Key take aways:
- Waterless skincare does not contain water as an ingredient and typically consists of oils, butters, waxes, clays, botanical ingredients and extracts.
- Waterless skincare products can come in the form of oil serums, oil or powdered cleansers, balms, facial oils, powdered/honey masks, body oils and scrubs.
- Waterless formulas are free of fillers, preservatives and water which allows for highly concentrated and nutrient rich products.
- Our initial product release is oil-based formulas
- Many lipids demonstrate biocompatibility with our skin’s own biology, which allows for rapid absorption and utilization of the ingredient by our skin.
- Many oils also provide the nutrients needed to maintain optimal skin function, enhance the skin's appearance and reverse damage to the skin barrier.
Why we Currently Make Waterless Skincare
Waterless skincare offers the ability to create filler and preservative free potions that are highly concentrated, rich in nutrients and have high compatibility with the skin’s biology. Our current product offering is all oil-based products. Do note waterless formulas can also come in other forms such as powdered masks/cleansers or honey-based masks.
Oil based formulas have gotten a bad reputation in the skincare industry and were here to let you know why it may be a very viable option for your skin.
Water-Based vs Waterless
Water-based Formulas
Water based formulas can range from emulsions like serums and moisturizers, toners, misting sprays, gels, to foaming products.
Water based formulas require a preservative to prevent the growth of microbes/yeast and sometimes filler ingredients in order to stabilize or improve the formula.
While preservatives are necessary to ensure water-based formulas are safe, some preservatives (phenoxyethanol) can disrupt the skin microbiome, potentially leading to irritation and allergic reactions. Some preservatives also contain endocrine disruptors (parabens) which can cause hormonal related health issues.
When we are prepared to offer particular water-soluble formulas such as hydrating mists, we will opt for more natural and gentle preservatives such as potassium sorbate and radish root ferment filtrate.
Fillers in skincare can be ingredients that are added to increase volume, improve texture or help stabilize the formula, but do not necessarily provide any direct benefit to the skin. Examples of common fillers include dyes, synthetic fragrances, and PEGs. [1]
Emulsifiers are ingredients that help blend and hold oil and water together, which then creates an emulsion. Many emulsifiers, especially sulphates, can be harsh on the skin with prolonged use and disruptive to the skin’s natural barrier.
This disruption can cause a modification to the stratum corneum's lipid structure and skin barrier defences. [2] This means that the skins ability to naturally retain moisture and prevent irritants from penetrating the skin is weakened. This can result in an inflammatory response by the skin cells, leading to continued damage to the skin barrier and poor appearance of the skin.
Waterless Formulas
Waterless formulas are considered anhydrous products and can come in forms such as balms, facial oils, serums, cleansers, powder/honey masks, body scrubs, and body oils.
Waterless products do not require a preservative because they lack the water content that microbes need to grow and survive. If it is an oil-based formula, an antioxidant like tocopherol (vitamin E) or rosemary extract is required to prevent oxidation of the oils.
Tocopherol and rosemary extract are natural ingredients that provide a plethora of direct benefits for the skin such as scavenging free radicals and reducing skin inflammation.
Waterless products also do not require fillers in order to enhance or stabilize the formulas.
Oil-Based Formulas are Exceptional for Skin Health
We focused on oil-based products as our initial release in particular because of how certain oils, butters and waxes mimic and/or support our skins own biology.
Our own skin contains a layer of lipids which cover the surface of the skin. These lipids are integral for maintain skin health, by forming a protective barrier that keeps moisture in and preventing irritants from penetrating the skin.[3] They also help prevent trans epidermal water loss, protect against environmental damage, and contribute to a healthy skin microbiome. [4]
The skin's lipids are produced by both the epidermal cells (keratinocyte cells) and the sebaceous glands.[5] The lipids produced from the epidermal cells fill the spaces between the cells (like brick and mortar) and consist of ceramides, free fatty acids (i.e., oleic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid) and cholesterol. [6] While the lipids produced by the sebaceous glands consist of triglycerides, wax esters, squalene, free fatty acids and small amounts of cholesterol, cholesterol esters and diglycerides. [7]
There are plant lipids that mimic the oils produced by both the epidermal cells and sebaceous glands which allows for rapid absorption and utilization of the ingredient by our skin. Many oils also provide the nutrients needed to maintain optimal skin function, enhance the skin's appearance and reverse damage to the skin barrier.
