Let's talk about moisturiser ingredients, baby! The good, the bad, how to choose the right one for your skin type and location.

Firstly, moisturiser is actually really easy to make. You could even make it at home yourself with just three ingredients: water, oil (anything claiming to be oil-free is likely unnatural and silicone) & emulsifier (holds the water and oils together). Plus, a preservative if you want to keep it a while... and then you can add some other ingredients to target skin concerns, but the basics are simple.

What is hard about making (or finding) the best moisturiser for you, is that there is soo much misinformation flying around about ingredients – that's where our ingredient philosophy comes in!

Our ingredient philosophy is simple.

We say a real big NO to marketing BS... this includes ingredient trends that make products sound sooo advanced and hi-tech but really, the active ingredient they're spruiking is in such low volume because it's so expensive or has to be combined in a carrier ingredient, so it doesn't really do what it is marketed to do.

Instead, we use plant-based ingredients that are backed by research conducted by qualified people and backed up by peer reviewed journal articles. As a natural skin care company, we have consciously ditched the suspect ingredients that are often found in commercial skin care products (although we're stoked to see more and more companies starting to ditch them too!).

So what makes a good moisturiser?

Here is where it is important to always read the ingredients on what you’re buying and if you’re unsure google it on google scholar for the most accurate information.

Oils

We use a mix of natural, plant-based oils in all our moisturisers. The amounts and ones chosen are different for each product in our range to ensure the right combination for your skin concern. So, if you do try to make your own moisturiser at home, or get into reading and understanding ingredients, choose your oils carefully.

A common oil to avoid in moisturisers is Paraffin oil. Paraffin is a type of mineral oil, it's derived from Petroleum. It can make the skin feel smothered as it coats the skin, clogging the pores.

Emulsifiers

Some emulsifiers can be detrimental to the skin barrier, quite irritating to the skin or just drying. This is particularly a problem for people with skin problems like eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis – but if you've ever felt like your skin just can't get hydrated no matter how much moisturiser you're putting on, this could be your problem too.

We use plant-based emulsifiers, which are naturally derived fatty acids. So while they support the stabilisation of the creams thickness, they also help keep the skin soft, smooth and prevent moisture loss.

Preservatives

Preservatives can be synthetic or natural. There are pros and cons for both!
Synthetic preservatives may be clear, don't smell bad but are generally parabens and ethanols – which we don't want on our skin or our systems.

Natural preservatives can smell bad or strong and be discoloured, but hey – they're from nature and that's our jam! We used hops to prevent bacteria growth because it's natural and edible, but it does add a bit of a brown-ish tinge to our creams and if the moisturiser is unscented the hops smell is difficult to mask – so for many formulations our natural additives are chosen to support the skin concern but also to hide that hoppy smell!

To make the skincare industry even more complicated, some brands claim 'natural' preservatives, but in fact they are not natural... reference the famous 'Grapefruit seed extract' saga, where the ingredient was basically a synthetic preservative as the chemical DNA of the extract is manipulated so such a degree that it's not aa natural, green or pure as we are all led to believe.

Additional Additives

So, you've got the basics of a moisturiser down pat, but if you want to address a specific skin concern you need more than that. Cue product feature... below we'll go into more detail about the extra ingredients and choosing the right moisturiser for you from our range.

Choosing the right moisturiser for you…

Blemish prone skin

Most creams that are made to manage breakouts contain Benzoyl Peroxide - basically it's a bleach! It works by drying out the oils on the face to keep pimples from forming, but it's also very harsh on the skin. If you're experiencing blemishes your skin is already aggravated, so let's not piss it off any further! Besides, all skin requires oil, your skin just needs the right oils and the right balance.

• We designed this blemish cream to cleanse the skin of bacteria and balance with Grapeseed, Apricot and Starflower Oils.
• Aloe Vera and Natural Vitamin E to soothe and hydrate.
• Allantoin and Japanese knotweed (which is contains a high level of Resveratrol to help control the overproduction of oil) to reduce blemishes.

