Ingredient Glossary

A plant-based fatty alcohol (the non-drying, oil-loving kind of alcohol) used to help increase the viscosity and blend oil and water in a product.

Helps to soften the skin and improve the texture of a formulation (gives that velvety feel).

This ingredient is known as a New Age emulsifier (ingredients that blend oil-soluble ingredients and water-soluble ingredients together). Unlike most emulsifiers, it does not “emulsify” the skin barrier and lead to increased skin sensitization over time but rather, helps to create a lamellar emulsion that mimics and enhances skin barrier health.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

A natural, high molecular weight polysaccharide derived from Reishi mushroom.

Applied topically, beta glucan has been shown to have skin repairing, skin soothing and moisturizing properties.

Beta glucan also helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and is great for sensitive or damaged skin types.

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

Hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil is rich in skin barrier loving linoleic acid, as well as alpha-linolenic acid (an omega 3 fatty acid) and gamma-linolenic acid (an anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid that is excellent for conditions involving a compromised skin barrier like acne, rosacea and eczema).

Helps to balance the skin’s oil production, reduce skin irritation/inflammation and soften the skin.

Comedogenic rating = 0

Country of Origin: Canada, The Netherlands

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm, High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

A biomimetic signalling peptide that helps to boost your skin’s natural production of key components of the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) to help your skin look younger and feel firmer.

Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3 has been shown to reduce fine lines and wrinkles by 16% after 28 days and 27% after 56 days.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

Also known as Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil or Fractionated Coconut Oil. This derivate of oil from coconut is noncomedogenic, meaning it will not clog pores, and absorbs easily into the skin. It is well tolerated by most skin types and helps by providing an emollient action (helping to make your skin soft and smooth).

Comedogenic rating = 2

Country of Origin: Malaysia

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm, “Ground Control” Barrier Repair Cream

Cacay Seed (Nut) Oil. High in linoleic acid and rich in vitamins A and E. A rich, hydrating oil suitable for all skin types.

Due to its nutritional and antioxidant composition, Cacay Seed Oil is excellent for evening skin tone, improving skin elasticity, reducing skin dryness and supporting the skin’s moisture barrier.

Comedogenic Rating = 0/1

Country of Origin = India

Found in: High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

A biomimetic ingredient, mimicking the skin’s natural ceramides (the stuff that acts almost like a glue between our skin cells in the top layer of our skin, helping to support a healthy skin barrier and proper skin hydration).

Helpful for drier, aging skin types to help reduce trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), enhance skin hydration and improve skin firmness.

Found in: Ceramide Body Oil

Watermelon Seed Oil. Rich in linoleic acid, this oil is excellent for acne-prone and eczematous skin types. Highly nutritive and moisturizing, this oil can also help improve skin dryness and skin elasticity.

Comedogenic Rating = 0

Country of Origin = India

Found In: High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

Neroli Hydrosol. A sought-after ingredient for acne-prone, sensitive, irritated skin types. Neroli is helpful in the “neurobeauty” world for its anti-stress, calming effects which correlate with reducing stress-related skin responses. It is also antibacterial, antifungal and pH balanced, making it helpful for restoring the skin barrier and balancing the skin microbiome.

Country of Origin: Canada

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

A glucose polymer used for its moisture retention and skin hydration properties.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

Kokum Seed Butter. An excellent butter for drier skin types and acne-prone skin. It’s a firmer butter with a higher melting point, leaving little to no greasy skin feel after application. Rich in vitamins A and E, as well as fatty acids oleic and stearic acid.

Comedogenic rating = 0

Found in: TIGHT Firming Body Crème

A superstar ingredient known as a polyhydroxy acid (PHA), a next-generation alphahydroxy acid (AHA). It gently lifts off dead skin cells from the skin surface, helping to improve skin smoothness.

Gluconolactone has moisturizing properties and has been shown to help repair an impaired skin barrier. It’s even safe for sensitive skin types, like those suffering with rosacea. Offers anti-aging (improved skin thickness and reducing fine lines/wrinkles) benefits.

Gluconolactone helps to rebalance the pH of a skincare product into the proper range for optimal skin health (4.7-5.7). It also functions as a preservative and preservative enhancer.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

A skin-identical ingredient that helps moisturize and attract hydration to the skin, helping to improve our skin’s “moisture-holding” ability. Helps support a healthy skin barrier, protects against skin irritation and can even help normalize “skin shedding” in drier skin types.

Comedogenic rating = 0

Country of Origin: Malaysia, India

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm, Barrier Protection Essence, “Ground Control” Barrier Repair Cream

A plant-derived combination of glycerin and behenic acid that helps create soft, non-tacky creams and gels.

Serves as an emollient (helping to improve the skin’s moisture barrier) and enhances the absorption of active ingredients.

