This dictionary includes every ingredient currently used throughout my skincare line and explains why it is included. Some ingredients care for the skin directly, while others help keep a formula blended, stable, and protected during normal use.
A
Alpha Bisabolol
A naturally derived skin conditioning ingredient used in a small amount to help targeted areas feel comfortable and cared for.
Found in: Target Spot Treatment
B
Beeswax
A natural wax that gives the lip balm structure and firmness. It also helps form a protective layer on the lips that reduces moisture loss and keeps them feeling soft and comfortable.
Found in: Bare Lip Balm
Benzyl Alcohol
A component of the preservative system used to help protect water based products from microbial growth during storage and normal use.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Essence Mist, and Vitamin C Cream
Betaine
A humectant that helps attract and hold water. I use it to provide hydration without adding a heavy or greasy feel.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Essence Mist and Vitamin C Cream
Black Cumin Seed Oil
A deeply colored botanical oil containing naturally occurring fatty acids. It gives the spot treatment a richer feel and contributes to its natural aroma.
Found in: Target Spot Treatment
C
C13-15 Alkane (Sugarcane Hemisqualane)
A lightweight plant derived emollient that gives the spot treatment a silky, fast spreading feel without leaving a heavy or greasy finish.
Found in: Target Spot Treatment
Calendula Extract
A botanical extract included for its skin conditioning properties and comfortable feel on the skin.
Found in: Hydrating Essence Mist
Castor Oil
A rich botanical oil that gives the lip balm smooth glide and helps create a soft, comfortable feel on the lips. Its naturally thicker texture also contributes to the balm’s creamy consistency.
Found in: Bare Lip Balm
Cetearyl Alcohol
A fatty alcohol that adds body and helps stabilize the cleansing milk.
Fatty alcohols are waxy texture ingredients and are different from the drying alcohols found in some skincare products.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
Cetearyl Olivate
An olive derived emulsifying ingredient that helps keep oil and water evenly blended and contributes to the creamy texture of the Vitamin C Cream.
It is one of the two components of the Olivem 1000 emulsifier system.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream
Cetyl Alcohol
A fatty alcohol that adds slip and helps create a smooth, creamy texture while also contributing structure to the formula.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk and Vitamin C Cream
Cocoa Butter
A rich plant butter that adds firmness and creaminess to the lip balm while helping soften and condition dry feeling lips.
Found in: Bare Lip Balm
Colloidal Oatmeal
A finely milled form of oats that helps create a soft, creamy mask once mixed with water and leaves the skin feeling comfortable after rinsing.
Found in: Enzyme Glow Mask
Cucumber Extract
A botanical extract included in the essence for light skin conditioning and a comfortable feel.
Found in: Hydrating Essence Mist
D
Distilled Water
Purified water that forms the base of my water based products. It dissolves water soluble ingredients and gives mists, cleansers, and creams their fluid or creamy consistency.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Essence Mist, and Vitamin C Cream
G
Glycerin
A humectant that helps attract water. In these formulas, it is present in a small amount as part of the preservative system.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Essence Mist, and Vitamin C Cream
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
An emulsifier that helps keep the oil and water evenly blended and contributes to the smooth, creamy structure of the cleansing milk.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
Grapeseed Oil
A light botanical oil that spreads easily and helps soften the skin without leaving a heavy finish.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream
H
Hemp Seed Oil
A botanical oil that gives the cleansing milk richness and slip while helping the skin feel soft and comfortable after rinsing.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
I
Isoamyl Laurate
A lightweight emollient that improves spreadability and gives the cleansing milk a silky glide without adding a heavy or greasy feel.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
J
Jojoba Oil
A liquid wax that spreads easily and helps soften the skin without leaving a thick or greasy coating.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Vitamin C Cream, Target Spot Treatment and Bare Lip Balm
L
Licorice Root Powder
A botanical powder included in the mask to help improve the appearance of uneven looking skin.
Found in: Enzyme Glow Mask
M
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
A stable, water soluble form of vitamin C included to help improve the look of dullness, uneven tone, and post acne marks while providing antioxidant benefits.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream
Mango Butter
A plant butter that adds richness to the Vitamin C Cream and helps leave the skin feeling soft and comfortable.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream and Bare Lip Balm
Marshmallow Root Powder
A botanical powder naturally rich in mucilage. Once mixed with water, it helps the mask spread smoothly and keeps the paste from feeling overly dry.
Found in: Enzyme Glow Mask
P
Panthenol
Also known as provitamin B5, panthenol is a humectant and skin conditioner that helps the skin feel softer and more hydrated.
