Plant Extracts
Blog and articles
Vitamin C summarised
My many years studying plant science and skin science has led me to understand how vitamin C is produced, kept stable and active within the plant and most importantly how it is delivered to plant cells. Nature has created a...
The truth about micellar water
Here is the truth about micellar water that nobody ever tells you. To understand what micellar water is we firstly need to understand the word micelle. Micelles are oil molecules that arrange themselves in a spherical form in aqueous...
Can hyaluronic acid be natural?
Our body naturally synthesises hyaluronic acid (HA) but half the amount of HA that our body produces naturally is used up daily and its production decreases with age. Industrial manufacturing of HA is based on two main processes, the extraction...
Natural tanning products
Recently I was asked why I believe getting sun on your skin is better for you than taking vitamin D supplements. The answer is simple. The body converts the sunlight it receives into the vitamin D it requires which is...
Mineral ascorbates and vitamin C
Can mineral ascorbates be compared to vitamin C? Mineral ascorbates are ascorbic acid which has been altered to have a mineral salt attached to it. Mineral ascorbates may be found on the ingredients list of your favourite cosmetic or nutraceutical...
Probiotics in skincare
Over the past few years, probiotics have become popular as a supplement for gut health and more recently as an active ingredient for skincare products. In layman's terms, probiotics come from the preservation of food and the breakdown of the...
‘Natural’ glycoside surfactants
Most cosmetic brands use glycoside surfactants either as emulsifiers or cleansers. These synthetic surfactants are often called 'natural' as the starting materials are derived from corn, sugar and coconut. What brands forget to mention is that to turn these 'natural'...
The truth about ‘natural’ Cetyl alcohol
Cetyl alcohol is an ingredient found in many skincare products claimed by companies to be 'naturally derived'. This is false. Cetyl alcohol is produced synthetically by the reduction of palmitic acid (derived from palm oil) with potassium hydroxide. Contrary to...
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