A blend of five natural plant extracts – bilberry (aka European blueberry), sugarcane, orange, lemon and sugar maple which contain four alpha-hydroxy acids.

It is used to improve the appearance of fine lines and surface wrinkles and to improve skin tone and texture by gently exfoliating corneocytes in the outermost layer of skin. It also helps to unblock and cleanse pores.

Allantoin has historically been extracted from the roots and leaves of the comfrey plant.

However, our modern demand for this much sought-after ingredient has resulted in its synthetic production, which is nature-identical and 99-100% pure.

Allantoin has a reputation for soothing and relieving skin irritations, hydrating and moisturizing.

It also functions as a mild keratoplastic and keratolytic, assisting with the natural desquamation process of the skin's surface, softening rough patches and stimulating cellular turnover.

Allantoin is included in our formulas to help reduce the appearance of pore size, fine lines and wrinkles. It is added to formulas for mature, dry, irritated and sensitive skin. This ingredient is vegan, is not tested on animals, and is GMO-free.

Oil from the seed of the sweet almond tree, Prunus amygdalus var dulcis. We use a cold-pressed sweet almond oil, rich in the vitamins and antioxidants which heat can destroy but which cold milling preserves.

Almonds are now widely grown in California, although recent droughts greatly reduced production here. They are native to Iran/Persia and nearby countries of the Levant.

This extract is rich in vitamins E, A and of B-complex, as well as in proteins, fatty acids and minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc. Having said all that, it is used as a very superior carrier oil.

Description:

INCI Name: Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice Powder

Growing/Harvesting Method: Certified Organic; Sustainably sourced

Plant Part Used: Leaves

Extraction Method: To produce this free flowing powder, organic aloe vera spears are first harvested and washed before being ground up. The pulp and fibrous material is removed before the remaining contents are heat treated, filtered, and concentrated to 100x. The concentrated aloe material is thoroughly filtered and then spray dried.

Country of Origin: Mexico

Aroma Profile: Characteristic of the plant

Contraindications: None known

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Used extensively in health and cosmetic industry for its soothing and humectant capabilities.

This comes as a dried form of extract from organic Aloe barbadensis leaf juice.

It contains amino acids, enzymes, hormones, minerals, saponins, sterols, starch, lectins and vitamins.

It’s used to help moisturize, invigorate and soothe. It seems that, while vera is the Latin for “true,” the etymology of “aloe,” like that of the English word “dog,” remains a very great mystery!

The Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil used by us is cold-pressed.

A naturally light oil, it is pure and unrefined. While mostly made up of oleic and linoleic acids, both unsaturated fatty acids, it also contains palmitic, palmitoleic and stearic acids, as well as various B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Apricot kernel oil is particularly suited to dry, sensitive, irritated and mature skin.

This cold-pressed carrier oil is used as an emollient.

It is extracted from seeds of the fascinating, flamboyant baobab tree, Adansonia digitata.

A member of the hibiscus, mallows or Malvaceae family, its synonyms include Bottle Tree, Upside-down Tree, Monkey Bread Tree and Tree of Life.

So gigantic are baobabs, and such is the manner in which they die and dry out from the inside, creating gigantic hollow structures, that humans have lived inside dead specimens of them for thousands of years.

Native to SW Asia, to Africa (including Madagascar), and to Australia (including Tasmania) the baobab also features in best-selling French book to date, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince”.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye” may be the most frequently quoted line from “The Little Prince”.

Description:

INCI Name: Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: Certified Organic; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Flowers

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: Nepal

Aroma Profile: Warm, sweet, fruity, herbaceous

Contraindications: Dilute before using.

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Supports overall skin health; assists with wound management; relieves pain and heat associated with burns, rashes and insect bites; deeply nourishing; sebum balancing.

Emotional Body: Calming; helps dissipate feelings of anger and frustration.

This is a steam distilled, organic, essential oil which comes from the flowers of Matricaria recutita L. (synonym of Matricaria chamomilla L), and is also known as German chamomile.

Globally, German/blue chamomile and Roman chamomile are two of the most widely used herbs.

This organic blue chamomile essential oil contains chamazulene, a blue-pigmented sesquiterpene, which can only be formed as a result of the intense heat of distillation from the parent chemical, matricin, a constituent found mostly in the flowers of the plant.

We use blue chamomile in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as for its fragrance.