Found in: Hydrating Essence Mist and Vitamin C Cream
Papaya Fruit Juice Extract Powder
A concentrated papaya fruit powder used as the exfoliating component of the mask. Once mixed with water, it helps remove surface buildup and leaves the skin feeling smoother after rinsing.
Found in: Enzyme Glow Mask
R
Rosehip Botanical Extract Powder
A concentrated rosehip botanical extract included in a small amount to complement the other botanical ingredients in the mask.
Found in: Enzyme Glow Mask
Rosehip Seed Oil
A botanical seed oil that adds softness and helps give the Vitamin C Cream a comfortable, conditioned finish.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream
S
Salicylic Acid
A component of the preservative system used in a small amount to help protect water based formulas from microbial growth.
It is present as part of the preservation system and is not added as an exfoliating or acne treatment active.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Essence Mist, and Vitamin C Cream
Shea Butter
A plant butter that adds softness and richness to the Vitamin C Cream and helps the skin feel comfortable after application.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream and Bare Lip Balm
Sodium Phytate
A chelating ingredient that binds trace metals that may be present in water or other raw materials. This helps maintain formula stability and supports the preservative system.
Found in: Hydrating Essence Mist
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
A naturally derived emulsifier that helps keep oil and water evenly blended. It also contributes to the creamy structure and skin feel of the cleansing milk.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
Sorbic Acid
A component of the preservative system that helps protect water based formulas from yeast, mold, and other microbial growth.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Hydrating Essence Mist, and Vitamin C Cream
Sorbitan Olivate
An olive derived emulsifying ingredient that works with Cetearyl Olivate to keep the oil and water phases of the Vitamin C Cream evenly blended.
It is one of the two components of the Olivem 1000 emulsifier system.
Found in: Vitamin C Cream
Sucrose Palmitate
A sugar based co emulsifier used with Sucrose Stearate to help support the creamy texture, emulsification, and rinse characteristics of the cleansing milk.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
Sucrose Stearate
A sugar based emulsifier that helps oil and water interact during cleansing and contributes to the creamy texture and rinse characteristics of the cleansing milk.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk
T
Tamanu Oil
A rich botanical oil with a deep natural color and distinctive aroma. It is used in a smaller amount to give the spot treatment a fuller, more conditioning feel.
Found in: Target Spot Treatment
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
An oil soluble antioxidant that helps slow oxidation and protect the oils in a formula. It also contributes to a softer, more conditioned skin feel.
Vitamin E is not a substitute for the broad spectrum preservative required in formulas that contain water.
Found in: Cream Cleansing Milk, Vitamin C Cream, Target Spot Treatment and Bare Lip Balm
Y
Yogurt Powder
A dairy derived powder that creates a creamy consistency when the mask is mixed with water and helps leave the skin feeling soft and comfortable after rinsing.
Found in: Enzyme Glow Mask
Why I Chose These Ingredients
I choose ingredients based on the job they need to do in the formula.
The oils and butters affect richness, slip, and how the product feels after application. Humectants help the skin attract and hold water. Emulsifiers keep oil and water blended. Preservatives protect formulas that contain water, while antioxidants slow oxidation in oils.
I do not add an ingredient simply because it sounds impressive on a label. It must contribute something useful to the formula or to the way the product performs.
I also do not add fragrance to Botanically Clear products. Any color or natural aroma comes from the oils, powders, and extracts used in the formula.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an emulsifier?
An emulsifier allows oil and water to stay evenly mixed. Without one, products such as the Cream Cleansing Milk and Vitamin C Cream could separate.
Emulsifiers can also affect how a product spreads, feels on the skin, and rinses away.
Why are preservatives included?
Any formula containing water needs protection from bacteria, yeast, and mold.
A broad-spectrum preservative protects the product during storage and normal use. Vitamin E slows oxidation in oils, but it does not provide the same protection as a preservative.
Why are fatty alcohols used?
Cetearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are waxy ingredients used to thicken, stabilize, and improve the texture of creams and cleansers.
They are different from the drying alcohols found in some astringent skincare products.
Do Botanically Clear products contain fragrance?
No added fragrance is used in Botanically Clear products.
Some ingredients, particularly black cumin seed oil, tamanu oil, and botanical powders, have their own natural aromas.
Why do some ingredient names on the label look different?
Cosmetic labels use standardized ingredient names known as INCI names. This means an ingredient may appear under its botanical or technical name on the product label even though a simpler common name is used throughout this dictionary.
For example, jojoba oil may appear as Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, and beeswax may appear as Cera Alba (Beeswax).
Are all ingredients included in this dictionary?
Yes. This dictionary includes every ingredient currently used throughout the Botanically Clear skincare line.
If a formula is updated, the complete ingredient list shown on the product page and packaging will provide the most current information.