You can find out more about why we use certain ingredient in our skin care, as well as the benefits they have on different skin types and for different uses in our library.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for our customers and has been obtained from a variety of sources, while we have obviously done our best to provide correct information, there may be errors.

Vegetable Oils, butters and waxes

Sweet Almond Oil
Classic, mild, semi-fatty oil which makes the skin soft, smooth and supple and can be used for most skin types including babies and children. Warning: check for nut allergies.

Olive Oil
Cold pressed, extra virgin oil is good for mature or dry skin and sensitive skin. It is not suitable for oily or enlarged pores skin because it is too oily and will enlarge pores. However the olive oils fattiness protects skin against the elements and stops ‘transepidermal’ water loss helping to lock moisture into the deeper layers of the skin.

Apricot Kernel Oil
A cold pressed oil which is especially suitable for sensitive skin. It has softening affects and is easily absorbed by the skin.

Macadamia Nut oil
This is the most important oil for ‘Mature’ skin, a fatty oil which helps protect against weather and wind, keeping moisture in the skin while treating dry skin areas. Contains high levels of Palmitic acid which is vital in helping reduce the skins aging process. Palmitic acid occurs naturally in our skin and helps to maintain moisture levels but production reduces as we age. Macadamia nut oil is tolerated by most skin types part from oily or acne prone skin or skin with large pores. It has a natural SPF factor of 4. Warning: check for nut allergies.

Kiwi seed oil
Excellent for treating sensitive and oily and large pored skin and in the repair of damaged skin tissue and reducing fine lines around the eyes, wrinkles and scar tissue. It is s dry oil and considered to be one of the best anti-wrinkle oils available today. It is very high in omega 3 and 6.

Avocado oil / Avocado butter
Avocado oil is mild, nourishing, semi-fatty oil rich in vitamins. It is used when the skin is dry, tired and lacks lustre. It combines well with Jojoba oil in protective ointments and creams e.g. hand creams. Because of its; fattiness it offers good protection against the elements, working much like olive oil does to prevent transepidermal water loss. Avocado oil is added in the final stages of making creams when the cream has cooled so as not to damage the vitamin content.

Evening primrose oil
Cold pressed from the seeds of the evening primrose flower it is a dry oil which is easily absorbed in the skin without leaving an oily residue. It is excellent for sensitive skins as it is very soft to the touch. In anti-wrinkle products evening primrose oil is effective as it contains (GLA) which the body uses to create ‘prostaglandins’. ‘Prostaglandins’ are essential in aiding the proper functioning of cells. This includes the control of inflammation, regulation of water loss, passage of substances in and out of cells and other physiological functions.

Organic Safflower (thistle) oil
Dry oil pressed from the seeds of an oil seed crop that is a member of the thistle family. It is an excellent source of Omega 6 & 3 and is readily absorbed by the skin. Thistle oil also helps to reduce the size of pores therefore being excellent for people wanting to re-balance their skin type from large pored to normal skin.

Rice bran oil
Traditionally used in Japan, Rice bran oil is a good source of omega 6 and various antioxidants that have a wealth of benefits for human health. It is excellent for sensitive skin, baby skin and even mature skin because of its’ high antioxidant content. Rice bran oil is good in eye products to help treat swollenness and puffiness and dark circles around the eyes. It also gives the skin a mat finish i.e. does not leave a greasy residue.

St Johns Wort oil
The flowers of the St Johns Wort flower are macerated in oil. St Johns Wort oil soothes irritation, calms the skin and promotes healing. It is also effective in treating skin in after sun treatments. However it should never be used in before sun products as it makes the skin photosensitive. This means the oil should never be applied before the skin is exposed to sunlight.

Argan oil
Comes from the fruits of the Argan tree found in Morocco. It is rich in Omega 6 essential fatty acids which stimulate and help protect and regenerate the skin to make it supple and elastic. Contains vitamins A, B1, B2 and B6 and it is found to be high in vitamin E.

Castor oil
This vegetable oil is extracted from the Castor bean. It is a very fatty, sticky liquid and historically Castor oil has been used since Egyptian times for therapeutic purposes. In natural skin care Castor oil is excellent for cleansing  as it draws dirt to itself.

Organic Jojoba oil
Extracted by cold pressing the seed of the Jojoba shrub which grows in the desert in Mexico, California and other it softens protects and helps nurture skin to hold its’ moisture. It is excellent in hand creams, protective face creams and for when the skin is exposed frequently to the elements as it helps stop ‘transepidermal’ water loss. Jojoba oil is also very effective in skin care as it does not block the pores and can be used to help stop the over production of sebum so is often used in acne treatments. Jojoba oil contains myristic acid which has anti-inflammatory actions. Since it is similar to the skins own oils it is quickly absorbed helping dry and mature skin as well as inflamed skin.

Organic Shea butter
Shea butter contains 5-10% phytosterols, which help stimulate cell growth it is derived from the fruits of a tree found in West Africa. It is good for moisturising, protecting and healing the skin, especially when found to be dry and damaged. Shea butter oil is good for nearly all skin types but is not recommended for use on skin with problems such as large pores or acne. Women in West Africa use it to treat stretch marks before and after pregnancy because of it’s’ phytosterol content. Shea butter oil has a natural SPF of 2-3 and has been found to help reduce the appearance of scar tissue when used regularly.

Beeswax
Beeswax has been used for centuries in skin care to help protect the skin; it is excellent used as a base for ointments when combined with vegetable oil and other added ingredients. Beeswax is naturally yellow in colour, and many manufacturers use bleached beeswax in skin care to enhance the colour of their products. Here at Pink Leaf we do not use bleached beeswax, only as it is found in its’ natural ‘yellow’ state.

Pure essential oils

Lavender
Used to soothe, relax, revive and heal.

T Tree
Used for its’ anti-septic and healing properties.

Mandarin
Used for antiseptic properties and to help lift body and mind.

Carrot Seed
Used to firm the skin.

Orange
Used to refresh and revive.

Rose de Mai
Used for mature skin.

Vanilla
Used for its’ sweet, comforting scent.

Peppermint
Used to revive and rejuvenate.

Lemon Verbena
Used for its’ refreshing scent.

Pomegranate
Used for its’ pleasant scent.

Frangipani

Added Vitamins

Vitamin A
Used in products for dry and mature skin.

Vitamin E
A classic anti-oxidant, Vitamin E protects against the destruction of the connective tissue caused by free-radicals. Vitamin E also helps protect products from going rancid.

Carotene
Helps to combat tired and dry skin, also helps provide a natural colouring in skin care products.

Added Moisturisers

NFF Complex
A vegetable based moisturising factor, NFF is derived from mainly Soya beans and Asparagus extract, helping to bind moisture deeper into the epidermis by up to 70% more.

Vegetable Glycerine
Used to retain moisture and as a softening agent in skin care.

D Panthenol
Binds water onto the outer layers of the skin, it is water soluble so suitable for natural facial toner products.

Active Ingredients and Herbal Extracts

Comfrey extract
From Organic Comfrey root extracts, has soothing, moisturising antiseptic and other well-known healing properties.

Aloe Vera concentrate
Aloe Vera is added to many products for moisturising and softening benefits and other health benefits, also found in eye creams to help create a lighter cream which is far more readily absorbed into the delicate eye area.

Calendula CO2 extract
Also known as Marigold CO2 Extract. Well known for its healing properties. Often used for sensitive skin.

Eyebright tincture
Mainly used in Eye care, Eyebright herb is effective in helping to reduce inflammation of the eyes.

Arnica tincture
One of the best remedies for external local healing Arnica is suitable for bruises, swellings, inflammations and other tissue damage caused by sprains bumps and bangs.

Lavender water
Lavender water is a ‘Hydrolate’ also known as hydrsols or flower water and ‘Hydrolates’ are the by- product in the production if essential oils. During this process the herbs and flowers are distilled with spring water. The water is heated and it presses itself through the plants as vapour, which collects the Essential oils and other ingredients present. The essential oils which float on the surface are removed, leaving the Hydrolate. All that remains is small quantities of the essential oil and other water-soluble ingredients in the plant - no preservative is added. Lavender water is used in skin toners to help regenerate the skin.