The Science Behind the Craft

By Erin Waller

Big Science, Simple Answers

When I decided to start blending my shampoo bars, my instinct drew me to naturally-sourced ingredients out of a desire to cut down on the amount of synthetics I put on my body. I understand that, for the most part, sythetic ingredients are approved as “safe” for cosmetic use. I grasp that cosmetic preservatives are necessary to keep the organic composites in skincare products fresh for long periods of time. It began as more of a personal incredulity, based on the understanding that I was, in fact, an organic composite, myself. And, unlike a growing number of popular figures featured prominently in the public eye, I had no desire to preserve my body. I simply wanted to make self-care more therapeutic, naturally.

I dedicated time to researching my options for natural bases and ingredients that fit my overall vision of healthy, clean therapeutic products. A great writing resource I picked up for accessing peer-reviewed research results was using Google Scholar. It’s exactly like Google, except it searches through peer-reviewed research to filter results based on overall relevance to your search topic. It’s been a tremendous help in building the treasure trove of manuscripts on my hard drive that will likely never see the light of day, and it was exceptionally useful when I realized I could use it for product development, as well.

I’ve collated a lot of useful information over the last year of formulating and blending products, and I’ve put the clearest and best evidence together for my clients and customers here. I’m consistently researching additional publications, and will update ingredient information as discovered regularly, so this list is ever-changing.

If you come across a peer-reviewed resource you feel would be additionally helpful, please reach out to us via our Contact Us page!

Our Heavy Hitters

Goat Milk Soap Cleanser Base

Goat milk soap has been recommended by dermatologists for decades because of it’s gentle cleansing properties. We chose it because it also has the lowest overall risk of allergic interaction, and is approved for use on pets as well. Our cleanser formulation gently washes away dirt and sebum, without disrupting the skin’s delicate hydration barrier. Handmade goat milk soap is also lauded as being superior to other mass-produced cleanser bases because of it’s unique blending process. We found a lot of information that was helpful in making our determination here.

We also discovered that handmade goat milk soap has great antimicrobial benefits! You can read our resource here.

Cold-Pressed & Organic Plant-Sourced Butters

We selected our variety of plant butters based on their placement on the comedogenic scale, as well as their reported benefits. The comedogenic scale is a ratings-based scale used by dermatological researchers to code the overall absorbtion properties of all skincare components, natural or synthetic. Ingredients rated at the lower to mid-range of the scale are more easily absorbed through the skin, with little incidence of conflict. Ingredients ranging from 3.5 and higher are generally less easily absorbed, can feel greasy to the touch, and often clog pores and disrupt the skin’s natural hydration barrier. Our selection of ingredients are chosen based on their placement on this scale in relation to their overall benefits. Find more information on the comedogenic scale here.

Shea, Mango, and other Plant-Sourced Butters reduce degeneration of skin cells, improve the overall look of fine lines and wrinkles, protect against environmental damage, and prevents loss of skin hydration. Shea butter is also UV protective! Find more here.

We also included cold-pressed mango butter on our list of ingredients based on it’s amazing texture and emulsifying properties, as well as it’s reported impact on the skin’s natural healing process (goodbye, cracked skin!) We found some great research here.

Cold-Pressed & Organic Plant-Sourced Oils

As with our selection of plant butters, our oils are selected based on their comedogenic rating and research-backed benefits. Here’s our lineup:

Argan Oil - Locks in hydration, increases hair shine, with anti-inflammatory & anti-aging properties. Find more info here.

Camellia Oil - This exceptional oil appears in a lot of our face products because of its incredible nutritional content delivered directly to the epidermis: Vitamin E, squalene, phytosterol, flavonoids, and polyphenols. These components are incredible proponents of total skin rehabilitation. For more information, find a great source here.

Hemp Seed Oil - Anti-inflammatory & anti-aging. Also repairs moisture retention in skin and scalp. More info available here.

Sweet Almond, Hemp Seed, & Meadowfoam Seed Oil - for moisture delivery and retention. Read our resource here.

Pumpkin Seed Oil - Anti-acne, anti-inflammatory, and aids in skin’s healing. Find excellent information here, as well as additional information about it’s overall benefits here.

Sea Buckthorn Oil - Collagen-boosting, anti-inflammatory, and helps rehabilitate skin. Find resources on the overall benefits here, as well as additional benefits here.

Pomegranate Oil - Luxiouriusly silky, ultra-nurturing. Find information about it’s benefits per skin healing and regeneration here.