Our Never-Ever List

Typically known as natural oils extracted from a plant, essential oils are secondary metabolites of plants and usually contain dozens to hundreds of compounds. They’re concentrated and complex, and often have the potential to cause allergic reactions or skin irritation. A number of essential oils are noted as fragrance allergens by the European Committee on the Safety of Cosmetics (SCCS).

We avoid mineral oils and petroleum-derived ingredients for multiple reasons. Mineral oils or petroleum-derived ingredients may contain PAHs such as benzopyrene (an IARC Class 1 carcinogen), which may increase health risks through long-term use or accumulation. In addition, highly occlusive ingredients derived from petroleum may clog hair follicles and cause acne (often level 2-3 type acne). Excessive occlusion will inhibit the skin's natural metabolism and cause the stratum corneum to become inert. Finally, the production process also contains residual 1,4-dioxane and heavy metal risk substances. 

Did you know, there is such a thing as good and bad alcohols? In skin products, ‘alcohol’ typically refers to ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohols are quite harmful, they can dissolve the sebum film of our skin and cause the epidermis to peel off. Long-term use may cause dryness and desquamation, and allow irritating ingredients (fragrances and disinfectants) to penetrate the skin. However, fatty alcohols commonly used in cosmetics—such as cetyl, stearyl, behenyl, or ceteary alcohol—exhibit fundamentally different effects on the skin. These fatty alcohols are non-volatile, non-drying, and often function as emulsifiers or moisturizing agents, supporting skin barrier integrity.

The use of heavy metals (such as lead, mercury, etc.) is prohibited and strictly restricted in cosmetics, mainly due to their irreversible health risks (carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, sensitization), and their ability to be absorbed and accumulated through the skin and cause long-term health hazards. Sensitive skin has a thin stratum corneum and less intercellular lipids, so heavy metals (especially in the form of nanoparticles) can more easily penetrate the skin, resulting in increased permeability and irritation.

We’re against animal cruelty, and avoid all animal products within our formulations. Aside from environmental protection concerns, animal ingredients may carry bacteria, unknown pathogens, and pose allergy risks when in skincare formulations. Animal proteins (such as lanolin and beeswax) are prone to induce IgE -mediated allergic reactions, while the enrichment of heavy metals and toxins may cause chronic irritation.

Oil ingredients are generally good and healthy for skin, however there are some oils that can clog pores and cause acne. Low-permeability oils can interfere with the sebaceous glands of the hair follicles due to their chemical structure and stability, potentially causing acne and inflammation. Clinical observation shows, after using acne-causing oils on sensitive skin, the level of inflammatory factors (IL-1α) around the hair follicles is often two times higher than that on healthy skin. Our formulas are crafted for sensitive skin, and we’re careful about the oils we include. 

Our products are designed for sensitive skin, which means we carefully screen all chemical ingredients, avoiding use as they are often highly irritating and penetrating for skin. Sensitive skin barriers are fragile and unable to defend themselves—nerves often overreact to ingredients and the immune system is also easily triggered, aggravating skin and causing allergic reactions. A number of chemical ingredients have been prohibited and restricted with warning labels both in the USA and European Union.