This ingredient is known as a New Age emulsifier (ingredients that blend oil-soluble ingredients and water-soluble ingredients together). Unlike most emulsifiers, it does not “emulsify” the skin barrier and lead to increased skin sensitization over time but rather, helps to create a lamellar emulsion that mimics and enhances skin barrier health.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

Soybean Extract. Used to complement and enhance the outcome of topical phytoceramides (ex. Ceramide NP). Ceramides when applied topically must have enough fatty acids and sterols in the area in order to do their job. Drier and aging skin types are lacking in these, so the addition of sterol-rich Soybean Extract can help.

Soybean Extract can also help improve skin elasticity as well as helping to evening out skin tone (ex. reducing hyperpigmentation in the skin).

Found in: Ceramide Body Oil

A microalgae with the richest known natural source of the antioxidant, astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin is a member of the carotenoid family and assist in the light-absorbing properties of photosynthetic organisms. Applied to the skin, astaxanthin has been shown to help protect against lipid-membrane peroxidation and combat the negative effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to the skin from exposure to factors such as digital (blue light) pollution, environmental pollution and UV rays.

As such, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract’s astaxanthin content helps to recuse chronic low-grade inflammation in the skin, boost the skin’s antioxidant status and slow the aging process.

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

Sunflower seed oil. The sunflower seed oil we use it a high Linoleic Acid version, making it excellent for skin barrier repair and the preferred choice for acne-prone skin types. Sunflower seed oil is also higher in lecithin, an ingredient containing phosphatidylcholine, which is vital for optimal skin cellular health. Lecithin also enhances product penetration and helps invoke that silky, smooth feel to a product.

Comedogenic rating = 0

Country of Origin: Spain

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

Honey offers moisturizing and soothing properties to the skin, while also exhibiting antimicrobial and antifungal action. Honey also helps improve wound healing and is rich in skin-loving antioxidants.

Country of Origin: Canada (Boreal Wildflower Source)

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

A superstar alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with gentle exfoliating action and skin moisturizing properties. Lactic acid helps to gently dissolve and lift dead skin cells from the skin surface, creating a healthy glowing complexion. It can also help improve skin texture, tone and firmness with consistent use.

Lactic acid is also used as a pH balancing agent to help bring a product down to a healthy skin pH range (4.2-5.5).

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

Derived from soy or sunflower, lecithin contains phospholipids and fatty esters that mimic the bilayer of our skin cells (we call an ingredient like this “skin identical”).

In cosmetics, lecithin helps provide a soft, velvety texture to a product and enhances the product’s emollience properties, helping to enhance the skin’s moisture barrier. Lecithin can also help improve the bioavailability of active ingredients in a formula.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

A natural, plant-based preservative that helps prevent the unwanted growth of fungi and bacteria in the product.

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate also offers enhanced moisturization abilities to a product.

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

Meadowfoam seed oil. This oil is rich in very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) that are often overlooked and under appreciated for how important they are for optimal skin health. Excellent moisturizing and rejuvenating properties for the skin. It also has the ability to break down blackheads and detox the skin without the “purge” side effect that oils like jojoba oil can have.

Comedogenic rating = 1

Country of Origin: Canada

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

Macadamia seed (nut) oil. Macadamia oil is rich in omega 7 fatty acids, which has been shown to help reduce inflammation in the skin. It absorbs easily into the skin and can help protect the skin from free radical damage. It is a skin soothing oil that is excellent for dry, irritated and mature skin types.

Comedogenic rating = 2

Country of Origin: India, Kenya

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

Mango Seed Butter. An excellent butter for drier skin types, without leaving that greasy after-feel that some butters can leave (like coconut butter). Contains amino acids and antioxidants like ferulic acid, as well as being an excellent source of fatty acids (like stearic and oleic acids) for optimal skin health.

Comedogenic rating = 2

Found in: TIGHT Firming Body Crème

Moringa Oil, from the seeds of the Moringa tree. Moringa oil is similar in its properties to olive oil but it has one extra embellishment - its behenic acid content. Behenic acid is a fatty acid that can help provide a protect barrier to compromised, dry skin, helping to enhance the conditioning and emollience properties of a product.

Comedogenic rating = 3 (as in, not to be used at 100% on acne-prone facial skin)

Found in: Ceramide Body Oil

Rice bran oil. Rice bran oil is an easily absorbed, lightweight oil with a balanced omega 6:omega 9 ratio. It also contains ingredients like gamma-oryzanol and ferulic acid which have skin brightening properties and help to even out skin tone. Rice bran oil is a rich source of tocotrienols, a noncomedogenic and more potent antioxidant than tocopherol (the common vitamin E that is used in mass-produced skincare products).

An excellent oil for sensitive, combination and mature skin types.

Comedogenic rating = 2

Country of Origin: India

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

This “green”, renewable version of pentylene glycol is derived from sugar cane. It’s used in cosmetics to help enhance the efficacy of active ingredients and preservatives.

Pentyle glycol is an antimicrobial on its own, helping to minimize spoiling of a product.

