Essènci Non Essentials
At Essènci, we have deemed the following to be Non Essentials. Eliminating these from our formulations has allowed us to create non-toxic and highly effective products that are not only safe for you to use on your skin but also help safeguard our environment.
Mineral Oil Free - Extracting mineral oil can contaminate groundwater, causing land subsidence and damaging the ecosystems of animals, plants and other organisms. This oil does not biodegrade well and is not from a renewable source. We are conscious of sustainable practices at Essènci and thus we do not use mineral oil in any of our products.
Paraben Free - Often cited as potential disruptors to the endocrine system, there are still several conflicting arguments for and against the safety of parabens in skincare products. At Essènci, we employ the precautionary principle, so any ingredient that we use has to be proven by science to be safe. We use essential oils to keep our products fresh and ensure they can last three years and retain their phytoactivity.
Formaldehyde Free - Formaldehyde has been incorporated into beauty products as a preservative to prolong their shelf life. The most common side effect of formaldehyde in skincare is irritation to the eyes and skin. With high or prolonged exposure, formaldehyde has been linked to cancer. Since alternatives to this preservative are readily available, Essènci believes there is no reason for anyone to use it in any product we put on our bodies.
Phthalate Free - Added to plastic packaging to make it flexible and to skincare products to prolong its shelf life, phthalate is found in almost everything. Through a leaching process, phthalates can move from plastics into skincare products and then can be absorbed into the skin. They have been linked to endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive toxicity, and cancer. There are strict regulations regarding their use in the EU, but we prefer to avoid them altogether. Phthalates are not only hazardous to human health, they are also harmful to the waterways and all the natural life that depends on water, meaning every living thing. This is one of the reasons we minimize the use of plastics and are actively in search of alternative materials, along with prevention of ocean waste from micro plastic particles.
Synthetic Free - Synthetic ingredients, produced in laboratories, are often cheaper to use than their natural counterparts and either mimic natural ingredients or alter them. They also usually contain byproducts that are not found in natural ingredients. Many of these chemical substances may have been tested individually for their risk to human health but not together; therefore, their combined risks are usually unknown. There are some great resources available to identify the risks of synthetic ingredients, such Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group. We believe in using all plant based ingredients because they contain micronutrients and phytochemicals that are beneficial, safe and healthy for your skin.
We believe that the best products are made from choosing the best ingredients, and that starts from the soil and farming practices being organic and chemical free. It is better for our health, better for the environment and is net zero carbon.
Cruelty Free - For many years companies have had us convinced that to prevent the use of unsafe ingredients in skincare products for humans it was necessary to first test them on animals. We have a few thoughts on that: 1) don't use anything that may be unsafe, stick to natural and effective ingredients, 2) support Cruelty Free International and we are working on a "Leaping Bunny" certification to show our support in a tangible way, and 3) Animal testing doesn’t have a purpose so WE DON'T TEST ON ANIMALS. No exceptions, no excuses.