NATURAL INGREDIENTS

So if all those synthetic chemical ingredients are not so great for our health and the environment,then I hear you asking, what are the ‘good’ ingredients then. Kim and Fleur, authors of About Face (2006) call many of these ingredients ‘skin goodies’. Some do sound so good you may want to eat them!!

Look for products that contain ingredients sourced from nature and that are as close to natural as possible. Obviously some natural ingredients will have gone through a process to be extracted from a plant for example, so we cannot say that all ingredients are 100% natural as this would be false. And just walk down your supermarket isle and see how many products some of those big brand companies label as Natural when they contain about zilch from mother earth.

Even some natural products may contain a very small tiny percentage of something from a lab just to make it work as it should but rest assured that these will comply with health and safety standards regarding safe quantities. I think this is all ok. Some people would disagree and believe natural products need to be totally organic and all directly sourced from nature. These are very difficult to find and are very expensive.

Red Rata wishes to fill the gap between total organic and natural, and completely synthetic from a chemistry lab and, make ‘as natural as possible’ body and home care products available at a reasonable cost. Red Rata’s products are made from ingredients that are predominantly plant based and are almost entirely natural. One exception is beeswax used in many balms, and this obviously is made by friendly bees.

So you are still asking, but what are these wonderful ingredients…read on and some of the most widely used natural ingredients are described below. Make sure you check out the ingredient list on each product page on our website, so you learn what you are really buying and using. Ask questions if you visit a website and they don’t list their ingredients clearly or at all!

Plant and Nut Oils Rosehip, Olive, Sweet Almond, Arnica, Carrot, Jojoba, Avocado, Apricot Kernal, Sunflower, Castor, Tamanu. These lubricate, nourish and portect your skin and are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One or a combination of these are used in just about all of Red Rata’s products.

Pure Essential Oils Lavender, Neem, Citronella, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Sandalwood, Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Calendula, Manuka, Tangerine, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Vanilla, Cedarwood, Rosemary, Lemongrass, Rose Geranium, Patchouli, Neroli. These are concentrated oils that contain aroma compounds from a plant. Each has a distinctive smell and many are used medicinally. For example, Lavender Essential Oil is nurturing and soothing, sedating, relaxing and calming. Sandalwood Essential Oil is soothing to dry and cracked skin and promotes elasticity and has strengthening and calming properties. Orange Essential Oil is cleansing to oily skin. Rose Essential Oil rehydrates and rejuvenates skin. It is a great healer if the heart.

Vegetable Glycerine is a humectant so it attracts moisture to the skin. It has emollient properties therefore softens, soothes skin and helps the skin retain moisturiser. It is derived from vegetable fats and oils.

Glyceryl Stearate is composed of naturally occuring lipid ingredients glycerol and stearic acid. Its a lubricant so it helps to soften the skin and prevent moisture loss.

Butters are made from fats from plants. Crushed nuts from the Karite Tree makes Shea Nut Butter. Mango Butter is extracted from the mango fruit kernal.Cocoa Butter has a mild chocolate flavour and aroma and comes from the Cacao Bean (making me hungry!). These butters are all extremely moisturising plus each has their own benefits. Cocoa Butter contains natural anti-oxidents, and Shea Nut Butter is healing and has an anti-elastine characteristic.

Cetearyl Alcohol One type of alcohol that is beneficial (and wine, gin…). It is an emulsifying wax and is hydrating to the skin. Check carefully as there are many other alcohols added to products which are drying and have chemicals added to them.

Guar Gum and Xanthum Gum are both derived from plants and thicken and stabilse liquids.

Honey Nutrients in honey promote skin growth, draw moisture to the skin and have a natural antibacterial action. Manuka Honey specifically contains a unique active compound that makes is exceptionally high in antimocrobial and antiseptic properties which make it the ultimate skin healer.

Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the beehive of honey bees. The products in our range that contain beeswax is organic (Tui Balms, Dollop).

Zinc Oxide is a white powder present in the earths crust (ZnO). In sunscreen it sits on the skin’s surface and is not absorbed. It blocks both UVA and UVB rays of ultraviolet light. In baby creams zinc oxide acts as a barrier on the skin and treats skin conditions.

Citric Acid is naturally found in citrus fruits, lemons and limes have high concentrations. Citric acid is commonly used in natural cleaners. In skin products it is can help refresh the skin and reduce the look of aging by promoting new skin growth and destroying free radicals.

Water is water is water.

Preservatives Products containing water need a preservative to stop bacteria growing and making it go off. Common preservatives used in natural products are Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Sea salt, Alcohol, Honey, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vegetable Glycerine.

*Be aware when using any products on your body. Natural ingredients are less likely to cause adverse reactions but there is no guarantee. Some people are more prone to reactions than others so always patch test first. Consult a qualified practitioner if you are concerned about any reaction or medical concerns.*

Find out more about natural ingredients at Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.