What we mean by Absolute Purity
Many medical experts believe that over use of harsh products is linked to the rise in sensitive skin. Exposing your skin to these chemicals can reduce moisture levels in your skin dramatically. Our team of formulation scientists believes in skincare without unnecessary chemicals and with active hydrating ingredients to enhance all skin types even the most sensitive skin.
Our promise of absolute purity means no sulfates SLES/SLS, no parabens, no perfume, no formadehyde, no alcohol, no soap, no colours & more.
Find out more about these chemical ingredients:
NO PARABENS
Parabens are synthetic compounds of the benzoate family, implicated in a large number of health issues. They are used as preservatives in many skincare and cosmetic products. Recent studies found parabens in human breast cancer tissue. This raises questions about their ability to accumulate in our bodies. There is also evidence that parabens may disrupt the body's hormone systems by duplicating the effects of estrogen.
NO ALCOHOL
In cosmetic labeling, the term "alcohol," refers to ethyl alcohol. Ethyl alcohol can dry out skin and hair. Cosmetic products, including those labeled "alcohol free," may contain other alcohols, such as cetyl, stearyl or cetearyl alcohol. This can lead to some confusion among consumers when they check the ingredient listings on cosmetic labels to determine alcohol content. These are known as fatty alcohols, and their effects on the skin are quite different from those of ethyl alcohol. Others include benzyl alcohol which is used as a preservative.
NO SULFATE FREE/SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE (SLES) /SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE (SLS)
Sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate are surfactants/cleansing agents used widely in shampoos, cleansing lotions, bath products, toothpastes and liquid wash products. They can cause skin irritation, eye irritation and contact eczema in some individuals. When used in bath products they can cause irritation to the mucous membranes resulting in urinary tract inflammation and infection. Various studies have been carried out demonstrating other harmful effects of SLS and SLES such as their protein denaturing properties which has been linked to immune system impairment within the skin.
NO FORMALDEHYDE
Formaldehyde can be used as a preservative and is also found in nail hardeners. It is a proven neurotoxin, genotoxin, carcinogen and skin irritant. It is involved in DNA damage and inhibits its repair. Its presence may not be detailed on the label as it may be released when certain products break down or react with another product.
NO DYES/NO COLOUR
These are pigments or coloured chemicals used to impart a certain colour to the product. They are used to improve the appearance and are unnecessary for the functionality of skincare products. Crude oil, coal tar and mineral derived dyes and lakes can contain carcinogenic arsenic and lead. In the USA FD&C colours are certified for use in food, drugs and cosmetics. D&C colours are certified for use in drugs and cosmetics. Some synthetic colours have been associated with childhood hyperactivity disorders as well as cancer.
NO PHTHALATES * We don't add Phthalates to our formulations.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are used in the production of plastics and vinyl products to help make them softer and are used as solvents in cosmetics and other household products. They may be listed as dibutyl phthalate, dithylhexyl phthalate, DEHP and DBP. However they are not always listed on the product label because they are often components of the listed ‘fragrance’, ‘parfum’, or ‘perfume’. DEHP has been linked to male and female reproductive problems and the EU has banned the use of some phthalates in PVC toys listing it as a ‘substance of very high concern’.
NO LANOLIN
Lanolin, also known as wool fat is often used as an emollient and emulsifier and is derived from sheep’s oil glands. It can be an irritant and can cause chapping of the skin. If the lanolin is not of a sufficiently high grade then there is a risk of exposure to traces of DDT, dieldrin, lindane and other neurotoxic pesticides.
NO FRAGRANCE/NO PERFUME
Artificial fragrances and perfumes can contain typically a hundred or more fragrance chemicals. Many of these are known to have irritant, harmful and toxic properties and many adverse reactions to skincare products are linked to these fragrance chemicals. When a mixture of fragrance chemicals is added to a skincare product it is indicated on the label by the word ‘fragrance’. The individual chemicals, of which there may be hundreds, are not listed.
& more……
The water used in elave products is high grade purified water which has been filtered to remove harsh drying chemicals such as fluoride, metals and chlorine. Our purified water is tested both in-house and independently on a daily basis to ensure its purity reaches our highest quality standards. The inclusion of such purified water enables very safe, low levels of antimicrobial ingredients to be used in elave products.
Preservatives are used in elave products to ensure the microbiological integrity of the products is maintained. However only preservatives with the lowest irritancy profiles are used to avoid irritating even the most sensitive skin. In addition to using the gentlest preservatives, we use the lowest quantity of preservatives necessary to preserve the product to further avoid irritating sensitive skin.
The elave skincare range is against animal testing.
The elave skincare range is manufactured in Ireland in a Pharmaceutical Grade Facility.