Why we use it

We are big fans of aloe vera here at Ingreendients since it has been used for centuries across some of the oldest civilizations in the world for its calming and healing properties. Aloe vera contains vitamins A, B12, C, and E, folic acid and more than 70 active compounds. This makes aloe versatile in its ability from soothing the skin to protect hair against sun damage, adding moisture to your hair, giveing it a deep cleansing, and helping it become stronger. Hence aloe vera is an important addition to our hair and body care products.

Why we use it

Extracted directly from Candeia tree, this oil is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, anti-bacterial and non-allergic properties. This makes it the preferred active ingredient for protection of the skin against all kinds of daily stresses.

Why we use it

Shea nut is loaded with phenolic compounds, which are known for their antioxidant properties. The nut contains 10 phenolic compounds, 8 of which are catechins, powerful antioxidants. In adition, this nut is loaded with vitamin A, vitamin F, and tocopherol (vitamin E) - all of these have been shown to have a deep moisturizing and regenerative effect on skin, strands and scalp. These vitamins are also amazing when it comes to locking in moisture in skin and hair. And to top it off, Shea nut contains five principal fatty acids - arachidic, stearic, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.

Our oganic shea butter is hand gathered by women in Ghana and Sierra Leone villages. It's hand extruded without the use of solvents or other chemicals.

Why we use it

At the most basic level, Caprylhydroxamic acid is an amino acid, which are organic compounds that are essential building blocks of life. This coconut derived gentle preservative helps ensure product safety and longevity. Preservatives have to be strong enough to kill bacteria and microbial growth, but they also can't impact the effectiveness of other ingredients. That's one of the reason why every other brand usese petroleum or syntehtic derived preservatives. But not Ingreendients! We have worked hard to develop a 100% from plants preservative without any nasties or toxins.

Why we use it

Caprylic/capric triglyceride is derived from coconut/palm oil and glycerin and is considered an excellent emollient, moisturizing and skin-replenishing ingredient. This ingredient has a mix of fatty acids which replenish skin’s surface and help it to resist moisture loss. It also functions as a thickener or penetration enhancer.

Why we use it

This multifunctional preservative improves skin's feel with its emollient and humectants functionality. In addition, it boosts antimicrobial efficacy of the product aiding in longer shelf life.

Why we use it

Ceramide is a skin-identical barrier lipid that strengthens the barrier function and supports dry skin to recover. This 100% from pant ingredient supports the renewal of skin’s natural protective layer and form an effective barrier against moisture loss. These human-skin-identical molecules are particularly suitable for long-term protection and support of sensitive and dry skin’s recovery.

Why we use it

This is not just your regular common alcohol, which is drying and not suitable for scalp and skin. Cetyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol which is beneficial for scalp and skin and used as a emulsifier and product stabilizer.

Why we use it

A secondary surfactant that is used to increase cleansing effectiveness. A gentle surfactant that is derived from coconut, this ingredient also helps with viscosity.

Why we use it

The cucumber fruit is packed with a large variety of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, phytosterols, phenolic acids, fatty acids, and cucurbitacins. The extract provides excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, and skin-conditioning properties which comes from high amounts of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), beta carotene, polysaccharides, and vitamin K present in the fruit. In addition, the cucumber fruit extract hydrates and conditions the skin due to its rich composition of polysaccharides.

Why we use it

The gentle anionic surfactant, which is derived from coconut, is a safe alternative to sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. This versatile surfactant allows for effective detergency, foaming and mildness properties while working well in hard water.

Why we use it

Glycerin helps to maintain a hydrated barrier helping skin with hydration, even in cases where skin is exposed to water, which normally dehydrates it. Glycerin has the same effect on scalp and hair, where it leaves a film that locks in moisture, even when exposed to water. Glycerin is abundantly rich in humectants, which pull moisture from the air, deliver it to the skin and hair, and locks it in. An amazing ingredient indeed!

Why we use it

This 100% plant derived (Ecocert approved) multi-functional ingredient has emollient, emulsifying and moisturizing properties. Glyceryl caprylate possesses excellent antimicrobial efficacy, anti acne activity, skin conditioning, refatting and hydrating properties.

Why we use it

Glyceryl Stearate is a highly effective emulsifier that helps water and oil to mix together and stay blended together. It also gives body to conditioner and cream and leaves the skin and hair feeling soft and smooth. Lastly, it helps to bind moisture to skin so it is also used for its moisturizing properties.

Why we use it

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate is an excellent emollient that helps skin retain moisture making your skin feel smooth and soft. It is also an emulsifier that we use in our body lotion to keep everything together and feeling good on your skin.

Why we use it

Sunflower Oil is one of those oils that is rich in everything - from vitamins such as K, E, B1, B5, B6 and C, to minerals like copper, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium. In adition, it is high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, providing your scalp, hair and skin with the nutrients they need to look healhy and strong. In our conditioner, sunflower oil nourishes the hair, prevents breakage, and prevents color fading. While in our body lotion, the sunflower oil protects against water loss, improving skin hydration and health.

Why we use it

Lack of moisture is one of the main culprits of dry and brittle skin. And that's where this moisturizing superpower ingredient comes into picture. The molecules of hyaluronic acid hold onto water better than just about everything else out there. It is nature’s sponge - every molecule of hyaluronic acoid can hold approximately 1000 times its weight in water. And this is the reason why we love this ingredient and use it in our body lotion because of its incredible ability to retain moisture.

Why we use it

Lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid that works to gently exfoliate the surface layer of your skin, getting rid of the dead skin cells, leaving it smooth, healthy and refreshed. This has skin softening ingredient is also known to naturally promote collagen production. Compared to other acids commonly used in body washes, lactic acid is more gentle and suitable for sensitive skin. Lactic acid may also lower the pH, creating an environment that is not conducive for bacterial growth.

Why we use it

Laminaria digitata, which is also known as sea kelp and brown seaweed, is a marine plant extract which is rich in nutrients and compounds that help to soothe skin redness, irritated skin and mitigate signs of sun damage. This botanical extract contains polyphenolic antioxidants known as phlorotannins (these help brown seaweed withstand UV exposure) and phloroglucinol, which are responsible for this extract’s skin-calming benefit. These and other antioxidants help the skin’s firm look and feel, making Laminaria digitata a great ingredient in our body lotion.

Why we use it

Tea tree oil has been used medicinally for hundreds of years by the aboriginal people of Australia to clean wounds and treat infections. Tea tree oil has proven antimicrobial properties making it an excellent ingredient as a cleaning agent. In addition, there are many studies that have shown that tea tree oil effectively fights many different types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Minor fungal infections are often responsible for skin and scalp itchiness as well as dandruff. As an effective antifungal agent, tea tree oil may help effectively manage such conditions and may also help sooth skin and scalp inflammation.

Why we use it

This extract from hibiscus flowers has an ultra-high organic acid content (in particular ketoacids such as pyruvate), which act to strongly stimulate cell renewal, promote the elasticity of the stratum corneum and trap water in the epidermis leaving the skin soft and silky which providing anti-ageing benefits. We use this botanical ingredient in our body wash to provide your skin with a rejuvinating boost.

Why we use it

Avocado oil is an excellent source of skin replenishing fatty acids, including omega-3 linolenic acid, omega-6 linoleic acid, oleic acid, and beta sitosterol. This vitamin A, C, D, and E rich luxurious oil nourishes the skin and replenishes it's delicate barrier and is also an excellent moisturising agent. The oil forms a barrier over the top of the skin which helps to increase moisture levels by preventing epidermal water loss that can lead to signs of dehydrated skin. In addition, avocado oil is a good source of natural antioxidants known as polyphenols, which includes catechin, epicatechin, and 3-leucoanthocyanidins that neutralize many types of free radicals before they can damage skin.

Why we use it

This plant derived emulsifier is an isostearic acid ester which is stable to oxidation and is used to stabilize and solubilize ingredients that contain oil and water together to form a uniform mixture.

Why we use it

Jojoba seed oil has been used by civilizations for a long time and is nutrition in its purest form. It’s full of nutrients like vitamins E and B, as well as minerals like chromium, copper, and zinc, which all nourish and protect skin and hair from everyday harsh environmental stressors such as pollution, dry air and UV. Jojoba oil is a super ingredient that hydrates the skin, balances natural oil production, delivers antioxidant protection and also has anti-inflammatory effects along with some antibacterial properties to keep the skin and scalp healthy. It is a phenomenal emollient that improves the feel of skin, and provides a substantial long-acting skin hydration effect. This is the reason why we love using it in our conditioner and body lotion.

Why we use it

This extremely mild surfactant is used in our shampoo and body wash to provide a luxurious and elegant shower experience. It provides gentle yet thorough cleansing with outstanding rinseability.

Why we use it

The gentle anionic surfactant, which is derived from coconut, is a safe alternative to sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. This versatile surfactant allows for effective detergency, foaming and mildness properties while working well in hard water.

Why we use it

Sodium PCA (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid) is a humectant that naturally occurs in the skin. Humectants maintain and secure moisture into your skin by attracting water droplets and locking them into the upper layer of your skin keeping the epidermis healthy. We use it in our body wash to give your skin that supple, moisturized and hydrated feel.

Why we use it

This potato derived conditioning agent provides a smooth skin feel and conditioning for a wide variety of hair types. In addition, this ingredient helps control hair frizz and enhances hair combing performance in both wet and dry stage.

Why we use it

This is not just your regular super-drying common alcohol and should never be used used on scalp and skin. Stearyl alcohol is a long-chain fatty alcohol which is beneficial for scalp and skin and used as a conditioning, emulsifier and product stabilizer.

Why we use it

Cocoa seed butter is an excellent emollient which is extracted from cocoa beans. This edible ingredient can also be applied topically to protect injured or exposed skin from harmful enviromental stimuli and may provide relief to the skin. It is a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols. This butter also slows the loss of water from the skin by forming a barrier on the skin’s surface making it a preffered ingredient in our body lotion.

Why we use it

This butter is extracted from the seed of the Amazonian fruit and is known for excellent emollient with hydrophilic properties. This butter loves water and helps carry water to the skin, which helps improve the elasticity of the skin and keeps it soft and supple. It is an effective moisturizer for very dry or aging skin. Cupuacu seed butter is a fast absorbing butter due to which it leaves the skin feeling hydrated and soft instead of heavy and greasy. Cupuacu butter is also high in antioxidants and phytosterols, which help fight inflammation and protect skin from environmental damage.

Why we use it

Vitamin E naturally occurs as either tocopherol or tocotrienol across four forms - alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Alpha-tocopherol is the most abundant and active form of vitamin E in human tissue. Tocopherol helps retain moisture to keep your skin looking healthy and radiant by improving skin's water-binding capacity. In addition, its powerful antioxidant abilities make it one of our favorite ingredients for soothing inflammation and redness.

Why we use it

Xanthan gum is a type of carbohydrate produced from the fermentation of simple sugars. It is used in skin care as a thickening agent, texture enhancer, and to stabilize emulsions (e.g. mixtures of unlike substances such as oils in aloe juice).