The Companies that I mainly deal with are The Sydney Essential Oil Company, New Directions, Tanah Essential Oil Company, and Leonardi Laboratories.
These are all Australian companies and I highly value their products and ethos.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS OF THE BLENDS
Apart from 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils – Organic where possible – there are other ingredients in the Blends – like the base lotion and base cream I use, which some of you may wish more information about.
BASE LOTION
This is a light Emulsion with a Broad spectrum non-paraben preservative system. It has a lovely light feel and is easily spread over and into the the skin
Purified aqua, (water) Almond Oil {Prunus amygdalus dulcis}, Apricot Kernel Oil {Prunus armeniaca}, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerine, Ceteareth 20, Propylene glycol (and) diazolidinyl urea (and) iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.(water)
BASE CREAM
This is a Medium emulsion with a broad spectrum non-paraben preservative system It has a lovely rich creamy feel and is easily spread over and into the the skin
Purified aqua, Almond Oil {Prunus amygdalus dulcis}, Apricot Kernel Oil {Prunus armeniaca}, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerine, Ceteareth 20, Propylene glycol (and) diazolidinyl urea (and) iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.
THE CLAYS
I have mainly used Australian Clays. They tend to be free of toxins, naturally pure and have been employed by indigenous Australian peoples since ancient times for sacred healing and ceremonial purposes
Clays are used in these Masques and Cleansers to enhance their cleansing, detoxifying and nourishing properties . There are different Clays selected for different skin types. Using Clays, which may have microbial particles, also requires the use of a contaminant prevention and I have used Potassium Sorbate.
IVORY AUSTRALIAN CLAY
Ivory Australian Clay is soft and silky for sensitive skin. It is very mild, nurturing and is particularly good for use on children and the elderly. Used alone in my “Creative/Sensitive Blend” but often used in combination with the other clays to round out the blends.
PINK AUSTRALIAN CLAY
Pink Australian Clay has essential minerals to help improve skin elasticity and cell renewal to create softened and conditioned skin with a healthy glow. I use this in my Mature/Dry Skin” Blend
YELLOW AUSTRALIA CLAY
Yellow Australian Clay is great for gently exfoliation and cleansing your skin, toning and strengthening connective tissues, stimulating blood circulation, helps decongest blocked pores with gentle exfoliating effect, drawing out toxins and superfluous fat, and hydrating, nourishing and feeding your skin, without leaving it feeling dry or tight.
GREEN FRENCH ARGYLE CLAY
Green Clay tends to have stronger cleansing and detoxifying properties than the Yellow Clay and hence I have used it in my Empowered – Acne/Cystic Blend. This clay draws out impurities from the pores, exfoliates dead skin cells, tones and firms the skin, stimulates circulation and helps heal blemishes
POTASSIUM SORBATE
Potassium Sorbate is the potassium salt of a naturally occurring compound known a sorbic acid. Sorbic acid comes from the vibrant berries of the RowanTree. It is considered a natural preservative and is not known to cause skin irritation.
It is widely used as a preservative in foods, drinks and personal care products. It prolongs the shelf life by stopping the growth of mould, yeast and fungi to keep products safe.
THE DR. BACH REMEDIES
The Dr. Bach Remedies have a page all to themselves. I have incorporated some specific remedies into specific, especially emotion-based blends. I can also make a Client Specific Dr. Bach blend – drops or lotion – on request after a consultation. Please send me a message if I can be of help.
Explanation and Scientific Facts on the Ingredients in the Lotion and Cream bases used in the blends as many of them sound very synthetic, chemical and scary although most are just ingredients from plants
Glycerin
Glycerin is a form of sugar alcohol. Vegetable glycerin, also known as glycerol or glycerine, is a clear liquid typically made from soybean, coconut or palm oils.
Glycerol is a simple polyol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in those lipids known as glycerides. Due to having antimicrobial and antiviral properties it is widely used in FDA approved wound and burn treatments
It is a very effective moisturizer on skin. It absorbs water from air reducing dry and dull patches on your skin. Your skin gets soft, supple and hydrated immediately on application. It adds hydration and health to your skin
Cetearyl alcohol
Cetearyl Alcoholis a flaky, waxy, white solid that is a combination of cetyl and stearyl alcohols, which occur naturally in plants and animals. Cetyl and stearyl alcohols are often derived from coconut, palm, corn, or soy vegetable oil, typically from coconut palm trees, palm trees, corn plants or soy plants.
