Listing Ingredients

[Living Waters]

I was looking at a skin care product that has Allantoin as an ingredient. I went to the skin deep cosmetic data base and looked up what it was.

Shea butter was listed as an allantoin and allantoin is described as a naturally ocurring nitrogenous compound used as a skin conditioning agent.

With that said and in reference to selling products and keeping ingredients as secret as possible (so no one steals your formula), can I just list Allantoin instead of listing shea butter?

I also so another product that instead of listing each essential oil individually, they stated that there was a "mix of ayurvedic essential oils" This product was in Whole Foods.

Now with that said, lol, can i list mine as a "mix of ayurvedic essential oils" or do I have to list them individually?

Oh by the way my products are 100% natural. Thank you all for your help and I look forward to reading your answers.

[dee263]

Can you provide a link to the page where shea butter is listed as allantoin? I have never, ever heard that anywhere; shea is not an allantoin.

As far as labeling to keep "ingredients as secret as possible" that is the exact opposite of what labeling is supposed to do. If a product requires a label with an ingredient list, that list needs to be complete and as clear as possible so the customer knows what she is buying. This page, http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/CosmeticsQA/ucm136560.htm

part of the FDA's website, explains what products are considered cosmetics. There is a wealth of information on the site about labeling requirements.

And I certainly wouldn't buy a product that couldn't tell me which essential oils are being used in a "mix of ayurvedic essential oils" even if it was at Whole Foods.

[Living Waters]

Can you provide a link to the page where shea butter is listed as allantoin? I have never, ever heard that anywhere; shea is not an allantoin.

As far as labeling to keep "ingredients as secret as possible" that is the exact opposite of what labeling is supposed to do. If a product requires a label with an ingredient list, that list needs to be complete and as clear as possible so the customer knows what she is buying. This page, http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/CosmeticsQA/ucm136560.htm

part of the FDA's website, explains what products are considered cosmetics. There is a wealth of information on the site about labeling requirements.

And I certainly wouldn't buy a product that couldn't tell me which essential oils are being used in a "mix of ayurvedic essential oils" even if it was at Whole Foods.

Here is the link http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/wordsearch.php?query=allantoin

INGREDIENT BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA BUTTER) (3,625 products)

matched: BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA BUTTER) ALLANTOIN/wordsearch.php?query=allantoin this is listed on the page

Also I agree with the listing of the essential oils...for instance someone with high blood pressure (like myself) has to be careful with Rosemary. I just found that interesting being that it was being sold in Whole Foods.

Here is the real deal with Allantoin and you are right Shea Butter it is Not!!!

INCI = Allantoin Allantoin is a unique product that is used for skin protection. Allantoin is a white, odorless, crystalline powder. Allantoin is also used to hasten the growth of new, healthy tissue. Allantoin increases the desirability of cosmetic creams and lotions by its action as a skin protectant. Allantoin has been used in various cosmetics like shampoos, lipsticks, shaving creams, suntan products, bath foams, hair gels, baby powders, as well as the typical lotions and creams.

Edited March 1, 2011 by Living Waters

[caryfh]

Individuals with a latex allergy/sensitivity should not use products that contain shea butter. I am unsure whether they are supposed to avoid Allantoin as well, but do you really want a customer using your product and having a reaction simply because you wanted to protect your formulation? I think you would also find that most others are not going to be able to recreate the same product as yours simply by knowing what you put into it as you aren't listing grams of each ingredient.

[Living Waters]

Individuals with a latex allergy/sensitivity should not use products that contain shea butter. I am unsure whether they are supposed to avoid Allantoin as well, but do you really want a customer using your product and having a reaction simply because you wanted to protect your formulation? I think you would also find that most others are not going to be able to recreate the same product as yours simply by knowing what you put into it as you aren't listing grams of each ingredient.

Of coarse I would not anyone to have any type of allergic reaction. As a consumer, if I had allergies to specific things, especially in skin care, I would not buy a product without an ingredient list. That's common sense to me.

A "fragrance" or "fragrance Oil" can have thousands of chemicals in it but each one is not listed on the ingredient list. Therefore if only "fragrance" has to be listed why not be able to simply put "essential oils" on the ingredient list?

So true what you said about anyone being able to copy a formula exactly being that you don't have to list percentages of ingredients. All though you are supposed to label from highest concentration to least.

[Lorelei]

A "fragrance" or "fragrance Oil" can have thousands of chemicals in it but each one is not listed on the ingredient list. Therefore if only "fragrance" has to be listed why not be able to simply put "essential oils" on the ingredient list?

I would say that each essential oil should be named as the FDA really looks at them as a "medication" of sorts. Because it is a highly concentrated form of a natural product, again if someone is highly allergic to say a certain grass can you imagine them putting it on their skin in a highly concentrated form even though it is just a small minute amount in the container.

How about contraindications in pregnancy....and you are formulating a skin product and the woman is pregnant. You would want her to know if there is an essential that might be harmful to her.

Essentials have also been known to lower or raise blood pressure.

Essentials can actually sensitize someone so that the next time they come into contact with that essential they will have a very adverse reaction. Also some essentials can cause photosensitive reactions in light.

Also certain essentials become more potent and some even produce a chemical toxin after a certain time. If putting high concentrations of essentials into some product it would also be advisable to add a formulated date.

This really does allow the consumer to make a choice about the product if each essential is noted.