Skincare Ingredient Dictionary

Nourish your skin with nature and it will glow with life.

We believe choosing only natural skin care products that nourish, heal, and protect the skin is crucial. So, this skincare ingredient dictionary was created to give you, as our customer, a list of organic skin care ingredients we use to formulate our products and a complete definition of what you will be putting on your skin when you purchase from Botanic Glow. We hope that you find this skincare glossary to be a helpful reference.

Click here for a list of chemical ingredients that are harmful to your health and should be avoided.

Natural ingredients that are safe, healthy and beneficial for the skin

Almond Oil: Sweet Almond Oil is obtained from the dried kernels of the Almond Tree, which is native to Asia and the Mediterranean. The oil has no scent and is a great emollient, softening and conditioning skin, and also helps skin to balance its loss and absorption of moisture. Sweet Almond Oil is loaded with vitamins and minerals and has been known to relieve itchy, dry and inflamed skin.

Apricot Oil: Apricot oil possesses natural emollient properties that effectively soften the skin and prevent moisture loss. It is abundant in oleic (Omega 9) and linoleic acid, allowing for easy absorption and even distribution. Additionally, apricot oil offers anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and highly nourishing benefits for the skin. Its composition includes vitamins C and E, which contribute to enhancing skin elasticity and diminishing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and blemishes. Furthermore, it aids in soothing inflammation and addressing skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, thereby reducing redness, itching, and irritation. The oil's high antioxidant content also shields skin cells from harmful free radicals generated by environmental pollutants.

Aloe Vera Juice: Aloe Vera Juice is extracted from the inner leaves of the plant. It is a water/gel-like substance that is known for its ability to soothe irritated skin. It is also an anti-inflammatory agent.

Avocado Oil: Avocado Oil is highly therapeutic that is rich in Vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E. Skin problems, especially eczema, are reputed to respond well to its high vitamin content.

Beeswax: Beeswax is taken from the bee hive, where it is used to secure the walls of the honeycomb. It is used in creams and lotions to help emulsify oil and water so they don't separate in the finished product.

Calendula Extract: Also known as Marigold, Calendula contains high amounts of flavonoids and plant-based antioxidants that protect the body against cell-damaging free radicals. Its anti-inflammatory and healing properties are beneficial for wounds and skin irritations such as eczema and psoriasis.

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.

Chamomile: Chamomile contains active flavonoid and essential oil compounds, which are particularly advantageous in the care of sensitive skin. Anti-inflammatory properties due to the inhibition of histamine release, anti-free radical action, and inhibition of the superoxide radical synthesis are key. In addition, these compounds show remarkable vasodilator action, augmenting blood flow to the skin and soothing irritation.

Cetearyl: Cetearyl is a natural plant-based emollient, emulsifier, and thickener. It is used to naturally thicken lotions, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

Citric Acid: This natural powder is derived from citrus fruit. Often, citric acid is used to adjust the pH balance of body care products. Citric acid also has astringent qualities, making it useful for natural baths, body preparations, and skin fresheners.

Cocoa Butter: Cocoa butter is the cream-colored edible fat extracted from cacao seeds (aka cocoa beans) containing natural antioxidants that prevent rancidity. Cocoa butter has been used through the ages to keep skin soft and supple. Used topically, it helps to retain moisture by providing a breathable barrier to protect sensitive skin against environmental stress. With a melting point near body temperature, cocoa butter is useful in pharmaceuticals and ointments, as well as toiletries. Due to its ability to promote elasticity in the skin, it is frequently recommended for prevention of stretch marks in pregnant women and for soothing chapped skin and lips.

Cucumber Extract: Cucumber Extract provides wonderful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and skin tightening properties. Cucumber is rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are essential for strong cell growth and skin repair.

Frankincense Essential Oil: Frankincense Oil comes from the leaves of the frankincense tree, which originates in the Middle East. Frankincense Oil helps to rejuvenate aging skin and has antiseptic and astringent properties that are effective against bacterial and fungal infections.

French Pink Clay: French Pink Clay is the mildest of all the clays and works well for normal, sensitive and mature skin types. Its unique composition includes Kaolinite, Iron, Illite, Montmorillonite, and Calcite. French Pink Clay cleanses and detoxifies the skin, removes dead skin cells, and creates an overall refreshed appearance. It also helps treat acne and other skin ailments, poor blood and/or lymph circulation, and sun-damaged skin.

