Ingredient Classification

Humectants

Use hydrogen bonding to pull water from the air or deeper skin layers and hold onto it. Provides moisture/hydration and may give a “plump” effect to skin. However if dehydrated, humectants may pull too much on the skin and a tight feeling can come across the skin and cause further dehydration. 

Barrier Function and Support:

Ingredients that provide lipids such as ceramides and squalene (check for acne safe before use if thats a consern)

Hydration, as in humectants.

Anti-inflamitory and antioxidant properties and charateristics (calming and protecting).

Supports new tissue growth such as fresh cells and the synthesis of collegen

Helps maintain a ideal pH balance for skin

Botanicals and Soothing Agents

These are plant extracts like cucumber, green tea, and chamomile. The botanical extracts have anti-inflammatory components that function mainly to act as soothing agents to calm irritated skin. This is especially bennificial after washing your face as many people over exfoliate and use harsh cleansers and toners that cause the skin to become agitated and inflamed. Alongside providing anti-inflammitory bennifits to the skin, many botanicals also contain antioxidents which help to not only protect the skin but also protect the integrity of the product being used. 

Antioxidant

A substance that inhibits oxidation, especially one used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products.(or cosmetic products)

A substance such as vitamin C or E that removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism.

Antioxidants fight free radicals (which damage your skin cells and degrade product) by stabilizing them via electron transfer.

Emollient

Softens and smooths the skin by filling in gaps between skin cells. Improves texture and reduces flakiness. Primary and Possibly only function is to improve the texture of the skin. 

Surfactants: Lower Surface Tension allowing the mixture of oil and water phases. Surfactants are a category that include both emulsifiers and solubilizers.

Emulsifier: Let’s oil and water mix without separating. It has one end that’s hydrophilic and one end that’s hydrophobic. This keeps ingredients together in product without major separation. This is usually for larger amounts of oil and water, when creating a proper emulsion.

  Solubilizer: These are the type of surfactants that will be working with throughout the site, Specificaly PEG-40-Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Solubilizers aid in the dispersion of small amounts of oil or fragrance by surrounding dropplets. They provide a homogenous mixture without the separation of oil and water phases, or the need to shake before use. 

PEG-40- Hydrogenated Castor Oil can fill all of these roles independently and behaves differently based on what its being combined with and at what concentrations each substance is combining at. In the project mist, PEG-40-Hydrogenated Castor oil is going to be acting more as a solubilizer.

Chelating Agent

Chelators (like Disodium EDTA) bind free metal ions (iron, calcium) that could otherwise:

Catalyze oxidation

Break down preservatives

Cause rancidity or spoilage

Preservative

Stops mold, bacteria, and yeast from growing. 

Fragrance

Just makes it smell good. Most of the time fragrances are not acne safe so we are going to hope that the botanicals provide enough natural aroma, and if needed will use a rose oil for a light fragrance.

***Update***
Fragrance used in formulation: Organic Lavender Distill Essential Oil blend

pH Adjuster / Buffer

Keeps the product at a skin-safe pH .
Not too acidic, not too alkaline. This keeps the formula stable and prevents skin irritation.

Cosmetic Stabilizer 

Substances that maintain the stability of a product, preventing any undesirable changes to the consistency, odor, color, and any other characteristics that should remain consistent throughout the shelf life of the product. Examples would include the prevention of ingredient separation and ensuring actives and other  sensitive ingredients remain stable by reducing oxidation rates and maintaining a stable pH balance.