Description:

INCI Name: Tanacetum Annuum (Blue Tansy) Flower Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: 100% Natural; Wildcrafted; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Flowering tops

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: Morocco

Aroma Profile: Highly aromatic, warm, bitter-green, herbaceous aroma with softly camphor top notes; warm, woody-herbaceous

Contraindications: Due to the presence of camphor (a ketone), we recommend avoiding use with children less than 10 years of age, the elderly, those with epilepsy, and pregnant and/or nursing women. Dilute before using.

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Chamazulene, the component responsible for the striking blue color, is widely recognized for its skin-soothing benefits. Sabinene, another component, helps diminish blemishes by killing pimple-causing bacteria and clearing out pores. Anti-oxidant; reduces appearance of photoaging and scarring.

Emotional Body: Calming, clarifying energy; hormone regulation; clears anxiety

In blue tansy essential oil, also known as Moroccan blue chamomile, chamazulene is responsible for the intense deep blue color of this essential oil which is yielded by the distillation of the leaves and tops of the tansy herb, Tanacetum annuum.

This special oil also contains 1,8-cineole, characteristic of eucalypts, as well as camphor and sabinene. The concentration of the chamazulene harvested varies with the time of year.

It comes from Morocco and has been used in aromatherapy for its calming effects.

Chamazule, sabinene and camphor, all three of which are found in blue tansy, have each been been shown to reduce inflammation, and this medicinal herb has been reported as having been grown in the gardens of Charlemagne, of the ancient Greeks, and of a European continental monastery of St Gall.

We use organic blue tansy essential oil in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as its fragrance.

We use oil cold pressed from the seeds of borage, officially Borago officialanis or the (wild) starflower.

This oil is rich in nutrients including antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

Its extraordinarily high levels of gamma linoleic acid (at up to 24% perhaps unsurpassed by any other known seed oil) help make it a carrier oil par excellence, used for moisturizing, soothing and softening skin.

Description:

INCI Name: Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract

Growing/Harvesting Method: 100% Natural; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Flowering tops

Extraction Method: Supercritical Fluid Extraction (CO2)

Country of Origin: Kenya

Aroma Profile: Herbaceous/green, waxy, warm and subtle

Contraindications: None known

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Highly nourishing; anti-inflammatory; firming; reduces irritation and sensitivity; anti-oxidant action neutralizes free radicals.

Hair: Heals and conditions scalp to assist with stronger hair growth.

Emotional Body: A gentle guide that helps us understand and move through fears; makes space for healing and forgiveness to occur; assists with better communication.

Calendula, derived from daisies or marigolds has a history of use in magic, in sacred rituals, as well as in medicines and home remedies. Additionally, it has a history as a natural food colorant and flavor enhancer dating back many centuries in various cultures.

The name comes from the Latin, calends or kalends, after the first day of the month on the ancient Roman calendar. Because calendula flowers can bloom in every month of the year in the temperate, Mediterranean climate, it seemed a fitting name.

We use a CO2 extraction of calendula for its greater stability and purity.

The low temperature CO2 extraction process for carrier oils ensures a product that more closely resembles that which is found in the raw plant material and also has a longer shelf life than cold pressed versions.

Furthermore, CO2 carrier oils meet strict heavy metal requirements and contain no carbohydrates, protein, or inorganic salts.

We use calendula CO2 extract in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as its fragrance.

Camellia oil is produced from the seeds of a flowering tree related to the tea family. It is intensely moisturizing and penetrates the skin quickly, leaving a smooth but greaseless feel.

This unrefined carrier oil, sourced from Japan, is exceedingly rich in fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and palmitic). It also contains numerous antioxidant polyphenols and we use it in our formulas to help soothe dry, flaky, or irritated skin.

Cera Bellina is a modified beeswax in which the fatty acids have been converted into esters.

When combined with oils, it has the ability to inhibit crystallization, lending stability to balms and gels.

Its discovery in the last century made it possible to create particularly smooth, satiny gels.

Cetyl alcohol NF is a naturally occurring fatty alcohol used as an emulsion stabilizer and opacifier.

Citric acid is found in various fruits and vegetables, but most notably in citrus fruits.

Lemons and limes are exceptionally rich in it.

It’s said that it can comprise as much as 8% of the dry weight of these fruits.

After World War I interfered with Italian exports, industrial production through microbial synthesis of citric acid took off.

Cocoa butter, also known as theobroma ("food of the gods") oil is much sought after - partly for the unique narrow melting range which enables chocolate to melt in one's mouth, but not at room temperatures.

To produce the butter, cocoa beans are fermented, roasted, de-shelled and then pressed.

Cocoa butter is a rich source of phytochemicals which may improve blood flow to the skin and slow the effects of aging by protecting the skin from photo damage.