We think this non-toxic approach is much better than peroxide, even if it costs us a bit more to make, because healthy skin is priceless. We aren't promising overnight miracles, the results and timeframe are different for everyone. BUT, with consistent use day and night you will see results, so stick to the course!

Pair it with: Oil Cleanser (cause oil isn't the enemy, just the bad ones) and Rescue Oil (the secret for wound healing way back when on the Pacific Islands).

Hot Tip: If you're worried about ageing skin AND have blemish prone skin, you can give yourself a boost at night-time with our Face Oil.

Ageing skin

During the day - Face Cream

A good face cream shouldn’t temporarily plump out lines or tighten skin - we think that’s just a whole lot of marketing that got out of hand. Instead, we try to improve the signs of ageing by protecting against environmental damage, keeping skin hydrated so it resists forming fine lines and using ingredients from nature to replenish the vitamins and antioxidants your skin may be lacking in that help it look its best.

Ingredient trends like ‘apple stem cells’, aren’t going to produce any miracles for you. When we heard about this fad, we asked ourselves... “how can a dead apple stemcell, (dead because it’s housed in a cream that can’t keep it alive), do anything when topically applied? Considering actual stem cell treatments are conducted with live stem cells and usually a somewhat invasive procedure…” Then we read some journal articles written by scientists about it… turns out those dead apple cells are about as useful on your face as they sound… eating fresh apples, now that’s a different matter!

Keep your skin healthy, protect against and repair the signs of ageing skin so you can look your best at any age with:

• Antioxidant extracts of Liquorice Root and Resveratrol
• Lots of healthy vitamins and soothing oils, like Borage Oil
• Olive Squalene, because it mimics the oil naturally produced in younger skin
• Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate oil-soluble Vit C) to soothe and fade sun-damaged skin

Pair it with: Oil Cleanser and Face Oil, for an extra boost.

At Night-time - Swap it out for Night Cream

While you sleep this cream will be busy hydrating, boosting vitamins and stimulating collagen production - naturally of course! Hot tip: rub any leftovers on the back of your hands to support signs of ageing there too. This little jar contains so much goodness it should last you 6 months!

• Red Algae, one of nature's most potent antioxidants. It promotes a healthier skin barrier, replenishes the skins natural hydration and revitalises skin elasticity.
• Low-molecular Hyaluronic Acid, the reason it’s ‘low-molecular is so that it can actually penetrate the skin barrier by way of smaller molecules… meaning it can get in there and hydrate at a deeper skin level.
• Jojoba Oil, growing in popularity this oil is known for its hydration effects, but it also soothes and heals, stimulates collagen, and provides a defence against free radicals that can cause ageing.
• Hemp Seed Oil plays a crucial role in skin health and anti-ageing locking in hydration. It won’t clog your pores and can balance out oily skin just as well as it can hydrate regular and dry skin.
• Marshmallow root can help relieve skin irritation through its soothing properties and help retain moisture. It will assist in giving you that velvety soft skin feeling.

No real concerns, just need a moisturiser

When you’re looking for a moisturiser for skin with no real concerns, you can get away with a super simple routine - go you! Simply use our Moisturiser on your face as well as your body..

Our Moisturiser is packed with hydrating ingredients like coconut oil, starflower seed oil, aloe vera juice, sweet almond oil, evening primrose and more… This is just as good for your body as it is for your face because it’s nice and thick yet sinks into your skin as quickly as Spiderman disappears.

Hot Tip: if you’re a bit dry sometimes…

Boost the hydration with either our Face or Rescue Oil before you apply your moisturiser. Apply it all over the area or just to the dry patches.

At night layer it with our Night Cream to further boost hydration and prevent the signs of ageing while you sleep.

Eczema, Psoriasis, rashy or just misbehaving skin

When you’re feeling irritated, soothe and calm your skin with our Soothing Lotion. To get even better results, let it sink into your skin then apply our Moisturiser on top.

• Nothing added for scent, so it's suitable for the ultra-sensitive
• Liquorice Root, Gotu Kola and Chamomile to help calm the skin
• Borage Oil, Bran Oil, Coconut Oil, Evening Primrose, Aloe Vera and Olive Squalene for added hydration and nourishment.