Have you ever looked at ingredient lists and felt like you were reading a foreign language?! Like what is Butyrospermum Parkii anyway?! Well, this ingredient is actually just shea butter, a common ingredient used for moisturizing the skin. We’re all about giving you the tools to advocate for yourself, so when you see an ingredient like Butyrospermum Parkii, you can know it’s safe, or when you see one like Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (a common ingredient in chemical SPF) to steer clear as it has been shown to be a carcinogen.

If you want to learn more about skincare ingredients to avoid, click here – Botnia decodes skincare ingredients on a label, but if you want to know more about what ingredients to look for we wanted to offer you this helpful post on how to look for key ingredients to aid your skin.

A quick recap about labels

Pro tip #1 Look for a short ingredients list 

That means your product is made of more of the good ingredients in your skincare. The more ingredients you see, the more fillers may be added into your skincare. Less is more. The order of ingredients on the label is also important. The first ingredient being the highest amount of percentage inside the product, listed all the way down to the least amount at 1%.

When you look at an ingredient label you want to see the active ingredients, preservatives, and fragrance at the bottom of the label and the less active ingredients, like water and oils at the top of the label. This is because a balanced formula is essential for the outcome of your skincare goals. We like to think about this like cooking: a touch of salt will make flavors really pop but too much salt will overpower your palate. It’s the same for a balanced formula in skincare. You want to see water, oils, and more gentle ingredients toward the top of the formula and the more active preservatives, active ingredients, and fragrance at the bottom.

For actives, knowing the percentage of a product can help determine if it’s too strong for your skin. For instance, Europe has banned retinol at over 0.3% because of its strength. Here in America retinol can be in formulas up to 3% – this in our opinion is WAY too strong and strong is not always better for your skin.

Pro tip #2 Look for plants!

When looking for plant ingredients on a label, you’ll see a botanical name instead of the common name of the plant. This is called the INCI* ( the short abbreviation for ingredients lists) The Latin name of the plant to distinguish the species and genus of the plant is used. Because some plant names can be the same, for example, Geraniums have about 280 species of geranium and the specific one we use is PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS, aka rose geranium. This specific way of naming helps to differentiate the specific type of plant used in a formulation. If the product doesn’t list the common name, you can use the INCI decoder to help you see which specific plant is used.

When it comes to plant-based skincare, there are many different ways a plant can be added into the formulation: 

• Fresh or dried
• Extracts
• Infused in oil
• Infused in glycerin
• In hydrosol form
• In distillates
• As an enzyme
• Essential oil

The different types make it easier for these ingredients to be formulated with or can target different applications of the ingredient in skincare. For example: Essential oils being most commonly used for added fragrance. Extracts as condensed plant actives, hydrosols as water-based gentle plant extracts and so on.

Plants and their properties for supporting the skin

Learning the types of plants used to target specific skin conditions can help you understand how a product will help you achieve your skin goals. Think of this as your quick shopping guide when looking at a skincare label.

Here are the key ingredients and their botanical names used in Botnia products and how they work to aid the skin in healing shown in bold.

Arnica (ARNICA MONTANA) - It’s used as an ally for easing stressed skin and occasional breakouts. It can also be used when you see environmental stress, redness, dry spots, and other everyday irritations. Is very nutrient-dense in many chemical compounds that help to aid in skin repair and recovery.

Calendula (CALENDULA OFFICINALIS) is used in herbalism to soothe redness, dryness, and puffiness associated with skin that’s endured prolonged damage from the outdoors. Its gentle yet effective nature makes it an ideal ingredient for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Calendula is not only a topical solution; it works harmoniously with our body's largest organ, the lymphatic system. A well-supported lymphatic system promotes a clear complexion and easily eliminates environmental buildup. 

Chamomile (MATRICARIA RECUTITA) - An herb you know and love, its tiny flowers contain powerful terpenes and flavonoids that work hard to keep the skin balanced, clear, calm, and protected. It’s also one of the most effective herbs for easing redness and irritation, making it a commonly used ingredient in skincare for troubled dry, cracked, irritated, and red skin.

Comfrey (SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE)—Its therapeutic properties are attributed to its unique ability to soothe, restore, and protect damaged tissues. Its emollient properties create a light barrier on the skin's surface and help the skin lock in hydration. The mucilage has soothing properties, making it a good choice for rough, red, and dry spots. Our estheticians use comfrey on congested, irritated, and breakout-prone skin. 

Goldenseal (HYDRASTIS CANADENSIS) - It has a long history of use topically in both Chinese medicine and western herbalism and is typically used for congested and irritated skin. Our estheticians turn to goldenseal when the skin is hot, red, itchy, dry, or just generally irritated. 

