All-natural ‘buzzwords’ are becoming increasingly bewildering. With an ever growing emphasis on the integrity of cosmetic ingredients, there’s a whole new ‘organic language’ to decipher – here are the most-common terms explained…
{Cold pressed} Botanical oils are most commonly extracted by grinding or ‘milling’ fruit stones, nuts or kernels. This can be done quickly and easily on a large, industrial scale but the friction creates heat, which can compromise the quality of the end product (just like cooking can diminish the health benefits of fruit and vegetables). Cold pressed oils are therefore produced on a much smaller scale, and at much lower temperatures – to be considered cold pressed, the temperature must not rise above 49º throughout the extraction process, which preserves the full intensity and efficacy of the oil – and subsequently, increases its value. All of Odacite’s oils are cold-pressed – their {Vital Glow Booster} contains only the very highest-grade carrot seed oil; an incredibly rich source of skin-conditioning beta-carotene.
{Wild-crafted} means that ingredients have been carefully sourced from their natural habitat – without disrupting local wildlife, or compromising the ecological system. This means that fruits, flowers, seeds etc. are picked without damage to the tree or plant, and in the rare instances that a plant is uprooted in its entirety, new seeds are sown to sustain environmental equilibrium. {May Lindstrom} and {Tata Harper} both use the finest wild-crafted ingredients in their super-charged, skin care concoctions.
{Biodynamism} revolves around the lunar cycle – food is grown and harvested in accordance with the phases of the moon, which sounds a little bit bonkers until you consider the physical forces at work. Just as the tides are governed by the moon’s magnetic pull, the water level within plants alters depending on whether the moon is in the ‘ascendent’ (when sap rises) or the ‘descendent’ (when the vitality is concentrated at the roots). The former is the ideal time for harvesting – the latter, the perfect time to sow and cultivate new growth. It’s about embracing the rhythms of life, and only picking fruit and flowers when they’re at their most potent. Dr. Hauschka’s ingredients are all grown on the brand’s own biodynamic farm – the {Cleansing Cream} is brimming with biodynamic skin-nourishing extracts, to melt make up and dirt, whilst replenishing your skin’s own barrier function.