Ingredient Glossary Home

Meet Our Ingredients

Learn all about the heroes powering Root Cause Skincare™

NON-TOXIC • SENSITIVE SAFE • ROOTED IN NATURE

Anti-Inflammation

Apricot Kernel Oil

Prunus amygdalus dulcis

Powerful anti-inflammatory properties, packed with naturally-occurring vitamins A and E. Soothing and full of fatty acids, too.

Strength + Antioxidant

Artichoke Leaf Extract

Cynara scolymus

Helps improve the strength of your skin's cells from the inside out. Full of ferulic acids, caffeic acids, silymarin, and vitamin C.

Conditioning + Healing

Avocado Oil

Persea gratissima

Deeply moisturizes and encourages the formation of healthier new skin. Helps promote healing while protecting against inflammation.

Hydration + Nutrition

Beet Root Extract

Beta vulgaris

Polysaccharides (sugars) help improve moisture retention and hydrate the skin thoroughly. Phytocompounds bolster cell renewal.

Bioactive

Black Pepper Extract

Tetrahydropiperine

Promotes increased bioavailability of other ingredients in formulations.

Emollience

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

Gives a non-oily, moisture-sealing finish. Helps disperse active ingredients evenly.

Antioxidant

Caffeine

Coffea arabica

Reduces redness while tightening and brightening the skin, reducing wrinkles and visibly smoothing cellulite on the body.

Nutrition

Calcium

Known to help regulate sebum production, as well as maintain a strong barrier. Particularly helpful for eczema- and acne-prone skin

Preservative

Caprylhydroxamic Acid

A non-toxic preservative. We use this instead of parabens, benzoates, and other harmful standardly-used options.

Stability

Carbomer

Creates stable gel-like textures, and helps increase permeation of active ingredients.

Anti-Inflammation + Stability

Castor Seed Oil

Provides excellent anti-inflammatory power, known to help fight wrinkles and acne alike.

Hydration + Strength

Ceramides

Natural lipids that make up essential structures in your skin's barrier. We use a proprietary complex of three ceramides.

Emulsification

Cetearyl Alcohol

Reduces redness while tightening and brightening the skin, reducing wrinkles and visibly smoothing cellulite on the body. Not a drying alcohol.

Emulsification

Cetearyl Glucoside

Known to help regulate sebum production, as well as maintain a strong barrier. Particularly helpful for eczema- and acne-prone skin

Emulsification

Cetyl Alcohol

All-purpose plant oil derived emulsifier, thickener, and moisturizer. Not a drying alcohol.

Corrector + Antioxidant

Chia Seed Oil

Salvia hispanica

Full of restorative fatty acids that boost the skin’s barrier repair mechanisms. It's fiber content helps firm skin.

Hydration + Strength

Cholesterol

A natural element in your skin's barrier, it helps prevent water loss, support barrier wellness, and replenish lipid content.

Cleansing

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine

An ultra-gentle cleanser that comes from coconut. Non-irritating and non-stripping.

Conditioning + Nutrition

Cocoa Butter

Theobroma cacao

Reduces redness while tightening and brightening the skin, reducing wrinkles and visibly smoothing cellulite on the body.

Conditioning + Antimicrobial

Coconut Oil

Cocos nucifera

Anti-microbial moisturizer and conditioner, loaded with fatty acids. Graded non-comedogenic.

Antioxidant

CoQ10

Ubiquinone

The famed antioxidant helps product usable energy for your skin cells, and reduce visible signs of aging.

Hydration + Soothing

Cucumber Fruit Extract

Cucumis sativus

An excellent hydrator and soother, and can help minimize pores.

Emollience

Diheptyl Succinate

and Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Biodegradable and non-comedogenic alternative to silicones

Cell-Communicator

DIM

Diindolylmethane

Our exclusive, patent-pending hero. One of a handful of cell-communicating ingredients in the world. Helps with over 50 concerns.

Preservative

Ethylhexylglycerin

Clean, non-toxic preservative that also helps soften the skin.

Antioxidant + Nutrition

Glutathione Reduced

The #1 antioxidant for fighting inflammation. Also a peptide made of 3 amino acids.

Hydration + Soothing

Glycerin

Helps pull hydration into your skin, and protects against environmental stressors.

Emulsification

Glyceryl Stearate

An ultra-stabilizing emulsifier that also helps protect the skin from dehydration.

Exfoliation

Glycolic Acid

Super gentle sugarcane-derived exfoliant that doesn't interfere with the skin's pH. Also helps lighten dark spots.

Antioxidant

Horse Chestnut Seed Extract

Aesculus hippocastanum

Our favorite antioxidant superhero. Studied to work at 40x the power of Vitamin C. De-puffs and promotes circulation.

Hydration

Hyaluronic Acid

Sodium hyaluronate

Famed skin-identical hydrator, holding up to 1000x its weight in water. Also helps promote healing.

Conditioning

Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Non-irritating, anti-inflammatory moisturizer. Has also been shown to fight off acne.

Conditioning

Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate

An anti-inflammatory alternative to silicone. Conditions the skin while providing a smooth finish.

Conditioning

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

An anti-inflammatory alternative to silicone. Conditions the skin while providing a smooth finish.

Conditioning + Nutrition

Jojoba Seed Oil

Simmondsia chinensis

Mimics your skin's own natural oils, making it a great balancer. Has also been shown to boost colagen production.

