SoyLuminations Definition of Ingredients
These are the ingredients you may find in some of our products
Allantoin: Allantoin is a unique product that is used for skin protection. Allantoin is a white, odorless, crystalline powder. Allantoin is also used to hasten the growth of new, healthy tissue. Allantoin increases the desirability of cosmetic creams and lotions by its action as a skin protectant. Allantoin has been used in various cosmetics like shampoos, lipsticks, shaving creams, suntan products, bath foams, hair gels, baby powders, as well as the typical lotions and creams.
Almond Glycerides: An emollient compound of fatty acids derived from almond, combined with glycerin that helps soften, smooth, and soothe rough irregular skin. Helps strengthen the skin's moisture barrier.
Almond Oil: Obtained from pressing almonds and is known to be high in moisturizing fatty acids. Excellent emollient high in oleic, linoleic and other fatty acids, ideal in the treatment of dry skin. Soothes and moisturizes and is known to penetrate the skin easily.
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice (Aloe): This aloe-leaf extract is rich in amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, and various mineral salts. Known for its moisture-binding effects, it is an excellent emollient that penetrates deeply to naturally balance the skin’s pH.
Alpha-Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): In the form of glycolic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and lactic acid, these powerful ingredients are derived from various natural sources and have many benefits. They assist the exfoliation process, firm and moisturize, improve skin density and elasticity, and can help to mask fine to moderate wrinkles. Their small molecular size allows for deep penetration and can increase absorption of other topicals into the skin, including vitamins.
Antioxidants: Prevent degradation of natural ingredients (proteins, lipids, sugars) in the skincare products. Antioxidants also protect the skin cells from being damaged by attacking free radicals, and slow down the aging process. They have been shown to boost the skin's radiance, minimize age spots, sun spots and fine lines.
Avocado Oil: Avocado oil has been used in African skin care treatments for centuries. Avocado oil is a highly therapeutic oil is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, D, E, minerals, and protein. It is a useful, penetrating nutrient for dry skin and eczema. They say avocado oil has healing and regenerating qualities. Use in creams, lotions, balms, body butters, hair oils, and lip balms.
Beeswax: A natural thickening agent and emulsifier with emollient properties.
Calendula: Anastringent, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, soothing, softening botanical. One of the most useful and versatile herbs used in skin care to cleanse, soften, and soothe the skin. It also aids in the healing of inflammation, bruising, and burns.
Camellia Sinensis Extract (Green Tea): This leaf extract contains antioxidants to intercept free radicals and ward off signs of aging. It also has moisturizing and soothing properties.
Camphor (white) Cinnamomum camphora: Steam distilled leaves from China. Its aroma is spicy, herbal and mothball-like, fresh, clean and very piercing. Analgesic, antidepressant, antiseptic, and antispasmodic. A very powerful oil, overdosing could cause convulsions and vomiting. Should be avoided in pregnancy and in people suffering from epilepsy and asthma. Sedates nervy types particularly when associated with depression. May raise low blood pressure. Warms and cools the body where necessary. Helpful with stiff muscles. It is cooling on the skin and, therefore, reduces inflammatory conditions. Not to be used on babies and pregnant women!
Capric Acid: Fatty acids occurring in small quantities in butter, cocoanut oil, etc., united with glycerin; they are colorless oils, or white crystalline solids.
Caprylyl Glycol: A mixture of glycerin, caprylic acid, and capric acid. An emollient ester derived from coconut oil with good lubricating and spreading properties. Helps products glide on the skin.
Caprylic Acid: Caprylic acid is the common name for the eight-carbon saturated fatty acid known by the systematic name octanoic acid. It is found naturally in coconuts and breast milk. It is an oily liquid that is minimally soluble in water.
Castor Oil: Derived from the castor bean and obtained by cold pressure, Castor Oil is rich in fatty acids that are very moisturizing to the skin. This oil acts as a humectant, attracting moisture to skin.
