Olive (Emulsifier)

INCI: Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate (source from Olives)

Primary Function: Emulsifier to blend oil-based and water-based ingredients and actives together.

Secondary Benefits: Our Olive oil derived compounds are similar to naturally occurring compounds found in human skin that help protect the skin barrier and allow nutrients to absorb evenly.

History of Use: Perhaps the OG holy grail ingredient, the use of olive oil can be traced back for thousands of years in everything from cooking to cosmetics. A number one natural beauty ingredient across many cultures, it has truly stood the test of time. Just ask the Greeks—originally thought to be a gift from the Goddess Athena, the cutting of an olive tree was once a crime punishable by death. For centuries, olive oil was used on Greek and Roman athletes and upper class individuals to help with muscle fatigue, reduce risk of injury, and cleanse their bodies. In addition to Mediterranean societies, olive oil was also a key ingredient in beauty rituals for Ancient Egyptians. Rumor has it, olive oil was among Cleopatra’s favorite ingredients in her legendary beauty regiment.

Ingredient Source: Our Olive Oil derived compounds are sourced from a COSMOS-Standard approved supplier that strives to source organic ingredients from facilities committed to biodiversity and maintaining eco-friendly and clean manufacturing and processing factories up to the highest health and safety standards. For more information see information on COSMOS Standards see reference 2.

Science:

Emulsifier: Allows mixing of oil and water
Skin-similar features: Everyone’s skin is composed of fat molecules called lipids, which have tails attached called fatty acids (sometimes referred to as just “acids”). These acids help maintain beautiful and healthy skin. Supplementation of our natural supply of fatty acids with additional active ingredients can boost hydration, glow, and smoothness. Sounds pretty great, right? Our olive oil derived emulsifier is composed of fatty acids similar to those found in the skin, therefore, when applying ingredients with the emulsifier, our skin recognizes the chemical composition and has a more natural affinity to absorbing the nutrients.
Protective Characteristic: Not only does our olive oil derived emulsifier have a naturally soothing effect on skin cells, clinical studies showed that our emulsifier reduces pro-inflammatory markers and cellular stress.
Preservation of the Skin Microbiome: The skin microbiome is the ecosystem of bacteria that lives on the skin’s surface. The importance of the skin microbiome has been undergoing intense scrutiny in the science world, and it has direct ties to the products we use on our skin. Our skin is delicate, and avoiding harsh ingredients that disrupt this balance is essential when reviewing the ingredients that go into our products. For instance, a more diverse skin microbiome tends to correlate with better skin health. Additionally, the abundance of some particular microbes are related to skin health or dysbiosis. In a clinical study using healthy subjects, the overall microbial diversity did not show any major significant changes (rather showed a trend toward increase diversity) and displayed no significant differences in bacterial composition.

Scientific Sources: