The Truth About Skincare Ingredients: Our Science-Backed Guide
(And Why Most "Expert" Advice Gets It Wrong)
Let’s be real: the beauty industry is a minefield of misinformation. After 20+ years of formulating products and working directly with hundreds of clients--yes, real people with real skin issues--we’ve seen it all:
"Clean beauty" claims that scare people away from safe, effective ingredients
Influencers with zero scientific training declaring ingredients "toxic"
Even dermatologists recommending products based on outdated science
Here’s what makes us different from most indie brands:
- 🔬 We have an actual chemist on staff mixing batches each week
- 📊 Our chief formulator has graduate-level research training (far beyond the online courses many skin care "experts" take)
- 🧪 We test every product on real people (starting with ourselves) before launching to ensure we live up to our claims
Why You Can’t Trust Most Skin Care Labels
The Ugly Truth:
1) The FDA regulates ingredients—but not claims
-Any brand can call products "non-comedogenic" without proof (we've tested all of our products for years and feel confident they are truly non-pore-clogging)
-"Hypoallergenic" is often meaningless marketing (we have researched every single ingredient we use for their allergenic potential and have options for even the most sensitive skin types)
2) The "clean beauty" movement is unscientific and feeds on fear
-Many so-called "natural" brands that promote themselves as reducing consumers' cancer risk or somehow being helpful for sensitive post-chemotherapy skin use essential oils that actually increase sun sensitivity and UV damage, thereby raising skin cancer risk!
-The only skincare actually proven to reduce cancer risk? Sunscreen (ironic, given many natural beauty influences discourage its use)
3) Most advice comes from
-Well-meaning estheticians repeating brand claims
-Doctors relying on old textbooks
-Influencers and brand owners who’ve never read a clinical study
Our Ingredient Philosophy: No Fear-Mongering, Just Facts
🚫 Our "Never Ever" List
The following either irritate skin or lack sufficient safety data:
Natural No-Nos
- Essential oils (lavender, citrus, peppermint, rose oil, etc.)
- Fragrances (natural OR synthetic)
- Harsh botanicals (witch hazel, cinnamon, melissa, geranium)
- Pore-clogging natural oils (olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and many others that promote acne and fungal overgrowth)
Why? "Natural" doesn’t equal gentle. These can cause invisible inflammation leading to breakouts and sensitivity.
Synthetic Skips
- Formaldehyde releasers
- Nanoparticles
- Ceramides (extremely pore-clogging, despite what you may have been told!)
Why? If the science is questionable, we’re out.
✨ Our "Hell Yes!" Ingredients
All vegan, cruelty-free, and proven effective
Skin Soothers
- Centella asiatica (the ultimate redness reducer)
- Panthenol (like a healing hug for skin)
Hydration Heroes
- Hyaluronic acid (holds 1000x its weight in water)
- Aloe (soothes skin gently while sealing in moisture)
Gentle Actives
- Azelaic acid and Zinc PCA (fight acne and fungal acne without irritation)
- Niacinamide (the multitasking superstar for reducing oil production and inflammation)
- THD vitamin C (a gentle and stable form of this awesome antioxidant)
- Tranexamic acid (helps even the most sensitive skin shed itself of sun spots and hyperpigmentation)
Supposedly Controversial (but not to people who actually know what they're talking about!) Picks We Stand By:
Mineral Oil and Petrolatum
- The myth: "They're toxic!"
- The truth: Dermatologists’ #1 picks for sensitive skin. Our medical-grade versions are purified 3x and certified free of PUFAs (we are always happy to provide safety data for every batch of our ingredients)
Phenoxyethanol
- The fear: "It’s a harsh preservative!"
- The facts: At <1%, it’s one of the gentlest way to keep your products free of bacteria, mold and yeast.
The Bottom Line
We’re not here to:
- Scare you with "toxic" ingredient lists
- Push pseudoscience
- Follow beauty industry fads
We’re here to:
- Share 20+ years of real client experience
- Back every claim with clinical research
- Formulate products we use on our own sensitive skin
Have questions? We’re happy to explain—no jargon, just honest answers. Because your skin deserves better than internet myths.