Co-Enzyme Q10: A natural substance found in every cell of the human body. In our mid twenties its activity decreases. Naturally occurring in the tissue of plants, Co-Enzyme Q10 is a vitamin like antioxidant that helps to boosts cellular activity. It helps to fortify the skin's defenses against UV damage, while reducing the appearance of wrinkles, strengthening cell membranes, and providing the skin with new energy.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is obtained from copra, the dried "meat" of coconut. Distillers separate the copra from the hull of the coconut. It is dried, crushed, and then expressed to remove the oil. This coconut becomes a liquid at 76 degrees. It is semi-liquid at room temperature. A percentage of coconut oil in cosmetics is moisturizing; too much of it can be drying. Its saturated nature resists rancidity and makes a very hard soap, while producing a fluffy lather.
Emulsifying Wax: Emulsifying wax is used to make stable blends of oil and water. Our emulsifying wax is a vegetable derived blend of fatty alcohols.
Essential Oils: An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant. Essential oils do not as a group need to have any specific chemical properties in common, beyond conveying characteristic fragrances. They are not to be confused with essential fatty acids. Essential oils are generally extracted by distillation. Other processes include expression, or solvent extraction. They are used in perfumes, cosmetics and bath products, for flavoring food and drink, and for scenting incense and household cleaning products. Various essential oils have been used medicinally at different periods in history. Medical applications proposed by those who sell medicinal oils range from skin treatments to remedies for cancer, and are often based on historical use of these oils for these purposes. Such claims are now subject to regulation in most countries, and have grown correspondingly more vague, to stay within these regulations. Interest in essential oils has revived in recent decades, with the popularity of aromatherapy, a branch of alternative medicine which claims that the specific aromas carried by essential oils have curative effects. Oils are volatilized or diluted in carrier oils or lotions and used in massage, diffused in the air by a nebulizer or by heating over a candle flame, or burned as incense, for example.
Fragrance Oils: Man-made fragrances for candles and body care. If added to natural body care products, those products will no longer be natural because the fragrance oils are man-made. If you would like your bath and body products to remain all natural, please choose either unscented or scented with essential oils.
Ginkgo Biloba Extract: This Chinese herb has been valued for centuries for its restorative qualities. Helps to maintain youthful-looking skin.
Guar Gum: A natural resin from the seeds of an Asian tree. Thickener, plasticizer and emulsifier.
Hempseed Oil: It is a key ingredient in anti-inflammatory skin care formulations. It is said to aid in the healing of skin lesions, dry skin, inflammations of the skin and joints. Can be used in soaps, lotions, lip balms, and special formulations for dry, damaged or aging skin.
Honey: A natural skin softener used in formulation as an emollient and humectant. Honey is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, suggesting that it contains anti-microbial ingredients. It offers high levels of hydrogen peroxide. Peroxide stimulates white blood cells that initiate the body's immune response to infection. Honey contains other significant amounts of vitamins, including vitamin C and trace amounts of iron, copper, manganese, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and magnesium, all possibly adding to honey's wound healing effect.
Jojoba Oil: Is actually not oil but rather an array of wax esters. Moisturizes skin while providing a soft, silky feel. Thought to improve skin elasticity and suppleness. Contains natural Vitamin E. All Natural.
Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) Wax Beads: Used as a natural exfoliant to remove the dead skin cells that naturally accumulate. Jojoba wax beads are perfectly round and the ideal exfoliant for facial products. The "wax" is a semi-solid fraction of jojoba oil in the form of tiny, smooth "beads". Used in facial and body scrubs for their gentle polishing action, they slowly melt on the skin, releasing their moisturizing properties. The oil is expressed from the vanilla shaped beans found on shrubs in the arid deserts of southwest America.
Lactic/Acetic Acid: One of the five most beneficial AHAs, it is naturally occurring in milk fermentation. A mild exfoliant that helps reduce wrinkles and improve the skin's texture. Very softening and moisturizing. Natural substances derived from fruits, sugar and other plants.
Lactose Peroxidase: A natural enzyme extracted from milk whey and works along side other ingredients to prevent spoilage and bacteria growth.