We use both raw organic cocoa butter and organic deodorized cocoa butter, depending on the application and desired aroma.

A coconut-oil-derived, natural emollient, this is used as an alternative to silicones for softening and conditioning skin.

Description: Also known as “Liquid Gold”, Oud, Oudh. Agarwood was essential for the creation of the Arabian perfume, Oud, and is frequently used for ceremonial anointing, as well as in sacred oil blends.

Growing/Harvesting Method: 100% Natural; Sustainably sourced and harvested

Plant Part Used: Wood

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: Vietnam

Aroma Profile: Remarkably enduring, the fragrance is characterized by a sweet, warm, and richly deep woody scent, featuring hints of smoky incense, honeyed tobacco, and sensual animalic notes reminiscent of musk or castoreum.

Contraindications: None known

Skin benefits:

~Seals in moisture to intensely hydrate the skin

~Potent antioxidant, it reduces signs of premature aging, including fine lines and wrinkles

~Powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal

~Sebum balancing and effective for acne-prone skin.

Ritual Benefits:

~ Highly psychoactive

~Used for spiritual journey, enlightenment, clarity and grounding.

~Buddhists use it for transmutation of ignorance

~Tibetan monks use it to bring energy to the center and calm the mind and spirit.

This rare and prized essential oil is obtained through the distillation of the heartwood of the Aquilaria genus, a type of flowering tree found in multiple regions, including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam (A. crassna), the Philippines (A. filaria), northeastern India, Burma, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo (A. agallocha). The unique source of this valuable substance are those trees that have fallen victim to a parasitic fungus. In reaction to the infection, these trees generate a resin that, over time, develops a rich and fragrant dark aroma."

Please note: Our vendor has communicated: “The trees from which we source our Agarwood essential oil are from a forest in Vietnam where they are sustainably harvested and periodically replanted. They are inoculated by hand when they reach 10 years of age; after the infection has been allowed to propagate for 2 years, the trees are harvested for distillation.” They maintain records to this effect.

We use Agarwood essential oil in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as its fragrance.

Description:

INCI Name: Amber Extract

Growing/Harvesting Method: Mined, not cultivated

Plant Part Used: Fossilized tree resin

Extraction Method: Dry distillation under extreme pressure

Country of Origin: Himalayan Mountains

Aroma Profile: Smoky, resinous, leathery, tar-like, woody-dry notes and hints of pine and balsamic overtones; extremely tenacious. Reminiscent of ancient altars.

Contraindications: None known

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types, especially for skin experiencing hormone-induced acne; anti-inflammatory; stimulates recovery from skin infections; promotes blood circulation.

Emotional Body: Balance, Harmony; Cleansing, Protection, Purification; Inspiration; calms the mind; stimulates the libido

While there are several sources for amber throughout the world, the rare form of amber oil we use is extracted from 35-million-year-old Himalayan fossilized tree resin.

Unlike other essential oils which are derived from living plants, there is no essential oil that can be directly obtained from the fossilized resin. Instead, the oil is obtained by dry distillation, a process by which the resin is subjected to great heat until an oily substance is obtained.

The fragrance of this oil is surely one of the most unique olfactory experiences available, and very different from that of amber perfumes commonly sold: perhaps it can transport us back millions of years, or, at least, give us a true whiff of ancient esoteric memories?

We use Fossilized Amber essential oil in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as its fragrance.

Description:

INCI Name: Myroxylon Balsamum Pereirae Balsam Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: Wild Harvested; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Resin

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: El Salvador

Aroma Profile: Rich, balsamic; deep vanilla-like with hint of cinnamon; smoky, leathery-animalic undertones

Contraindications: Avoid use in children under 2 years of age due to mild risk of sensitization. Dilute before using.

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types; Benzoic acid content makes it suitable for minor scrapes and dry, rough skin issues; anti-microbial

Emotional Body: Widely used in ceremonial incense; warming; opening; comforting; calms nervous tension and promotes restful sleep.

Balsams or balms are the aromatic resins of certain trees, and this Balsam of Peru comes from Myroxylon balsamum var. pereirae, the Peru balsam tree.

This essential oil has a vanilla-like aroma.

The trees from which it is produced grow mostly along the Balsam Coast of El Salvador, near the Pacific Ocean, where they are often planted to afford shade to coffee plantations.

Reportedly, Balsam of Peru was used by the early Mayan culture as an incense for ceremonial purposes, and sixteenth century popes sanctioned its use as a substitute for the less available Mecca balsam, aka “Balm of Gilead,” for ceremonial incense and for anointing.