Hydration + Nutrition

Kalahari Melon Extract

Citrullus lanatus

Rich in potassium, Vitamins A, C, B, amino acids, & lycopene. Hydrates while smoothing lines and fading dark spots.

Hydration + Exfoliation

Lactic Acid

A sensitive skin-safe leave-on exfoliant that gently promotes cell turnover, even texture, and removal of dead skin.

Probiotic

Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate

A probiotic beneficial to fighting inflammation, acne, rosacea, and more.

Strength + Emollience

Lecithin

Sunflower lecitihin

One of the most versatile ingredients – also a cell-communicating ingredient. Hydration, barrier strength, fatty acids, delivers other ingredients.

Correction

Licorice Root Extract

Glycyrrhiza glabra

Powerful and highly-tolerable corrective active. Helps fade dark spots, brighten, fight acne, and more.

Protection + Correction

Mango Seed Butter

Mangifera indica

Helps fight sun damage, soften skin, prevent and fade scarring, and balance oil production.

Stability

Microcrystalline Wax

A vegan wax alternative for thickening and stabilizing.

Antioxidant + Correction

Milk Thistle Seed Oil

Silybum marianum

Slows collagen degradation, calms redness, and fights inflammation.

Anti-Inflammation

Moringa Seed Extract

Moringa oleifera

A sensitive skin-safe antibacterial. Strong acne fighter, helps promote healing, and helps boost collagen.

Corrector

Niacinamide

Vitamin B3

Another cell-communicating ingredient, famed for balancing sebum, fading dark spots, and calming the skin.

Correction + Nutrition

Orange Flower Extract

Citrus aurantium dulcis

Full of peptides that help promote new collagen formation and antioxidants to protect from free-radicals.

Anti-Inflammation + Healing

Pantothenic Acid

Vitamin B5

A superhero for helping repair damaged skin. Ideal for acne, skin picking, eczematic skin, and more.

Protection

Petrolatum USP (100% Pure)

100% pure, non-toxic, dermatologist-recommended skin protectant. Helps ensure actives and nutrients don't evaporate.

Preservative

Phenoxyethanol

Non-toxic preservative, alternative to parabens. Used at under 5% concentration, ensuring non-irritation.

Strength

Phytosphingosine

A naturally-occurring lipid that makes up essential structures of your skin's barrier.

Nutrition + Correction

Pomegranate Extract

Punica granatum

Instantly lifts, optimizes skin barrier function, and creates suppleness.

Stability

Propanediol

Clean, non-toxic solvent alternative to propylene glycol. Non-irritating and helps ingredient absorption.

Hydration + Nutrition

Raspberry Seed Oil

Rubus idaeus

Made up of 85% Omega fatty acids, it's a superhero for healing, anti-inflammatory, and promoting collagen.

Anti-Inflammation

Rosemary Leaf Extract

Rosmarinus officinalis

A powerful acne fighter, balancing sebum levels and diminishing inflammation.

Antioxidant

RS-Alpha Lipoic Acid

Known as the "universal antioxidant," it helps fight aging by neutralizing free radicals and promoting collagen.

Detoxing

Sea Kelp Bioferment

Lactobacillus/Nereocystis Luetkeana Ferment Filtrate

Actively cleans the skin while moisturizing and and infuses probiotics.

Conditioning + Anti-Inflammation

Shea Butter

Butyrospermum parkii

Rapidly restores the skin’s lipids and slows down inflammatory cells and scarring. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Cleansing

Sodium C14-16 Alpha Olefin Sulfonate

Clean, non-toxic cleansing ingredient. Used below 2% and only in rise-off formulas, ensuring it is never irritating.

Bioavailability

Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate

A clean, non-toxic ingredient that helps improve the absorption of lipids.

Nutrition

Spinach Leaf Extract

Spinacia oleracea

Packed with minerals, vitamins and flavonoids, it's high antioxidant properties.

Hydration + Conditioning

Squalane

A natural skin-identical moisturizer, ensuring absorption into the skin’s deep lipid layers. ECOCERT and vegan (sugarcane-derived).

Stability

Stearyl Palmitate

A multi-purpose ingredient that helps stabilize, whiten, and thicken emulsions.

Strength + Antioxidant

Sunflower Seed Oil

Helianthus annuus

Roughly 70% Omega fatty acids, this super oil is extremely beneficial to the skin's barrier. Also has antioxidant properties.

Correction + Conditioning

Sweet Almond Oil

Prunus amygdalus dulcis

Exceptionally high fatty acid content, helping the barrier. Also high in natural Vitamin A, helping collagen production and fighting scarring.

Stability

Tetrasodium EDTA

Helps stabilize formulations and make sure ingredients don't incorrectly bind to each other.

Antioxidant

Vitamin C

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

All-time great antioxidant, brightener, dark spot-fader. Reduces UV damage and boosts collagen production.

Antioxidant

Vitamin E

Tocopheryl Acetate

A highly potent antioxidant, especially when combined with Vitamin C. Soothing, protective, and regenerative.

Hydration + Stability

Water

Aqua

Good old H2O! The base for nearly every formula. Reminder: drink some water.

Anti-Inflammation

Willow Bark Extract

Salix alba

A gentler alternative to salicylic acid, providing similar anti-acne and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Stability

Xanthan Gum

Helps to produce creamy textures in our products, and also helps in stabilizing emulsifications.

Strength + Soothing

Zinc Oxide

Well-known calming, soothing, and pro-barrier mineral. Used under 5%, so it's totally non-toxic.