Innersense products are created from a synthesis of carefully selected oils, extracts, and essences. We do not focus on just one ingredient because nature provides us with so many different beneficial botanics, some of which are better suited in one product than another.
Highlighted Ingredients:
- Anfolive- Ideal for sensitive scalps, this surfactant (a substance that blends oils and water) is derived from 100% pure olive oil. It’s a very mild, very effective cleanser that provides a conditioning effect while respecting the integrity of the skin’s hydro lipid film (the protective top layer of the skin that keeps skin elastic, restores pH, and keeps out micro organisms)
- Apricotamidopropyl Betaine- This is a gentle, softening cleanser derived from the fatty acids in apricots; it is the main cleanser in all Innersense hair baths
- Golden Seal: Golden Seal is a natural anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent. Historically, it was used to inflammation, irritation, cuts, abrasions, and soothed mucus membranes in the eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Jojoba Seed Oils: Jojoba, the non-greasy, nourishing oil from the seeds of the desert shrub, is actually a liquid wax and as such closely resembles our natural skin oils. It is an excellent moisturizer for dry to normal skin and hair.
- Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender is adaptogenic, meaning that it normalizes both oily and dry skin and hair. It is also antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and regenerative. Lavender is great for sensitive or mature skin, dandruff, and inflammatory and hair loss conditions.
- Orange Peel Wax: Orange peel wax is a byproduct from the rinds of oranges. It is a plant-based replacement for lanolin and is considered a good vegetable alternative to animal wax. It is a skin conditioning agent that has the added benefit of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.
- Oat Kernal Extract: This natural emulsifier and film former provides soothing anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-itch benefits, as well as moisturizing, strengthening, and reconstructing hair
- Rice Protein: Provides anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, and anti-oxidant benefits. A natural emulsifier, rice protein has strong moisturizing, strengthening, and reconstructing capabilities.
- Rooibos: With its high level of anti-oxidants and anti-aging capabilities, rooibos helps destroy free radicals that can harm the body, and recent studies even showed that it helps boost the immune system when fighting viral infections.
- Soy Amino Acids: Keratin (the protein that makes up hair and nails) as well as collagen and elastin (proteins in the skin) require amino acids (the building blocks of all protein) to remain strong, vibrant, and healthy. Soy is one of the plants that contains the highest amounts of amino acids. The amino acids found in soy give skin firmness, and give hair shine and strength.
- Wheatgrass: With 17 amino acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and chlorophyll, wheatgrass helps repair cells, tissue, the clotting of blood, and the metabolism of nutrients. Research shows that wheatgrass also produces an immunization effect against many dietary carcinogens.
Other Antioxidants, Anti-Inflammatories, Antivirals, Antimicrobials, and Antibacterials
- Echinacea Angustifolia Extract
- Green Tea
- Honey Bush Tea
- Lemongrass
- Shea Butter
- Sunflower
- Passion Flower
- Rice Bran Oil
- Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil
- Tamanu Oil
- Chamomile: From the Greek chamaimelon, or “earth apple,” chamomile’s sweet, earthy, light scent promotes relaxation and peace.
- Cinnamon Bark: The warm, spicy aroma of cinnamon stimulates the circulatory system and is particularly nice in cold-weather, and invigorating baths and massages.
- Lotus Essences: For thousands of years, the lotus flower has been revered for its enlightening, healing, and loving spiritual powers. It was used in ancient religious ceremonies wherever it grew. Lotus cools the body temperature and has long been used to cleanse and purify the skin.
- Frangipani (Plumeria): The delightfully sweet aroma has been used in meditation to subdue fear and depression by bringing an overwhelming sense of peace.
- Frankincense: For more than 3000 years, spiritual leaders have used frankincense to reduce stress, calm the body and mind, and promote higher spiritual thinking. This is the classic meditation scent.
- Jasmine: This delicate, white flower emits a smooth, distinct scent that powers the emotion centers in the brain causing a release of inhibitions, making it a standard ingredient in ancient love and calming rituals.
- Orange Flower Oil: Benefits of orange include therapeutic relief of anxiety, insomnia, and nervousness.
- Artificial Color and Fragrance: Shown to be some of the most prevalent sensitizers (cause of allergic reactions or chemical sensitivities) in cosmetic preparations.
- DEA, MEA, TEA, or MIPA Compounds: These are synthetic surfactants used in soaps and many shampoos. These ingredients are allergenic, and may also be contaminated with nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens. They’re on the FDA’s list of suspected carcinogens.
- Formaldehyde: A suspected carcinogen, this colorless, pungent, irritating substance is found in many preservatives, such as quaternium-15, the hydantoins and ureas, and surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate.
- Hydrolyzed Animal Protein: Innersense products do not contain any animal by-products nor do we test on animals. In haircare products, it's used to add shine and prevent split ends.
- Imidazolidinyl and Diazolidinyl Urea: These commonly used preservatives are antiseptic and deodorizing. They have been established by the American Academy of Dermatology to be primary causes of contact dermatitis (causing adverse reactions such as rashes that can be quite severe). Keep clear of the eye area, as it is an eye irritant.
- Lanolin: Lanolin itself is perfectly safe, but cosmetic-grade lanolin can be contaminated with harmful and sometimes carcinogenic pesticides such as DDT, dieldrin, and lindane, in addition to other neurotoxic chemicals.
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone: These are sensitizers and known to cause allergies. They are preservatives with antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
- PEG-8 (polyethylene glycol): This synthetic detergent is on the FDA’s list of suspected carcinogens and, according to the FDA, is “highly allergenic.”
- PEG compounds: These synthetic glycols are used as binders, solvents, emollients, plasticizers, bases, carriers, emulsifiers and dispersants. They cause many allergic reactions. PEG compounds may contain the carcinogenic contaminant, Dioxane.
- Petrochemicals: Made from petroleum or “crude oil,” the petrochemical industry creates some of the most valuable medical and industrial substances ever known, yet they also include some of the most hazardous substances ever made. This danger is a result of imbalance: in nature, each natural compound is balanced by an associated natural enzyme that can break it down so that it decomposes harmlessly. However, synthetic organic chemicals don’t occur in nature and no natural enzymes exist to break them down. As a result, many petrochemicals remain in the environment for a long time. Petroleum pollutes the environment when we drill for it, when we transport it, and when we refine it. Oil spills average a million gallons a month and refineries release 8.25 million pounds of toxins into our air and water each year. Every time we use a petrochemical product, we contribute to this pollution and we further deplete an important and non-renewable global resource whose supplies are expected to disappear around the year 2050.
- Phalates (tha-lates): These are chemicals used to add flexibility and dissolve other ingredients; they can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled and have been linked to birth defects in the male reproductive system.
- Propylene Glycol: This is a neurotoxin, petroleum-derived humectant, surfactant, solvent, and carrier that is known to cause contact dermatitis along with a wide variety of allergic reactions.
- Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A wide variety of these caustic ammonium compounds are used in cosmetics, especially hair conditioners. They give a soft feel to the hair and stabilize the rinse’s or conditioner’s emulsion, but dry the scalp, and make the hair dry and brittle. They also can cause allergic reactions and their waste pollutes the environment
- Sulfate-based products: Sulfates are used in the manufacture of synthetic soaps, detergents, emollient creams and shampoos (like sodium lauryl and laureth sulfate). They dry hair and skin, cause massive amount of pollution (particularly with marine life), and irritate the eyes.