We use Balsam of Peru in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as for its fragrance.

Description:

INCI Name: Styrax Benzoin (Benzoin) Gum Extract

Growing/Harvesting Method: 100% Natural; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Gum oleoresin

Extraction Method: Alcohol extract

Country of Origin: Sumatra

Aroma Profile: Rich, intensely sweet, warm, powdery, balsamic, vanilla-like aroma, with a subtle spicy/cinnamon-like undertone

Contraindications: Not recommended for children under 2 years of age or on damaged skin.

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and astringent; reduces the appearance and size of pores while cleaning the skin; protects the skin by forming an invisible film that prevents moisture loss, improves skin's elasticity and smooths the skin; aids healing

Emotional Body: Provides purification, blessings, prosperity; Benzoin resin is a “yang” sedative and is used as an effective remedy for stagnation. Warming to the heart and increases circulation. Commonly used as church incense for its potent effects.

Benzoin, even if it sounds like a chemical cousin of benzene, is actually a resinous tree of the Styracaceae family. The Styrax genus includes some 130-odd species of trees/shrubs growing in three main areas - SE Asia, the SE of North America, and South America, with one species growing in the Mediterranean region.

Farmers climb up to a height of 30 feet using rope ladders to make an incision in the bark in order to release the gum. At 7-10 years old, one tree can provide an average of up to 0.5 kilo of resin per year, and 1.2 kilos of exudate are required to make 1 kilo of benzoin resinoid.

Benzoin has a rich, balsamic, vanilla-like aroma. We use Benzoin oil from Sumatra in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as its fragrance.

This is used as a (natural) preservative in the hydrolyzed oat protein we use.

Description: Our Bergamot is Bergapten-Free (BPF), or FCF (furanocoumarin-free). This means that the chemical compounds responsible for sensitization to sunlight have been removed.

INCI Name: Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: Certified Organic; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Peel

Extraction Method: Cold pressed and vacuum distilled

Country of Origin: Italy

Aroma Profile: Classic smell of Earl Grey tea. Green, fresh, sweet, mouth-watering aroma, with bright, citrusy top notes. Slightly floral when dried down.

Contraindications: none known

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Anti-inflammatory; anti-fungal; anti-bacterial

Emotional Body: Deeply relaxing, restorative and calming; helps diffuse anger and frustration; supports deep sleep.

Bergamot, extracted from citrus peel, is the ingredient which gives Earl Grey tea its very distinctive flavor.

A member of the Rutaceae family originating either in Northern Italy or the Canary Islands, the Citrus aurantium var. bergamia tree from which this bergamot comes produces a small, bitter, pear-shaped fruit, the peel of which is pressed for this aromatic oil.

We use Bergamot in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as for its fragrance.

This naturally occurring substance is used as a humectant and moisturizer.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, making up 1.5 to 2% of the total body weight. Approximately 1,200 g of calcium are present in the body of an adult human; more than 99% of that amount is found in bones.

Calcium is essential for mammalian bone formation, maintenance and repair, and occurs naturally in several forms and in many foods. Calcium gluconate is a version of calcium found in gluconic acid, a carboxylic acid found in plants, especially fruits, and in honey.

Description:

INCI Name: Daucus Carota (Carrot) Seed Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: Certified Organic; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Seeds

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: India

Aroma Profile: Woody, spicy-sweet, earthy

Contraindications: Avoid during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Dilute before use.

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types, especially mature skin. Carotol, the main sesquiterpene alcohol in carrot seed oil offers high-level antioxidant action while promoting overall skin health and regeneration. Deeply nourishing and revitalizing, it is also detoxifying.

Emotional Body: Grounding; soothing; promotes relaxation for sleep and helps relieve anxiety.

This organic essential oil has a dry, sweet-woody, earthy aroma. It is derived from Daucus carota, also known as Wild Carrot, Bishop’s Lace or Queen Anne’s Lace.

Carrot Seed essential oil is often added to facial masks as well as to other preparations for mature skin. This is at least in part because carotol, its dominant sesquiterpene alcohol, is considered to be particularly appropriate for such gently caring preparations.

We use carrot seed essential oil in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as for its fragrance.

Description:

INCI Name: Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: Wild Harvested; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Wood

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: Morocco

Aroma Profile: Warm, woody, earthy, slightly resinous

Contraindications: None known

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Clarifying; assists with congested, dull skin by improving healthy microbial balance.

Emotional Body: Used for promoting centeredness, abundance, calm and stability.

Atlas cedarwood essential oil has been used in aromatherapy as well as in natural perfumes and in meditation blends.