Grape Seed Oil: Grape Seed Oil is an ecologically sound product, making good use of the seeds of grapes after the wine is pressed. Grape Seed Oil is high in Vitamin E and Omega 6 fatty acids and is very rich in vitamins and minerals, including natural chlorophyll and valuable antioxidants. Since it is slightly astringent, Grape Seed Oil tightens and tones the skin.

Grapefruit Oil: Grapefruit is the fruit of a tree that can grow to over 20 feet in height. Grapefruit Essential Oil is pressure extracted from the rinds and used in aromatherapy for its invigorating, uplifting, and stimulating properties.

Grapefruit Seed Extract: Grapefruit Seed Extract is derived from the seeds and membrane portion of the grapefruit. It has effective broad spectrum anti-microbial properties. Specifically, Grapefruit Seed Extract has the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of a wide array of harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses. It is also used as a natural preservative.

Green Tea Extract: Green Tea Extract is known for its natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. Studies have shown that Green Tea applications can help prevent ultraviolet-induced damage that leads to skin cancer.

Honeyquat: Honeyquat is a natural honey that has been dried into a fine powder. Honeyquat is used to treat a variety of ailments, such as cuts, wounds, and burns. Its antiseptic properties inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and help to keep external wounds clean and free of infection.

Jojoba Oil: Jojoba Oil closely resembles that of your own skin's sebum; therefore, it is an excellent moisturizer and is ideal for all skin types. Jojoba contains myristic acid, which has anti-inflammatory qualities. In reality, Jojoba Oil is not an oil at all but rather a liquid wax. Since it is comprised of wax esters, it is an extremely stable substance, naturally resisting rancidity. In most cases, Jojoba Oil can be used on acne skin without issue and may even help control acne. Jojoba Oil is also a good choice for use on mature, aging skin and wrinkles.

Kaolin Clay: Kaolin Clay the most pure of all clays and is known for its absorbing and healing properties, along with its ability to soften the skin.

Kukui Nut Oil: Kukui Nut Oil is cold pressed from the fruits of Kukui Nut tree to retain high levels of natural polyunsaturated fatty acids. For centuries, Hawaiians have used Kukui Nut oil to protect skin from salt water, harsh sun and drying winds. It is excellent for dry skin, psoriasis, eczema or any severe skin condition.

Lavender Hydrosol: Lavender Hydrosol is steam distilled from pure Lavender Essential Oil. It contains fully emulsified essential oil and has a wonderfully fresh, clean scent of lavender that can be sprayed on the face or body.

Lavender Oil: Lavender Oil is extracted from a fragrant shrub with long, bluish-green woody branches that bloom with beautiful lavender buds. The aroma from Lavender is a soothing, and calming stress and anxiety reliever. Its disinfecting qualities help to inhibit bacteria that cause skin infection and acne by rebalancing the secretion of sebum. Lavender also helps to heal scarring and comforts itchy eczema.

Lemon Essential Oil: Lemon Essential Oil is derived from the lemon peel and has been historically recognized as a cleansing agent. It is reputed as being antiseptic, and as having refreshing and cooling properties. When applied to the skin or hair it can be very cleansing and extremely effective in treating and clearing congested skin, cuts, scars, boils and minor wounds.

Mango Butter: Mango Butter is extracted from the seed kernels of the fruit of the tropical Mango Tree, native to sub-continental India and the Tropics. Mango Butter is known for its emollient, hydrating, and healing properties. It softens and protects dry skin, and is especially useful for renewing skin suffering from the effects of sun or wind.

Manuka Honey: Manuka honey is gathered in New Zealand from bees feeding on the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium. Manuka honey has been used for treating infected wounds for at least two millennia and offers wonderful antibacterial properties which can help heal a wide range of conditions and infections.

Orange Oil: Orange Essential Oil is rich in Vitamin C and known for its uplifting and invigorating qualities.

Peppermint Oil: Peppermint Essential Oil has been known to improve concentration and reduce mental fatigue. It also helps to relieve headaches and stuffy noses.

Palmarosa Oil: Palmarosa is a wild growing plant with long slender stems and terminal flowering tops. Palmarosa Essential oil offers antiseptic and bactericidal properties with a sweet floral scent.

