Purifying Set

What each ingredient does

• Acacia Senegal Gum: Film forming

  Also known as gum arabic, acacia gum is a natural gum consisting of the hardened sap of two species of the acacia tree. In cosmetics, acacia gum is used for it's ability to create less stringy, or slimy and sticky, gels. The acacia gum we use is ethically and sustainably handpicked in Africa, and is a 100% renewable raw material.

• Aqua: Solvent

  Water. The main vehicle for our water based products

• Citric Acid: Buffering agent

  Citric acid is a commonly used buffering, i.e. pH adjusting, agent in cosmetics. It is made through bacterial fermentation and shifts the pH of the product into the acidic range. This is closer to the natural pH of the skin, which may range from 4 to 7, but is usually thought to be between 5 and 6, with recent studies, however, indicating it to be below 5.

• Copper PCA: Humectant and skin conditioning

  Copper PCA is also antimicrobial, astringent, sebum regulating and fights impurities. The copper salt of L-Pyrrolidone Carboxylic acid or L-PCA is obtained by the cyclization of L-glutamic acid, amino-acid from vegetal origin. Gives the product a slight blueish colour.

• Ectoin: Skin conditioning

  Ectoin is a powerful, small, multi-tasking and natural stress-protection molecule, a so-called extremolyte. From a chemical point of view, it is a cyclic amino acid derivate. Extremolytes protect extremophilic microorganisms and plants from the extreme conditions of their habitats like salt lakes, hot springs, permanent ice or deserts. The properties of ectoin have been proven by various in-vivo studies: its benefits include long-term moisturisation, diminished skin roughness, skin barrier repair and anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant properties. We get ours from a lovely little company in Germany, where it is produced through biotechnological fermentation from a specific, non-GMO strain of the halophilic bacteria Halomonas elongata.

• Glycerin: Humectant and skin protecting

  Technically a sugar alcohol, glycerin is one of the oldest, most common and most versatile humectants used in cosmetics. It moisturises and protects the skin, accelerates skin barrier recovery and has antimicrobial properties, among other things. We use vegetable, rapeseed-derived glycerin.

• Madecassoside: Anti-oxidant and skin-conditioning

  Madecassoside is a highly purified glycosylated triterpen of the Centella Asiatica or Gotu Kola plant, also known as tiger grass, which has a long history of use in Eastern medicine. It has skin soothing, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties, reduces redness and flaking, and increases skin hydration. The madecassoside we use is sustainably (UEBT/Nagoya Protocol) wild-harvested on Madagascar and processed in France. Our Calming Serum contains 1.5% madecassoside.

• Propanediol: Solvent and humectant

  Apart from being an excellent, non-irritating solvent, the glycol propanediol has excellent hydrating and preservative boosting properties. The one we use is made from fermentation of glucose, from corn.

• Rhamnose: Humectant

  Rhamnose is a plant-based sugar with hydrating, anti-inflammatory, skin soothing and skin rejuvenating properties.

• Silica (Algica): Absorbent

  Mesoporous silica, trade named Algica and derived from cultivated diatoms (algae) od Swedish origin, that absorbs impurities and bacteria. It improves skin's moisture retention by its ability to bind water, in a manner similar to hyaluronic acid. Its porous structure supports oil and moisture absorption, hydration, protection against UV and pollutants, and an enhanced sensory feel.

• Sodium Anisate: Antimicrobial, flavouring agent and preservative

  The salt form of star anis derived organic acid.

• Sodium Levulinate: Skin conditioning and preservative

  Sodium levulinate is the sodium salt of levulinic acid, which is an organic acid derived from in this case sugarcane.

• Xanthan Gum: Thickening, gel forming and emulsion stabilising

  A natural and commonly used mainly thickener and gelling agent in cosmetics, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced through Bacterial fermentation of pure culture Xanthomonas Campestris with protein and carbohydrate sources, in this case from soy or corn.

• Xylitol: Humectant and skin conditioning

  Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and moisturises and conditions skin, whilst possessing anti-bacterial properties. There is some interesting research that suggests xylitol has the ability to inhibit bacterial biofilm on skin, which in turn may be the cause of many skin issues. The one we use is made in Finland from Finnish oats, and has probiotic properties.

• Zinc PCA: Humectant and skin conditioning

  Zinc PCA regulates sebum production, reinforces the skin's barrier function and fights pimples. The zinc salt of L-Pyrrolidone Carboxylic acid or L-PCA. L-PCA is obtained by the cyclization of L-glutamic acid, amino-acid from vegetal origin.