Ingredient Directory

This directory gives you a flavour of different ingredients that you can use in natural
skincare formulations. Although not exhaustive, this list will give you an overview of the
different foundation and ‘extra’ ingredients available to you as a skincare formulator.

Our complete Ingredient Directory will contain over 160 different raw ingredients so you
can choose from various
- butters
- carrier oils
- waxes
- hydrosols
- active botanicals
- functional ingredients such as humectants, clays, emulsifiers and more
- aromaceuticals
- antioxidants
and preservatives.

When you sign up to any of our courses, you will receive the full version in our extensive
Student Resource Library.

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 Foundation ingredients
These ingredients form the fabric of your products, providing nourishment, hydration and
moisturising properties. They also tend to form the bulk of your product.
Foundation ingredients - Butters
Foundation ingredients - Butters
Shea butter - This is an off-white sticky fat which has quite a strong smoky smell. Extracted
from Shea nuts from the Karite tree which grows in Ghana, shea butter is known for its rich
moisturising properties. Shea butter melts at body temperature and easily melts into the top
layers of the skin. When using it in formulations, it is not necessary to melt it as it can be
whipped with a whisk until creamy, then blended with oils or other melted fats. This butter can
feel rich and greasy for some.

Cocoa butter - This is the pale-yellow, edible natural vegetable fat of the cacao bean, which is
the fruit of the tree Theobroma Cacao. Cocoa butter’s low melting point makes it ideal to be
used in skincare as the butter melts when in contact with warm skin. It’s also a brilliant base for
making bath melts as it will readily melt into warm bath water too.

Mango butter - This white fat is extracted from the big seed inside the mango fruit. Mango
butter is an excellent emollient (skin softener) and has been reported to lessen wrinkles and
signs of ageing. Mango butter is rich in Vitamin E and has a long shelf life (up to 2 years).
Because of mango butter’s white colour, it is a great butter to use when you want to give a
‘commercial’ look to your skincare products.

Coconut oil - A creamy coconut scented oil extracted from the meat of coconut, from the
coconut palm. It has a melting point of just 24 degrees Celcius making it ideal for skincare
preparations as it readily melts onto the skin. Coconut oil is liquid at 24 degrees Celsius and a
white solid butter at temperatures below that. Coconut oil can be used on its own or with the
addition of a few essential oils as a really nourishing skin-food.

Foundation ingredients - Waxes

Waxes are often necessary when a harder texture is required, in lip balms for example,
however waxes - unlike plants butters - cannot penetrate into the skin at all. They form a barrier
which is necessary for lip balms but may feel too heavy as a facial moisturiser. Whether you
use them or not is a personal preference.

Beeswax - Beeswax is made in the hive by honey bees it is yellowish hard, sticky wax and
smells faintly of honey. Beeswax has been utilised in cosmetic preparations for centuries, you
can find it in hand creams, lip balms and medicinal ointments.

Candelilla wax - This is a plant wax from a plant called Euphorbia Cerifera, this plant is native
to Mexico and parts of the USA. It yields a hard yellowish wax with a melting point of 67-79
degrees Celsius. It is used in the cosmetic industry in products such as lip balms and lipsticks,
particularly in vegan skincare as a substitute for beeswax.

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 Foundation ingredients
These ingredients form the fabric of your products, providing nourishment, hydration and
moisturising properties. They also tend to form the bulk of your product.

Foundation ingredients - Oils

Apricot oil - Cold pressed from the kernel of the apricot pit, this oil is very popular in
aromatherapy as a carrier oil as it is light and non-greasy but lubricates the skin well.
The oil is rich in Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E. The Vitamin E content ensures good keeping
qualities.

Jojoba oil -This oil is technically a liquid wax and is almost identical to the sebum that your skin
produces from its sebaceous glands. It has hardly any odour and is a clear yellowish liquid.
Jojoba has a natural affinity for the skin and is a great additive to any product. It is easily
absorbable by the skin and can even penetrate the hair shaft to moisturise each strand.

Avocado oil - The rich and nourishing oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit, high in amino acid
proteins, Vitamins A, D and E and potassium. It is known to be the most moisturising of any fruit
oil. It is quite rich and expensive so it is usually blended with other oils such as almond.

