Basic Routine for Sensitised & Reactive Skin with Milk Cleanser & No Cream Set

What each ingredient does

• Aqua: Solvent

  Water. The main vehicle for our water based products

• Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil: Emollient and skin conditioning

  Argan oil. A staple for us. It is obtained from the non-roasted organic kernels of Moroccan Argania Spinosa, i.e. argan nuts. We love it in almost everything, and especially like its repairing qualities. It is slightly higher in oleic acid, but is usually suitable for clog prone skin, as it contains a fair amount of lupeol, a triterpenoid with anti-inflammatory benefits.

• Avena Sativa Kernel Oil: Skin conditioning

  Oat kernel oil. This dark golden oil has a nearly 50/50 balance of oleic and linoleic acids. From a skincare point of view, it's an excellent skin softener and has some calming properties too. We source our oat oil from Fazer, a Finnish family-owned, 126-year-old food and food service company, who produce their oil in Finland, using Finnish oats. The Finnish-ness matters because a) the soil in Finland produces outstanding quality oats and b) it is quite rare for an oil producer to have a 100% local supply chain.

• Canola Oil: Emollient and skin conditioning

  Sustainably produced, deodorized and purified Swedish canola oil (from rapeseed oil) gently dissolves makeup and dirt. Canola oil is commonly used in cosmetics and is well-tolerated, skin wise. It is slightly higher in oleic acid (at around 60%), with linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids at a total of just over 30%, making it a good all-around oil for most, and especially for drier and eczema prone skins.

• Cetyl Alcohol: Thickening and emulsion stabilising

  A fatty alcohol made from RSPO certified palm oil. Please note that like sugar alcohols, e.g. glycerin or xylitol, fatty alcohols are not the same as denatured alcohol (ethanol); both sugar alcohols and fatty alcohols have moisturising and conditioning properties, whereas denatured alcohol has a completely different function in skincare products (and can be drying on skin).

• 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.

• Dehydroacetic Acid: Preservative

  Dehydroacetic acid is chemically synthesized through a multi-step reaction, starting with acetylene. Although it is not plant derived, it is approved by natural certification institutes such as COSMOS thanks to its mildness to the skin and body, as well as the absence of any alternative registered (approved) natural preservatives under the EU cosmetic regulation.

• Dipotassium Glyhyrrhizate: Humectant and skin conditioning

  Another skincare multi-tasker, dipotassium glycyrrhizate is the dipotassium salt of glycyrrhizic acid derived from liquorice root. It improves the appearance of dry or damaged skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness, and possesses anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies also suggest it inhibits the skin’s tyrosinase activity and melanin production, making it an agent against hyperpigmentation. And if that’s not enough, further studies have demonstrated that the salt aids in reducing the redness and irritation associated with rosacea, psoriasis and acne. This one is made in Japan.

• 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.

• Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract: Skin conditioning

  Giant kelp. Macrocystis pyrifera is a species of kelp, and is one of the fastest growing organisms on Earth. It smooths and hydrates skin, with some studies indicating it has the ability to improve collagen synthesis and maintain skin elasticity. The kelp we use comes from South America and the extract is tailor-made for us in France, to ensure a as high as possible concentration to the plant-based glycerin into which it is extracted.

• P-Anisic Acid: Masking

  Star anise derived, mild and skin friendly organic acid. We use it to boost our preservation system and also to regulate the pH of our Essence. It also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties.

• Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrates/Stearate: Emulsifying and surfactant

  An emulsifier, put simply, enables the mixing of water and oil into an emulsion. This particular one is gentle on the skin, non-ionic, based on glycerin, stearic acid and citric acid, and is made from rapeseed and RSPO certified palm oils.

• Potassium Sorbate: Preservative

  Potassium sorbate is widely used in a variety of foods and personal care products. It works by inhibiting the growth of molds, yeasts and bacteria to preserve the freshness and quality of foods, beverages, or cosmetic products. Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, which is naturally occurring in some berries, although virtually all of the world's production of sorbic acid, as well as potassium sorbate, is manufactured synthetically.

• Rosa Canina Fruit Oil: Emollient and skin conditioning

  Rosehip oil. It is rich in linoleic acid and provitamin a, which lends it regenerative properties. It can be beneficial in treating acne, rosacea and pigmentation. Coldpressed and organic.

• Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil: Emollient and skin conditioning

  Raspberry oil. It contains a large amount of linoleic and alpha linolenic acids, along with vitamin e. Among its central benefits is its ability to soothe skin. Raspberry seed oil may also be useful for treating eczema. Coldpressed and organic.

• 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.