Rice Bran Powder: Rice Bran Powder is rice that has been grounded into a powder. It acts as a gentle exfoliator while helping to smooth and soften the skin. Rice Bran Powder also helps to; prevent wrinkles, quickly heal blemishes, absorb the dirt and oil from the pores, balance the natural oils in the skin, and moisturize.

Rose Extract: Rose Extract is derived from freshly picked rose petals that are grounded into a powder. Rose Extract has antiseptic, anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Rosehip Seed Oil: Rosehip seed oil is truly an amazing oil. Rosehip seed oil is extracted from the seeds of a native rose plant that grows wild in Chile. In test studies, rosehip seed oil has regenerated the skin, reduced scars and wrinkles, prevented the advancement of wrinkles and aging, and helped skin to regain its natural color and tone. Rosehip seed oil contains Vitamin A, which helps to delay the effects of skin aging, assists with cell regeneration, and promotes collagen and elastin levels to increase. This results in firmer, smoother, and more youthful skin with greater elasticity.

Rosemary Extract: Rose Extract is distilled from Rosemary leaves and is a natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory preservative.

Shea Butter: This lush butter is extracted from the pit of a fruit that resembles a plum, which grows on the Mangifolia Tree, also called the Shea Nut Tree. The moisturizing power of Shea Butter was once a revered secret of the natives in the savannas of Central Africa, where the Mangifolia Tree grows wild. Traditionally Shea Butter has been used in Africa as a healing balm for rheumatism, muscle aches, burns, and light wounds. Shea Butter softens and nourishes skin and is believed to have antioxidant and regenerative properties. This emollient is especially useful for renewing skin suffering from the effects of acne or dryness.

Stearic Acid: This naturally occurring acid is vegetable-based, which can be derived from either palm or coconut. This rich fatty acid is an essential ingredient in many lotions and creams.

Sucrose: Sucrose is an organic crystalline powder compound commonly known as sugar.

Tamanu Nut Oil: Tamanu Nut Oil is a remarkable topical healing agent with skin healing, anti-neuralgic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic and antioxidant properties. The Tamanu tree blooms twice annually with fragrant, white flowers, which later yield clusters of yellow-skinned spherical fruit. The fruit's pulp tastes similar to an apple, within which a large nut is embedded. The nut contains an odorless pale kernel called punnai in some Pacific areas. This kernel is dried in the sun for two months until it becomes sticky with a dark, thick, rich oil; Tamanu Nut Oil is beneficial for scrapes, cuts, burns, insect bites and stings, acne and acne scars, psoriasis and eczema.

Tea Tree Oil: This very versatile essential oil is derived from the Malaleuca Tree, which grows in North America. Tea Tree Oil is believed to have antibacterial, antifungal, and healing properties and is thought to be useful in treating acne and cold sores. It is often used as a natural disinfectant and deodorizer.

Vegetable Glycerin: An odorless, colorless, syrupy derivative of olive oil. It is invaluable as a natural source ingredient with emollient-like properties which can soften and soothe the skin. Vegetable Glycerin helps the outer epidermis to retain moisture.

Vitamin C: When applied to skin, Vitamin C is believed to aid skin cells in the repairing and reproducing of themselves. It is also thought to stimulate production of collagen, enhancing skin smoothness and elasticity. Vitamin C is excellent for helping to reduce the signs of aging in the skin.

Vitamin E: Commonly referred to as natures own healing agent. Vitamin E has been cited as having positive effects on the wound healing process and possesses the ability to retard the conversion of soluble collagen to insoluble collagen (which is responsible for scar tissue formation). Vitamin E is believed to penetrate below the skin's surface to rejuvenate damaged skin cells and promote healthy regeneration of scarred skin. Vitamin E is also believed to help the skin overcome the harmful effects of the sun. Vitamin E helps to preserve the health and integrity of the skin and help to prevent the premature signs of aging.

White Willow Bark Extract: White Willow is a medium to large-sized deciduous tree native to Europe, western and central Asia. White Willow Bark Extract is a natural form of salicylic acid from the White Willow tree. White Willow Bark Extract provides anti-acne properties, sebum control, and is used as an astringent and exfoliant.

Witch Hazel: Witch Hazel is an extract from the leaves, flowers and bark of the hamamelis tree. It contains a mixture of 85-86 % aqueous witch hazel extract and 14-15 % ethyl alcohol as a preservative. It's one of nature's best astringents for restoring ph levels to the skin. It is particularly beneficial for oily and problem skin through its more gentle properties.

Updated: 7/5/2024