Beauty in the marriage of Science and Nature
As a cosmetic formulator, owner of my small salon and apothecary, licensed cosmetologist for 3 decades, herbalist/herb farmer for 2 decades and herb shop/apothecary owner (whew…that’s a lot, but also they intertwine seamlessly), one of the rabbit holes I often find myself in is the research on ingredients I may choose to formulate and create with. I exclusively search for natural, naturally derived ingredients, and natural alternatives to synthetics and silicones.
Let me define what all these terms mean. Natural (which doesn’t always mean natural believe it or not), is a term that is used loosely, especially here in the States where regulation is pretty lax.
When I look for “natural” it means either I infused the plant material myself in the form of oil infusion, alcohol infusion (tincture, liniment), plant based glycerin infusion (glycerite), or water infusion (tea, decoction, poultice) to be used as is or part of a formulation for something topical or to consume. It also means that I look for botanicals that have been cold pressed or made in a way that would be unsustainable or impossible for me to make myself. Like cold pressed Evening Primrose seed oil or Borage seed oil. The seeds are so tiny and you need quite a bit of them to make the oil, so there are growers who grow specifically for creating these high quality infused oils for small batch formulators like myself. Some extracts require CO2 extraction to obtain the medicinal and therapeutic constituents. That has to happen in a lab.
This brings us to naturally derived ingredients. These are sophisticated ingredients made in a lab setting using plant materials and botanicals. It is similar to how pharmaceuticals are made. Think of the drug Digitalis (better known as Digoxin), for heart disease. Digitalis is actually one of the constituents in the plant Foxglove. In fact the Latin, or Botanical name for Foxglove is Digitalis, the most common species being the purple/pink variety Digitalis Purpurea. Ingredients that fall into this category are emulsifiers (help bind and stabilize oils and fats to water based ingredients), solubilizers (work like emulsifiers but in liquid form, help to dissolve oils into waters seamlessly), and naturally derived preservatives, often made with tree barks, and highly antimicrobial constituents. Preservatives are absolutely necessary in any formulation that contains any water based ingredient including Aloe. All these ingredients are made in a lab, have a very specific function, and are necessary for safety, stability, and performance of the product being made.
These ingredients can seem scary on a label, because oftentimes the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) has to be listed alongside the common name. These are the Scientific and international names/terms of these ingredients, and yes…they can look scary! However, they are not. As Indie formulators, we are so lucky to be living in a time where we can utilize these ingredients to create truly beautiful formulations that are stable, perform well and not have to sacrifice our ethics as they are safe, not bio accumulative in our bodies or for the planet. They are also available in small quantities. Great for folks like me that don’t mass produce.
A fine example , and my newest obsession, is an ingredient called Emogreen L15 (INCI: C15-19 Alkane), is a high-purity, plant-derived emollient and vegetable alkane created as a biodegradable, non-toxic alternative to volatile silicone oils and mineral oils. It is 100% vegetable-origin, bio-sourced (non-GMO), and again, readily biodegradable!
In a formulation, it provides a fresh, gliding touch with a light, non-greasy, and powdery after-feel. It is also inert and chemically stable, allowing it to function under extreme formulation conditions like varying pH levels and oxidizing or reducing media. This means it won’t react with other substances in a negative way or form any weird secondary compounds (some ingredients, when blended together or are exposed to heat to form nasty secondary compounds like formaldehyde or become caricongenic… ewww! A whole other post on that soon).
This emollient can be added to hair and scalp products to improve shine, provide volume and frizz control, ease combing, and protect fibers from mechanical stress and thermal damage. I am designing an amazing “dry” oil for the hair with it.
It is also COSMOS approved, NATRUE approved, Halal certified, and vegan suitable. Let’s get nerdy for a sec. MY FAVORITE PART!
EMOGREEN L15 is primarily manufactured using sugarcane and castor oil as its renewable starting materials. The raw biomass undergoes a multi-step purification and patented synthesis process to convert these plant sugars and lipids into a high-purity hydrocarbon chain (specifically, C15-19 Alkanes). Because it relies on these specific crops, the final ingredient is completely bio-sourced, 100% natural-origin , and entirely non-GMO. Furthermore, SEPPIC (the company that makes it) sources these vegetable materials through ISCC Plus certified supply chains, which guarantees strict traceability, zero deforestation, and compliance with high social sustainability standards. GOODBYE PETROLIUM BASED EMOLLIANTS AND SILICONES!! You will NOT be missed.
How does it perform compared to the nasty stuff? Here’s what Pub Med has to say Efficient Development of Green Emulsifier/Emollient-Based Emulsion Vehicles . Happy nerding!
So in essence what I am trying to say here is that when it comes to the natural world, plant based ingredients, clean beauty, beautiful botanicals and how we formulators choose what to use, we are very lucky that science is on our side with this. This is also due to demand, and how we spend our money! Supporting clean beauty brands will absolutely influence development of these materials. I encourage you not to be scared of an ingredient just because its scientific name looks horrifying. Tocopherol is the term for Vitamin E, Urtica dioica just means Nettles. Not all lab made ingredients are bad, and in fact they also help with overall sustainability in some cases. There is a lot to know as a formulator. Although I have my diploma in Cosmetic formulation specializing in organic skincare and haircare, my Herbalism helps enormously. Having studied herbalism for over two decades and being an active herbalist/herb farmer has given me deep knowledge on the bio chemistry of the plants. It has given me solid knowledge on solubility and how to make potent and efficient extracts and infusions. I.E. if the most beneficial constituents of a plant are water soluble, (contained in the mucilage of marshmallow root or chickweed) for example, you can only use those ingredients in an emulsion that contains both “water” based and oil based ingredients aka a cream of some sort. While you can still get some beneficial constituents in an oil infusion with those plants, it is very minimal and that infusion will not contain the good stuff. Yes, we are working with herbs and beautiful ingredients, but when it comes to cosmetics, efficacious formulation absolutely must be founded on science.
I love to formulate a wide range of things. From simple salves/ointments that help with eczema/inflammation support , to simple but potent traditionally infused botanical oils and tinctures to be used on their own or in a blend, to more super sophisticated spa grade botanical beauty including hair care. I love making supportive tea blends and tinctures for my loved ones, clients and myself. I love using those tinctures in my skincare, perfume and incense blends. I love knowing the plants as deeply as I do, and I love loving them as deeply as I do. I love being both an herbalist that makes simple but effective support, and a professional formulator that can take it to the next level. There is an undeniable magic that happens when you put it all together and watch what blooms.