Cetearyl Alcohol and the other fatty alcohols keep an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components. These ingredients are also used to alter the thickness of liquid products and to increase foaming capacity or to stabilize foams
Ceteareths
Ceteareth functions as an emollient and emulsifier. It’s usually used in conjunction with other alcohols and fatty acids, working to thicken a solution and help other ingredients dissolve in a solvent. It also functions as a nonionic stabilizer in oil in water emulsions.
Ceteareths are made from cetearyl alcohol, which is a mixture of cetyl and stearyl alcohol, and ethylene oxide.
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) additive for foods and medications. Because propylene glycol attracts water it functions as a humectant and is used in moisturizers to enhance the appearance of skin by reducing flaking and restoring suppleness.
Propylene glycol, is a synthetic (i.e., man-made) alcohol that attracts/absorbs water. It is a viscous, colorless liquid, which is nearly odorless but possesses a faintly sweet taste.
Propylene glycol is one of the most widely used ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products, including facial cleansers, moisturizers, bath soaps, shampoos and conditioners, deodorants, shaving preparations, and fragrances.
In addition to its use as an ingredient in cosmetic and personal care products, it is used in numerous food items such as beer, packaged baked goods, frozen dairy products, margarine, coffee, nuts, and soda. It is also used as an inactive ingredient in many drugs.
FDA has approved its use at concentrations as high as 98% in drugs applied to the skin and 92% in drugs taken orally. Propylene glycol rarely causes toxic effects, and then only under very unusual circumstances.
Diazolidinyl Urea
Diazolidinyl Urea is a white powder that releases formaldehyde in the skin, allowing for greater natural moisture. Idopropynyl Butylcarbamage (IPBC) is a white crystalline powder that contains iodine ( Source, Source ).
can be found in many cosmetic and personal care product types including eye and facial makeup, aftershave, and nail, bath, hair and skin care products.
An antimicrobial that’s predominantly used as a preservative in cosmetic products, protecting them from from the bacteria, yeast and molds known to cause spoilage.
It can be found in virtually every type of personal care products including as facial moisturizer/lotion, sunscreen, anti-aging treatment, cleanser, styling gel, foundation, shampoo/conditioner, eye cream, deodorant and mouthwash.
Idopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate (IPBC) is a white crystalline powder that contains iodine and is a water-based preservative agent that is internationally recognized for years because of a wide field of application.
The need for a broad-spectrum and safe preservative system for cosmetics has led to the development of several combinations of IPBC with other preservatives effective against a wide variety of organisms and thus protect cosmetic products from spoilage
Polysorbates
Polysorbates are surfactants that are produced by reacting the polyol, sorbitol, with ethylene oxide. Polysorbates function to disperse oil in water as opposed to water in oil.
The Polysorbate ingredients help other ingredients to dissolve in a solvent in which they would not normally dissolve. They also help to form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
Additional Definitions
Emulsion
Viscous
A viscous fluid is a fluid which does not flow easily, having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid.
Lipids
A lipid is chemically defined as a substance that is insoluble in water and soluble in alcohol, ether, and chloroform. Lipids are an important component of living cells. Together with carbohydrates and proteins, lipids are the main constituents of plant and animal cells. Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids.
A lipid is any of various organic compounds that are insoluble in water. They include fats, waxes, oils, hormones, and certain components of membranes and function as energy-storage molecules and chemical messengers. Together with proteins and carbohydrates, lipids are one of the principal structural components of living cells.
Emollient
Emollient is simply the medical /chemical word for moisturiser – a preparation that softens the skin making it soft or supple; also : soothing especially to the skin or mucous membrane/chemical.
Ethylene Oxide.
Ethylene oxide, is an organic compound, a colorless and flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor that dissolves readily in water and reacts with several chemicals, such as alcohols, amines, organic acids and amides. It forms polyglycols in the presence of bases
It is also used to sterilise medical equipment and supplies.
Humectant
A substance used to reduce the loss of moisture, especially in a skin lotion or a food additive.
Surfactant
Polysorbates
Polysorbates are a class of emulsifiers used in some pharmaceuticals and food preparation. They are often used in cosmetics to solubilize essential oils into water-based products.
Solvent
A substance that can dissolve another substance, or in which another substance is dissolved, forming a solution.
Water is the most common solvent.