Grapeseed oil - One of the ‘dry’ oils with high content of Omega 6. It is often used as a
massage oil base, you can just add some essential oils to the blend. It is best if blended with
other oils such as jojoba or apricot oil. It is an excellent choice for body oils, nail oils as it
doesn’t leave greasy feeling when applied.

Borage oil - Borage oil is liquid at room temperature and is sensitive to heat. It is also known
as starflower oil. The plant is in fact known as the greatest natural source of gamma-linolenic
acid (GLA). Borage seed oil also moisturises and strengthens the skin barrier.

Foundation ingredients - Hydrosols

A true hydrosol or hydrolat is the flower water that is collected when plants are steam-distilled
for their essential oils. Hydrosols have a delicate nature and a light aroma which is similar to the
plant’s essential oil but greatly diluted. They are ideal for gentle skincare.

Lavender water - A skin soothing hydrosol which is great as a facial toner for sensitive skins.
Lavender water can be used to augment the healing properties of a lavender herbal balm for
skin disorders.

Rosewater - Distilled from scented roses, this is the most popular hydrosol. Use as a toner,
facial spritz, in rose-scented face creams and on cotton pads to cleanse the face. Smells faintly
of roses.

Chamomile water - Chamomile water is beneficial to use on the eyes, it can be used to soak
cotton pads to place on the eye sockets to soothe eye inflammation. Chamomile water is a
soothing toner for sensitive skins or those with eczema.

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 Botanicals - Herbs & Herbal extracts
Botanicals are herbs and herbal extracts such as macerated oils, glycerites, tinctures.
These can be oil or water-based, they are ingredients that offer a certain therapeutic
property to the skincare product.

Calendula macerate – This macerated oil is very popular in natural skincare as it contains so
many natural anti-inflammatory properties. This herb has been known for many generations as
an anti-inflammatory herb that can treat a range of different skin conditions. Calendula is
believed to benefit eczema by reducing inflammation, eliminating bacteria, and helping the skin
heal.

Aloe Vera - Fresh aloe gel can be easily squeezed from a leaf but it has a very short shelf life in
this form. Aloe leaf gel can be bought as a powder or as a macerate into coconut oil. Aloe is
well-documented to be helpful for almost any skin condition, from burns to eczema, from too dry
to too oily.

Green tea extract - Green tea extract, which contains polyphenols and an anti-ageing
compound called catechin, is a powerful antioxidant that helps rejuvenate the skin, prevent
damage from the sun and promote elasticity.

While most botanicals are added to skincare in some kind of extracted form, it is feasible to add
the actual dried or powdered plant to skincare too.

Rose petals – Rose petals have mild astringency and toning properties and are said to be
good for mature skin. They can be powdered to add fragrance and exfoliation ability to scrubs
and polishes. Roses are soothing and gentle enough for sensitive skins. Add to masques and
scrubs but not to creams or lotions as it would feel gritty.

Nettle powder - a dark green powder to add to face masques for a mineral boost. Stinging
nettle has been used for centuries to treat eczema. It is anti-inflammatory, astringent,
bactericidal, healing, mildly deodorant and stimulating. Research has also found high anti-
microbial activity in nettle extracts.

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 Other ingredients
The following ingredients perform an important function in your skincare formulation. This
function could be within the skincare product itself or to do with performing a function on
the skin when the product is used.

Glycerine - glycerine is a natural constituent of fatty acid triglycerides, the glycerol molecule is
split during saponification (soap-making) and is sold separately. Glycerine has many functions,
it is a self-preserving ingredient and it is a humectant which means it attracts and holds
moisture.

Honey - Honey is also used in skincare for the same reason as glycerine. It attracts and traps
moisture on the skin. Honey is a source of carbohydrates and also contains a number of
vitamins and minerals.

Xanthan Gum - Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide (sugar) secreted by the bacterium

Xanthomonas campestris. It is frequently found in food as a thickening agent and is used in
cosmetics as a thickener (think of gels) and as a stabiliser, where it helps to prevent emulsions
from separating.