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract (Lavender): Contains many effective constituents to soothe and promote healthy skin.
Lecithin: Presentin all living cells, it is a waxy oil derived from soybeans and eggs that has great water binding abilities, and acts as an antioxidant and emulsifier.
Marine Mineral Complex: Unique combination of numerous varieties of Seaweed, Algae, Spirulina, and Kelp, which contain the same vital nutrients, trace elements, minerals, and amino acids present in human blood plasma. Because of this, they can penetrate the skin more readily than most other ingredients. Minerals from algae are rich in amino acids, sea protein, antioxidants, and vitamins. They can hydrate and soften the skin. Certain forms of kelp are rich in iodine and co-enzymes which make them valuable as a skin supplement for helping to normalize cellular functions.
Meadowfoam Seed Oil: Meadowfoam seed oil is derived from the seeds of Alba plants grown in Oregon. The seeds are harvested within their first year of growth, have 97% fatty acid content and are very small in molecular structure. This structure makes this oil one of the most penetrating oils available in the skin care industry and it is one of the most stable lipids known.
Menthol: Colorless prismatic crystals derived from steam distilled peppermint oil. They give a fresh, cool and tingling sensation to lotions, creams, ointments and balms.
Oat Bran Protein: An amino acid with soothing properties. Stimulating, cleansing. Beta-glucans are found in the cell walls of several yeasts, bacteria, fungi and grains.
Olive Oil (Extra Virgin): The fruits of the tree are pressed and Olive Oil is collected. The derived oil, known for its moisturizing, softening, and regenerating properties, contains skin-nourishing vitamins and minerals including calcium, Vitamins A, B1, and B2.
Palm Oil: Palm oil is produced from the pulp or flesh of the fruit of the oil palm. It makes a nice hard bar when used in combination with other oils such as coconut and olive oil. It is less water soluble and resists melting; it saponifies easily and pulls other oils into saponification quicker. It adds firmness to bar soaps.
Panthenol/Pro Vitamin B5: In the skin it aids moisture retention (ability to both hold and attract water) and increases elasticity. It helps heal skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis and diaper rash and soothes burns. In hair care it increases the water content of the hair shaft, which leads to increased elasticity. It is an excellent scalp nutrient and hydrator, which creates more manageability, better shine, less static electricity, and improved softness.
Phenoxyethanol: is an organic chemical compound often used in dermatological products such as skin creams and sunscreen. It is a colorless oily liquid. It is a bactericide (usually used in conjunction with quaternary ammonium compounds), often used in place of sodium azide in biological buffers as 2-phenoxyethanol is less toxic and non-reactive with copper and lead. It is also used as a fixative for perfumes, an insect repellent, a topical antiseptic, a solvent for cellulose acetate, some dyes, inks, and resins, in preservatives, pharmaceuticals, and in organic synthesis. It is moderately soluble in water. It is used as an anesthetic in the aquaculture of some fish. It is also listed as an ingredient for many United States vaccines by the Center for Disease Control.
Preservatives: Agents used to prevent the growth of bacterial activity. Required to prevent damage caused by micro-organisms and to protect the product from inadvertent contamination by the consumer during use. Not only do preservatives prevent or retard microbial growth, they also help prevent any pathogens from forming. Various preservatives may be used in one product since the synergetic effect of different preservatives can help to form a far more stable product. Surfactants: foaming or wetting agents which lower water's surface tension allowing it to spread out and penetrate more easily.
Rice Bran: Contains high percentage of oleic acid which is seen in olive oil, grape seed oil and sea buckthorn oil. Penetrates the skin very well.
Rosemary Oil Extract: A thick, dark green liquid with a definite herbal aroma which prevents rancidity in products in which vegetable/plant oils have been used. This product is made up of oil soluble antioxidant compounds and is not soluble in water. It has no additives; it is made of 100% rosemary oleoresin.
Salicylic Acid: A lipid-soluble, beta-hydroxy acid with effective exfoliating properties. Good for acne-prone and sensitive skin.