Oil based formulas are one of the keys to glowing, vibrant, supple and plump skin and we've officially let you in on the secret!
Benefits of Oil Based Skincare
1. High biocompatibility with the skin
- Many oils demonstrate high biocompatibility with the skin
- Biocompatible ingredients mimic the function and/or structure of components naturally found within our own skin like ceramides, cholesterol, free fatty acids and squalene
- Biocompatible ingredients work in harmony with the skin’s biology and therefore reduce the risk of allergic and sensitized reactions
- Examples of biocompatible oils include: meadowfoam seed oil, camellia seed oil, apricot kernel oil, jojoba seed oil, macadamia nut oil, squalane, fractionated coconut oil and sesame seed oil
2. Increased nutrient concentration leads to glowing and strengthened skin
- Because these formulas lack water, fillers and preservatives they are highly concentrated.
- We utilize nutrient dense natural ingredients rich in vitamins, ceramides, fatty acids, antioxidants, and amino acids that are highly bioavailable (recognized and absorbed) for the skin
- Because of the ingredient concentration of the formulas, the skin is absorbing a high amount of nutrients that address concerns like hyper-pigmentation, oily skin, dryness, skin damage, sagging, wrinkles and inflammation
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Oils and waxes act as emollients and occlusives which help to soften and nourish the skin while preventing water loss and maintaining moisture within the skin barrier.
- We strongly recommend you visit our ingredients here to learn their benefits and nutrient profile
3. A little goes a long way
- Because of the increased concentration and nutrient richness of the formulas, less product is needed to get desired effects
4. No preservatives or fillers
- Oil-based skincare is naturally preservative free and typically free of fillers and unnecessary ingredients making it a more skin-friendly and natural option than many water-based formulas
Not all oil-based skincare is created equal; the kinds of oils used in a formula greatly determine the effectiveness and compatibility of the oil with the skin. An example of an oil-based product we would never recommend is petroleum derivatives (i.e., mineral oils, PEGs, paraffin wax) which are a byproducts of crude oil processing.
Oils have a comedogenic rating, stemming from 0 to 5, which indicates how likely it is to clog pores and cause acne. There are many moderate to low comedogenic (3-0) oils that are highly compatible with the skin.
With that the comedogenic rating of an oil is still subjective and suggestive. You should patch test and experiment with products yourself to determine what is right for your skin.
Mother Earth Provides the Best Remedies
We believe Mother Earth has always provided us the best remedies and that there is not a single synthetic ingredient that can better replace formulas rich in natural bioavailable nutrients. When the Earth’s ingredients have been created and cared for with love and respect, it gives us the opportunity to produce formulas that the skin not only recognizes, but the nutrients it craves so it can put your natural beauty on display for the world to see.
Oil based products therefore affords us the ability to blend and concentrate many of the world’s most nutrient dense ingredients, bottle them with love and have them delivered to your doorstep.
We are incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to support you and your skin on your life’s journey with our nature first formulas.
With love,
Adisa May
[1] PEGs are known as polyethylene glycols and are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum. Depending on the manufacturer process, PEGs can be contaminated with measurable amounts of ethylene oxide which is a known human carcinogen and 1,4-dioxane which is a possible human carcinogen. (The Dirty Dozen: PEG Compounds and their contaminants)
[2] Emulsifiers in skin care: Purposes, Properties & Disadvantages. (n.d.). Corneotherapy.org. https://corneotherapy.org/articles/emulsifiers-in-skin-care
[3] Pappas, A. (2009). Epidermal surface lipids. Dermato-Endocrinology, 1(2), 72–76. https://doi.org/10.4161/derm.1.2.7811
[4] Kengmo Tchoupa, A., Kretschmer, D., Schittek, B., & Peschel, A. (2023). The epidermal lipid barrier in microbiome-skin interaction. Trends in Microbiology, 31(7), 723–734.