How confident are you at reading cosmetic labels and understanding exactly what’s in your skincare products? Do you understand what all the information means? If the answer is no, then you’re not on your own. At Husk & Seed Skincare we believe it’s important to understand labelling, so that you can make an informed choice about what you’re putting onto your skin.
One of the main bugbears about the skincare industry is greenwashing – when a company markets their products in such a way that they appear environmentally friendly, natural, or organic, when this isn’t the case at all. They may claim to use natural ingredients, but the reality is they’re including them in such tiny quantities that they won’t have any effect on the skin at all. You believe that the product is something that it isn’t. This is incredibly misleading. and makes a brand untrustworthy.
The way to know how much of each ingredient is in your jar or bottle is to look at the order that the ingredients are listed on the label. Ingredients are listed in descending order from greatest amount to least amount present in the product (except ingredients present at less than 1%. These can be listed in any order). The botanical ingredients are easily recognisable because they are listed with their Latin names, for example pomegranate oil (punica granatum oil).
You might also want to be wary of products with a hefty price tag that are just a cheap blend of water, emollients and preservatives! If you look at some of your skincare labels from other brands, water is most likely the top ingredient. This may make up anywhere between 70% and 90% of the product! Its main role is as a carrier to deliver ingredients to the skin, but the downside is it that water encourages bacteria growth, so stabilisers and preservatives must be added. This then leaves little room for anything that’s beneficial to the skin!
After water you will find a collection of emollients and humectants that soften and attract water to the skin. These could include:
Glycerin, Paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil), Stearic acid, Glycol stearate, Cetyl palmitate, Cetyl alcohol, Dimethicone (A form of silicone)
You then might find some thickening agents or chelating agents, such as:
Xantham gum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, PEGs
Then you’ll find some preservatives to stabilise the other ingredients:
Caprylyl glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium sorbate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben
You then might find some synthetic fragrance in the form of parfum.
Although these ingredients are deemed safe for skincare, it’s not what we choose to put on our skin, and they don’t excite us in the way that botanical ingredients do! Give me rosehips, blackcurrants, avocados and apricots any day!
We believe that nature offers everything we need for clear glowing skin! Not only are Husk & Seed Skincare products 100% natural, but our products also don’t contain any water, which means more room for all the good stuff and it eliminates the need for preservatives! Our formulations are so concentrated that you only need a tiny amount of product per use, no bigger than your fingernail. So don’t be fooled by our cute, miniature tins and jars in the starter kits. Each scoop packs a punch of 100% natural, skincare goodness and a little goes a very long way!
If you have any questions about our skincare, please feel free to get in touch with us! x