Apart from use of its essential oil derivative for cosmetics and perfumes, Atlas cedarwood has for millennia been used for ship-building, and in the construction of shrines and of bath houses; and it is listed as one of the earliest incense materials.

Great Cedrus atlantica forests once swathed high mountains in North Africa, but their timber was much sought-after, and logging and fires have made it scarce. Thankfully, it is still being distilled from cedar stumps, clean-up cuts and sawdust so that cedar sustainability can be addressed by responsible producers.

The Atlas cedarwood oil we use, like Himalayan cedarwood oil, is a true cedar oil, unlike the oils from Texas cedarwood and Virginia cedarwood, which are actually junipers.

We use organic Atlas cedarwood essential oil in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as for its fragrance.

Our algae is an extract made from mixed species of seaweed and whole plant algae in a base of glycerin and water. We use this extract for its gentle anti-oxidant properties.

Algae extract is also a wonderful moisturizer, particularly suited to sensitive and irritated skin.

Our USDA certified organic avocado oil is cold pressed from the green flesh of the avocado to produce an oil which is emollient and so highly penetrating that it is excellent for use on dry skin.

Its high content of both unsaturated and essential fatty acids make it ideal for use in nourishing, moisturizing skin and hair formulations.

The refinement process removes the heavy smell that otherwise can make this oil difficult to use, as well as giving it a lighter color and consistency, and enabling this powerful oil to be more elegantly blended into cosmetic formulations.

This salt occurs naturally as the mineral known as nahcolite or thermocolite, but is better known as sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate or baking soda. We use it as a mild mechanical exfoliant.

The castor oil we use is organic and cold pressed.

It is derived from the seeds of a member of the Euphorbiaceae - or spurge - family, Ricinus communis.

Curiously, these seeds are known as “castor beans” though they are not true beans, such as are the seeds of many Fabaceae.

Traditionally, this spurge derivative has been used as a purgative or laxative, but nowadays it finds use simply as a highly emollient and very stable fat in soap making.

Derived from olive oil, this naturally occurring ester is used as an emulsifier and texture enhancer.

Description: also known as Labdanum

INCI Name: Cistus Ladaniferus (Rock Rose) Leaf/Stem Oil

Growing/Harvesting Method: 100% Natural; Ethically sourced

Plant Part Used: Leaves and Tops

Extraction Method: Steam distilled

Country of Origin: Spain

Aroma Profile: Considered a substitute for Ambergris (from Sperm Whales) and, when combined with Ambrette, a substitute for true Musk (from Musk Deer). Herbaceous, balsamic-resinous with sweet honey-like undertones.

Contraindications: Dilute before using.

Reported and Historical Uses:

Skin: Suitable for all skin types. Deeply nourishing and used to heal old scars and other skin challenges. May be used in massage and bath formulas as well.

Emotional Body: Cooling and drying energy to relax the mind, sooth anxiety and depression – bringing calm. Used to inspire sensual mood. Used in bath or massage to celebrate a loved one.

Cistus or Rock rose, Cistus ladanifer, refers to the cistus plant, itself (and its essential oil and various extracts) whereas labdanum is the absolute, extracted and distilled from the natural, sticky oleoresin produced by the same plant.

Labdanum is mostly used in perfumery, whereas the essential oil, cistus, is used in skin care.

In ancient times, cistus was obtained by combing the legs of sheep and goats which had recently grazed on cistus plants.

Our organic cistus essential oil is distilled directly from the leaves rather than from the crude labdanum gum.

Historically, like labdanum, cistus has also been considered a substitute for ambergris (from sperm whales) and, in combination with ambrette (the aromatic musk mallow), a substitute for true musk (from musk deer).

The vast Cistaceae family is renowned for being particularly successful at colonizing great areas of eroded soils after fires or heavy grazing. They are a biologically important species insofar as they facilitate an underground symbiotic web of mycorrhizae essential to soil health. On the island of Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, tiny birds have been observed lining their nests with a panoply of aromatic herbs, including cistus.

We use organic cistus essential oil from Spain in our formulas for its bioactive properties as well as for its fragrance.

Bentonite clay is composed of weathered and volcanic ash sediments.

It is highly absorbent and perfect for oily and acne-prone skin.

Containing more than 50 trace minerals, Bentonite clay is highly nourishing for the skin.

It may also help draw dirt, toxins and excess sebum from the pores.

Because Bentonite clay is so absorbent (swelling up to 14 times its weight when water is added), it is best to use no more than once per week until you know how your skin reacts - and please make sure to hydrate your skin immediately after use.