Green Tea (CAMELLIA SINENSIS) - The antioxidants present in green tea work wonders in reducing inflammation, aiding in cell repair, smoothing the skin's texture, and even treating acne.

Helichrysum (HELICHRYSUM ARENARIUM) - known for their remarkable regenerative and soothing properties and works harmoniously to help calm and heal the skin, promoting a balanced and revitalized complexion.

Jojoba (SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS) - it’s the oil that’s most similar to the sebum in our skin! It’s the perfect moisturizer, keeping your moisture barrier intact, but it also reduces acne and dry skin. Its antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties promote healthy production of the acid mantle, which guards the skin against damaging bacteria and imbalances of the skin. It also supports healing, as well as the prevention of dark spots.

Juniper (JUNIPERUS SPP.) - Juniper is a perfect topical ally because it contains juniperic acid, a slightly exfoliating component that aids the skin in cellular turnover, great for oily skin types, acne-prone, or congested pores. It creates a gentle exfoliation that allows the surface of dead skin cells to slough away easier.

Lavender ​​(LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA) - Not only is lavender relaxing, but it's also able to ease irritation and protect against foreign invaders. Our estheticians turn to lavender when the skin is irritated, rough, stressed out, and needs some extra toning.

Kale (BRASSICA OLERACEA VAR. PALMIFOLIA) - Kale's remarkable nutrient profile makes it an ideal ingredient for nourishing and revitalizing your skin. Its abundance of vitamin A supports cellular turnover and helps maintain a youthful appearance. Vitamin K promotes a healthy complexion by reducing the appearance of dark circles, boosting skin elasticity, and brightening the skin. Meanwhile, vitamin C works as a potent antioxidant, protecting your skin against environmental stressors and supporting collagen production for a radiant glow.

Meadow Sweet (FILIPENDULA ULMARIA) - It has a unique inhibitor that helps reduce the activity of the sebaceous glands, which is great for those who need to regulate oil production to prevent congestion and breakouts. It is also called an astringent in herbalism and helps to tone and tighten skin tissues and contract the pores. Our estheticians use it when the skin has experienced visible environmental stress and sun damage or when there's a desire to shrink pore visibility and support healthy oil production.

Raspberry (RUBUS IDAEUS) - The seeds of ripe raspberries, is a true treasure trove of antioxidants, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. Raspberry oil deeply nourishes and moisturizes the skin. It helps combat free radicals, protecting your skin from premature aging and environmental damage and maintaining a healthy skin barrier, promoting smoothness and preventing moisture loss.

Rose (ROSA SPP.) - We formulate with roses when we’re looking to revive and brighten dull skin and lock in hydration. It’s also a helpful aid for soothing irritated skin or when you need some extra protection from environmental stressors. 

Rose Geranium (PELARGONIUM GRAVEOLENS) - Known as an astringent, which helps to tone and tighten the skin and makes for a more even appearance. It also supports healthy, balanced sebum production, making it great for combination and oily skin types with properties that protect the skin from bad bacteria, soothe irritation.

Sea Buckthorn (HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES) - This skin brightener is one of our favorite botanical oils to formulate with. It's an ideal solution for those who want to preserve their skin, stimulate collagen production, and smooth out fine lines. We use it on all skin types and formulate with it when we want something to deliver deep, conditioning hydration. Sea buckthorn also helps to boost the skin’s elasticity, lock in hydration, and promote cell turnover and regeneration.

Witch Hazel (HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA) - Renowned for its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. Its gentle yet effective toning abilities help tighten pores, reduce excess oil, and soothe inflammation, resulting in a clearer and more balanced complexion. It has been used to reduce redness, and even relieve discomfort from minor skin irritations such as insect bites and sunburn. 

Yarrow (ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM) - Its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties make it a go-to choice for soothing and revitalizing the skin.

Ultimately we believe that We are nature, and it makes so much sense why plants help us heal our skin. Botnia is true farm-to-face skincare—distilling the plant from its most raw form and extracting specific constituents inside the plant to make its properties more powerful (yet gentle).

If you want to examine the key ingredients in our skincare more closely, check out our key ingredients list here to shop by plant and product! We’re passionate about all things science and love delving into plant facts. Have questions about any of our ingredients? Send us a message—we’d love to nerd out with you!

Xo,
Botnia

*INCI is a list of the standardized and internationally accepted names used in the declaration of ingredients on cosmetic and personal care products. It is published by the Personal Care Product Council.