Continuing on our quest to understand our skincare, let's get stuck into quite possibly one of the most important ingredient categories in the beauty industry… the CONSERVATION SYSTEM. The secret to keeping your skincare fresher, for longer!

Demystify your ingredient list with our all-encompassing skincare guide below, including the next two pages within the series. And if you’d like to delve even deeper, our handy Ingredient Glossary has all the answers you need.

Having a formulation filled with beneficial active ingredients is remarkably important, but having a conservation system in place to preserve those ingredients is arguably a non-negotiable. We strive to prolong the shelf-life of our products in order for you to truly reap the benefits we’ve so carefully curated. And with naturally conserving ingredients, we can do just that.

Skincare products are designed to last at least 24 months on the shelf, so how do we ensure it stays preserved? Fresh is wonderful, but it’s important for products to last; or else we’d never be able to finish the bottle before it spoils! Our conservation system protects our products and our customers, without negotiating on quality. There are a lot of natural conservators out there, that are user-safe, clean, and botanically-sourced, as well as preservative boosters (which actually enhance the effectiveness of other botanical conservators!).

Conserving, not altering.

Like other functional ingredients that may serve the skin with additional physiological benefits, our conservation system has to—conserve the formulation and brings a whole bunch of benefits to the skin. And with that in mind, our selection process focuses directly on ingredients that will prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms (like bacteria and fungi) from infiltrating your skincare, and preventing the spoiling of naturally derived antioxidants and extracts. We use an entire range of plant-sourced ingredients, which all need protecting from dissolution and disintegration through oxygen or bacterial exposure.

Why parabens have no place within your skincare routine.

Finding a routine that works specifically for your deeper skin tone is hard enough already, without the risk of potential irritants that may do more harm than good. Take parabens, for example. Once hailed for preserving the integrity of cosmetic formulations, recent studies have shown that these man-made preservatives act as endocrine disruptors by mimicking estrogen when absorbed through the skin.

According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), parabens have been linked to reproductive, immunological, neurological, and skin irritation problems. While most formulations only contain low levels, studies have shown that they can accumulate within the body over time with repeated use.

Phenoxyethanol is another preservative that can cause mild to moderate irritations, which for melanin-rich skin, is a disaster. Through even the most minimal inflammation, this can cause the melanocyte cells to produce excess melanin, and therefore result in hyperpigmentation. Coupled with a compromised skin barrier from colder, drier climates, this is a recipe for disaster to those with deeper skin tones who require ingredients to soothe, repair, and hydrate—not irritate.

We categorise phenoxyethanol as an alleged endocrine disruptor, which means chaos for your hormonal balance; so we’ve banned it until proven innocent!

The importance of clean ingredients for your skins’ integrity.

Our conservation system utilises naturally-derived formulation-preserving ingredients and stabilisers. Phenylpropanol and Radish Root Ferment Filtrate to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms, Galactaric Acid to bind metal ions, stabilise the pH levels, and antioxidants like Tocopherol to prevent oil rancidity.

We believe that skincare formulations should be 100% beneficial to the skin, without the risk of irritation or product degradation. Through our melanin-focused research and development, we’ve meticulously discovered a network of safe, natural ingredients that meet our ethical standards, and your skincare needs. In favour of the current ‘clean beauty’ movement, a number of global conglomerate companies have also chosen to go paraben-free. Other safe preserving ingredients include Grapefruit Seed Extract, Sodium Benzoate, and Ethylhexylglycerin.

Now that you feel educated in our third category, let’s move onto our fourth nest week; performative actives, the ingredients that will actively transform your skin!