WHAT is NOT in Y?

Y natural products contain no silicone or petrochemical ingredients, synthetic alcohols or artificial colours or fragrances.  Our products contain no ethoxylated ingredients.  This includes common “plant-derived” ethoxylated ingredients in emulsifying waxes.  Y natural products are free of harsh surfactants and foam boosters including sodium lauryl sulphate, aluminium laureth sulphate and coco betaine.  Y natural products contain no chemical fillers, plasticisers, texture enhancers or other harmful chemicals.  They contain no animal products. 

Where necessary, Y natural products are preserved using the most gentle and natural methods available.  We do not use parabens or other harsh chemicals.  We do not use preserving systems based on alcohol (such as synthetic ethanol or sugar cane ethanol).  For any individual product, the full details of the preserving system used (if one has been used) are found on that product’s information sheet. 

Confirming Y natural as the company setting the standards for pure, natural and clean ingredients is the fact that we will not even use oils that have been extracted using a chemical solvent (such as Jasmine, Frangipani and most Rose Oils).  Our oils are extracted through cold pressing or using steam.

Y's guide to WHAT to avoid - and WHY!

Uncertainty surrounds many ingredient routinely used in skincare products.  Twenty years ago, we would have worried less about this, because the skin was thought to be a barrier to chemicals entering the body.  These days however, we know things get in - hence the use of nicotine patches, hormone patches and analgesic patches.  The legal framework surrounding skincare hasn't quite caught up, and the testing of things that go into your body via your skin is not as stringent as the testing of things that you eat. 

This listing is of some of the ingredients that have a question mark attached to how safe they are to use on skin.  Rather than get caught up in a never-ending debate surrounding their use, we simply do not use them.  They're unnecessary.  We don't need to use them, because there are perfectly good natural options that are incredibly good for your skin. 

So if you want to avoid unnecessary chemicals, keep an eye out for the following:

ETHOXYLATED CHEMICALS
During the ethoxylation process, impurities of known carcinogens (such as1-4 dioxane) can form. Ethoxylated chemicals may cause irritation and contact dermatitis. Ethoxylated chemicals may be identified by the prefix PEG (polyethylene glycol), PPG (poly propylene glycol) or the endings eth , oxynol or sorbate . Note that some brands attempt to mask the presence of ethoxylated ingredients eg by omitting the PEG prefix. Examples include PEG laurate, PEG-60 almond glycerides, sodium laureth sulphate, ceteth-5. steareth-21, PEG-20 stearate, oleth-10 phosphate, octoxynol-9, polysorbate 20 (& 40, 60, 80 etc), emulsifying wax, PEG-8 stearate, Glycereth-26, PEG-40 Castor Oil.

ALKOXYKATED CHEMICALS
Alkoxykated petrochemicals can form nitrosamine impurities which are known carcinogens. Some may cause irritation and contact dermatitis. Examples include: MEA monoethanolamine (MEA), DEA diethanolamine (DEA), TEA triethanolamine (TEA), TEA-lauroyl, acetamide MEA, lacamide MEA, cocomide DEA, cocomide MEA.

PLANT INGREDIENTS EXTRACTED THROUGH CHEMICAL OR PETROCHEMICAL PROCESSES
Ingredients designated as "plant derived" or "derived from coconut" are particularly common in products promoted as natural or organic. These ingredients are usually ethoxylated, alkoxykated and/or synthetic and should be avoided. Examples include coco-betaine, cocomide DEA, cocomide MEA.

SOLVENT EXTRACTED ESSENTIAL OILS
Some oils are extracted using petrochemical processes. Examples include common essential oils such as jasmine essential oil, rose damask, boronia and frangipani.

SYNTHETIC ALCOHOLS
Synthetic alcohols are known to cause skin irritations and dermatitis, and some have been shown to promote acne. Examples include isopropyl palmitate, octyl palmitate, butulene glycol, propelene glycol and other compounds that have the following as part of their name: benzyl , butyl , isopropyl , myristyl , propyl , propelene.

POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PAHs are directly linked to cancer in general and breast cancer specifically. PAH impurities are known to occur in include mineral oil, petroleum jelly and paraffin.

ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCES
Fragrance or parfum typically denotes a chemical cocktail of up to 200 different chemicals, most or all of which are man-made. These chemicals are known to cause the majority of allergic reactions with cosmetics and skincare products.

D&C and FD&C COLOURS
These colours are synthetic or derived from tar or harsh petrochemicals, and can have impurities that are known carcinogens.  In addition, they can be very irritating to the skin, which is why so many products make a big deal of being free of colours. 

PARABEN-BASED PRESERVATIVES
Parabens are toxic petrochemicals that may cause dermatitis, allergic reactions and rashes. BHT is a known carcinogen. Examples include: ethyl paraben, methyl paraben, butyl paraben, propyl paraben, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolinyl urea, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butulated hydroxytoliene (BHT).

SILICONE OILS
Silicone oils are synthetic emollients which are occlusive and clog skin causing allergies and dermatitis. They are known to accumulate on the liver and lymph nodes. They can often be spotted on product labels by the suffix thicone. For example: dimethicone, cyclomethicone.