It also helps to hydrate and moisturize the skin.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

Black Spruce Hydrosol. Made in Quebec, Canada through a distillation process. Known as “the extreme Nordic survivor”, Black Spruce helps to protect skin against UV sun damage, environmental aggressions and helps maintain the integrity of skin barrier function.

Black Spruce hydrosol helps to reduce skin irritation, inflammation and redness, while also contributing a healthy skin “plumping” effect.

Hydrosols also help to offer a pH balancing effect to the skin, which further helps to support the skin barrier and skin microbiome.

Country of Origin: Canada

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

The potassium salt of sorbic acid, used as a preservative in the cosmetic and food industry, particularly to prevent the growth of yeast and mold.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

A polysaccharide with antioxidant and water-binding properties (helping to enhance hydration).

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

This superstar ingredient is a polyphenol found in Japanese Knotweed and the skin of red grapes. It has a 95% efficacy rate in preventing lipid peroxidation, making it far superior to vitamin C (37%) and vitamin E (65%). Resveratrol helps to combat the negative effects of photo damage (UV sun exposure), boosts collagen production, evens out skin tone (reducing hyperpigmentation and scarring) and helps enhance skin hydration.

Resveratrol has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and has been shown to be more effective than benzoyl peroxide for acne over time.

Our Resveratrol is sourced from wildcatted Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum Cuspidatum) and is sourced from the US.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

Rosemary Leaf Extract. Used as an antioxidant in skincare products to help extend the shelf life and minimize the risk of oil rancidity.

Country of Origin = Canada

Found In: High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

Raspberry seed oil, high in skin-loving linoleic acid (omega 6) and moderate in alpha-linolenic acid (omega 3).

Offers antioxidant support and has a natural SPF between 28-50 (although we never suggest relying on oils alone for sun protection, you still need to wear sunscreen).

Comedogenic Rating = 1

Country of Origin: Chile

Found In: High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

A potent anti-aging ingredient known to help improve cellular respiration and metabolism, while also increasing the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.

Saccharomyces Ferment also helps combat the negative effects of UV sun damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) exposure, environmental pollution exposure and digital pollution exposure.

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

Chia seed oil. Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytonutrients, it helps protect the skin against environmental aggressors. Skin soothing, moisturizing and skin barrier protecting.

Comedogenic rating = 3 (when applied 100% topically to the skin. When used in a much lower percentage it is unlikely to clog pores)

Country of Origin: Peru

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

Elderberry fruit extract. Used as an antioxidant to help enhance the stability and prevent rancidity of oils (or the oil phase) of a formula.

Elderberries are also rich in phytonutrients that offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties like caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid and quercetin. Elderberry extract can help boost the immune system, combat free radicals and prevent free radical damage, as well as help tone and tighten the skin.

Country of Origin: USA

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm, “Ground Control” Barrier Repair Cream

Like Xanthan Gum, a natural thickening agent and emulsion stabilizer.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

The salt of benzoic acid, which is found naturally in foods like cranberries and honey. Used as a preservative in both the cosmetic and food industry, especially for preventing fungal growth.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream

A skin-identical ingredient and “natural moisturizing factor” known to help improve the moisturize status of the skin, attract water to the skin and maintain a healthy skin barrier.

Found in: Barrier Protection Essence

A sugar ester with gentle surfactant properties. Sucrose laurate is also used as an emulsifier and oil gelling agent, creating oily gels that turn to milk on contact with water.

While sucrose laurate is gentle, it is also effective at removing excess oil and debris from the skin without stripping or compromising the skin barrier.

Safe for all skin types.

Found in: Omega Cleansing Balm

A skin-identical ingredient derived from olives. We call it “skin identical” because the molecular weight and structure of this botanical lipid mirrors human lipids in the skin. This makes squalane easily absorbable and compatible with all skin types.

Comedogenic rating = 1

Country of Origin: Spain

Found in: “Ground Control” Barrier Repair Cream, High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

Blue Tansy Flower Oil. A cobalt blue oil steam distilled (extracted) from the Blue Tansy leaves and flowers.

Known for its anti-acne, skin soothing properties, Blue Tansy Oil is oftentimes found in post-shaving products and products for acne-prone skin.

A little goes a long way - we only use ±0.01% Blue Tansy Oil in our Face Oil.

Country of Origin = Morocco

Found In: High Linoleic Acid Face Oil

Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2 is a biomimetic lipopeptide that helps with reducing progerin synthesis, an aging biomarker that is involved in skin cellular senescence (a cellular aging phenomenon where cells lose the ability to divide and an increase in other cellular processes the can degrade the extracellular matrix). In other words, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2 helps mitigate cellular processes that are associated with aging, helping to improve skin firmness, tone and tightness, as well as helping to support cell viability after UV irradiation (skin cell health after UV exposure).

Found in: TIGHT Firming Body Crème

A thickening Ingredient, texture enhancer and emulsion stabilizer.

Found in: Ground Control Barrier Repair Cream