Gum Tragacanth - Tragacanth is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species
of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus. Gum tragacanth is a viscous, odourless,
tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysaccharides. Can also be mixed with glycerine to form
thick gels.

Rhassoul - This is a special type of clay that has been used since ancient times. Rhassoul mud
has a cleansing effect, absorbs fat and dirt from the skin, hair and scalp without harming their
structure.

Kaolin - Otherwise known as china clay or ceramic clay, this clay is found in virtually all
powder-based cosmetics and is one of the most common cosmetic clays used today.

Green Clay - Also known as green illite clay, or sea clay, this clay is one of the most common
yet luxurious clays used in the global cosmetics industry.

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 Other ingredients
The following ingredients perform an important function in your skincare formulation. This
function could be within the skincare product itself or to do with performing a function on
the skin when the product is used.

Rapadura sugar - a silky soft sugar rich in minerals and alpha-hydroxy acids (which dissolve
the bonds between dead skin cells, encouraging rejuvenation of the top layers of your skin),
made from evaporated cane sugar juice. It is a gentle polishing ingredient in facial polishes.

Mineral salts - Quality salts such as Himalayan, Dead sea and Cornish sea salt contain skin-
soothing minerals and are an excellent base for a body polish (possibly too strong for the face).

Apricot kernel powder - a popular body scrub ingredient as it is efficient but gentle at the
same time. It is made by grinding the pip of the apricot.

Oatmeal - a skin-soothing scrub ingredient rich in silica. Oatmeal has a popular reputation for
healing eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions. You can try medium oatmeal for the
body and fine oatmeal for the face. You can also buy raw oat groats and powder your own.

Ingredients for a safe product

These are extra ingredients such as vitamins, colours or preservatives. Some may be
optional , some are needed to create a safe skincare product.

Vitamin E – A powerful antioxidant employed to prolong the shelf life of the carrier oils and
butters in cosmetic blends. Vitamin E or tocopherol is also one of the main skin vitamins and
helps to heal, regenerate and nourish the skin. It can also protect the tissues from free radical
damage.

Preservatives – natural preservation is a large topic which you must study when you choose to
incorporate water into your skincare products. The most popular and common one amongst
natural formulators is called Preservative Eco (its other trade names include Mikrokill ECT,
Geogard ECT and Plantaserv M) - a broad spectrum preservative which contains four different
components - Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Glycerine, Sorbic Acid.

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 Essential oils
Aromas are natural ingredients used purely for their fragrance (i.e. vanilla essence) and
aromaceuticals have known therapeutic properties (i.e. essential oils).

Caution!
Essential oils are very potent extracts therefore their usage requires caution. In general
you do not exceed 1% ( 1g in a 100g product) in skincare products but they can have an
even lower dermal limit some of which is indicated below.

In lip balms please do not use more than 0.5% essential oils in total.

Lavender essential oil - The number one choice to use on minor burns and skin problems. It is
the classic aromatherapy oil to use in massage lotions and oil blends as well as skincare
creams, lotions, gels and body wraps. Lavender is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-
fungal. Dermal usage limit: up to 1%

Chamomile (Roman) essential oil - Useful in skin care such as gardener’s hand creams or
gels for areas of inflammation like sunburn. Use for chilblains and areas of neuralgia. Good for
conditions like eczema and is known to be a skin-soother. Dermal usage limit: up to 1%

Geranium essential oil - A beautifully fragrant essential oil that helps oxygenate facial skin
especially where there are broken capillaries and veins. It balances the production of sebum in
the skin, while keeping it supple and helping with the healing of wounds. It works well to clear
congested skin, dermatitis and eczema as well as oily and mature skin. Dermal usage limit:
up to 0.5%

Other dermal limits:

Rose otto absolute: 0.02%
Jasmine absolute: 0.4% for face and 0.7% for body
Lemongrass essential oil: 0.6%
Lime essential oil (expressed): 0.7%
Bergamot essential oil (expressed, not FCF-free version): 0.4%

If you like citrus oils, try using the following:

• Lemon (distilled, not expressed)

• Lime (distilled, not expressed)
• Mandarin (expressed)
• Orange (sweet, expressed)
• Tangerine (expressed)

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