Shea Butter (Butyrospermum parkii): A skin protector, emollient. A natural fat obtained from the nut of the karate nut tree in Central Africa. A cellular renewal ingredient that has excellent nourishing and moisturizing benefits for the skin. It is known as a natural "sun block". The Allantoin, Vitamins A & E, and Stearic & Oleic acids in Shea Butter make it an anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, and provide the skin with a potent moisturizer and even a light protection against UV rays of the sun. Some clinical observations suggest that Shea Butter increases local blood circulation in the skin, improving the elimination of waste products & aiding in healing minor wounds & irritated skin. Other studies suggest that Shea Butter helps to improve the elasticity of the skin, making it a valuable addition to products for all skin types, including aging skin. Shea butter has a softening effect on the skin and counteracts dehydration. It is also known to increase epidermal thickness due to moisturization and therefore is a suitable remedy for treating stretch marks.
Sorbic Acid: A white crystalline solid, found in the berries of the mountain ash or prepared synthetically and used as a food preservative and fungicide.
Sorbitol: Derived from apples, cherries, berries, plums, pears, algae, and seaweed. Feels velvet smooth when applied on the skin. Used as a humectant, emulsifier and thickener in formulations.
Soybean Oil: Rich in fatty acids and vitamins A & E; readily absorbs into the skin.
Soybean Wax: A soybean derivative thickening agent that also provides extra glide when applied to the skin.
Sunflower Oil: Sunflower oil has a light texture and is pleasant to use. It contains vitamins A, C, D, and E, high linoleic acid content, and few saturated fatty acids. This oil is easily absorbed and can be used on all skin types. Its high vitamin E content makes it especially useful for delicate and dry skin. It has a protective effect on the skin and frequently used in lip balms.
Stearic Acid: (Vegetable) A white, waxy fatty acid derived from cascarilla bark, and palm lipids, and used as an emulsifying agent.
Thickeners: Substances that add body/consistency to lotions and creams.
Vegetable Glycerin: A humectant (water-attracting/binding ingredient), emulsifier, and emollient naturally produced from a combination of vegetable fat and water.
Vitamin A (Retinol Palmitate): A powerful free-radical scavenger used as an anti-aging and healing ingredient. Topically applied, vitamin A is one of only three vitamins able to be absorbed by the skin. The other two are vitamins D & E. It is an essential skin nutrient necessary for healthy skin maintenance and repair and is useful in cosmetics to moisturize dry skin and reduce excess oil. Also used to treat fine wrinkles and acne. Retinol assists in the rejuvenation process that maintains a more youthful appearance to normalize the skin's barrier properties.
Vitamin C (Ascorbyl Palmitate): A potent anti-oxidant that may play an essential role in building collagen, the connective tissue that holds us together. Found in citrus fruits. Because of its acidic nature, it also helps improve tone and texture by removing dead skin cells and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; also capable of reducing melanin to a colorless substance, combating excessive pigmentation. Found naturally in fruits and green vegetables and is essential for normal metabolism, wound healing, and tissue repair. Solubility enables this form of Vitamin C to reach the surface of the skin rapidly in amounts greater than can be achieved by water soluble Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid), therefore providing readily available form of Vitamin C to skin. Can be used by individuals who have normally sensitive skin.
Vitamine E (Tocopherol): An antioxidant and cellular renewal ingredient that when combined with vitamins A and C acts as a preservative in the oil phase of cosmetic formulations. Accumulates in the epidermis and forms a barrier against moisture evaporation from the skin, therefore great for dry skin. An antioxidant, Vitamin E helps prevent free radical damage in the skin tissues. It is a major antioxidant nutrient, it retards cellular aging due to oxidation, it aids in bringing nourishment to cells, and it strengthens the capillary walls.
White Willow Bark Extract (Salicin): A natural form of salicylic acid that provides anti-acne properties, sebum control, and can be used as an exfoliant. Most often you will find it used in exfoliating creams, and in oil control lotions.
Xanthan Gum: A natural carbohydrate gum used as a thickener and emulsion stabilizer. Also known as polysaccharide gum.