• We use ingredients that have been extensively tested for safety and efficacy. We don't use ingredients simply because they are naturally derived.
• We don't follow the crowd, so if an ingredient has been maligned in the popular media we look at the relevant scientific research. Often this illustrates that many concerns are erroneous and taken out of context.
• To place this approach in context and to show that we are not complete mavericks we quote a statement from Mignon, "...when I (Mignon) first had the idea for the range I wanted products that were preservative free and natural, and that excluded any demonised ingredients whist being gentle and effective. It took a lot to convince me that preservatives were not only required, but essential for a safe product, and even more to show me that many demonised ingredients were not dangerous and in fact were often the best ingredient available. Undertaking this research challenged the views that I, in common with many others, had come to hold as a result of accepting incorrect media reporting. I'm glad to see now that some popular magazines are writing articles unravelling the beauty myths.."

What type of preservatives do you use?

All the ingredients we use to preserve the products are derived from natural sources e.g. Benzoates, silver, essential oils and citric acid. Almost all of them have benefits in skincare as well as helping preserve the products. The only two that are used solely for their use as preservatives are Methylparaben and Propylparaben. They are only used in cream- based products and are also the most contentious of the preservatives we use.

Parabens is the name of a group of preservatives which can be derived from natural sources (from benzoates - found in cranberries, prunes, cinnamon and cassia) or made completely synthetically. They are used in many cosmetics and also food, and occur extensively in nature. They received a lot of bad press since Dr Philippa Darbre, a senior lecturer at Reading University, found parabens in 18 out of 20 human breast tumours studied. However Dr Chris Flower, the director general of the Cosmetics and Toiletry and Perfumery foundation confirms that we have used parabens for over 50 years and as a result there is extensive data proving its safety. Furthermore Dr Stephen Antczak, the co author of the book Cosmetics Unmasked, pointed out very clearly that parabens should be found in the tumours as many of the drugs used to treat tumours actually contain parabens, which may be injected into the tumour or tumour cells.

The parabens we use (Methylparabens and Propylparabens) are derived from natural sources and are food grade preservatives, present in many foods we eat. They have been tested extensively and a final report published in the Journal of the American College of Toxicology (Vol 3, No 5, 1984, page 147) concludes that they are safe as cosmetic ingredients in present practices of use. In addition we only use half of the suggested amount, as we prefer to limit the use of preservatives as much as we can.

Why use preservatives at all?

The simple answer is safety. With oil-only or water-only formulations, essential oils and other ingredients we have included for their skin care benefits are able to also keep the product safe for use. Unfortunately when oil and water is mixed, as they are when creams are made, the amount of potential danger increases dramatically, and ingredients with specific qualities need to be used in order to prevent contamination. This is when we use small amounts of Methylparaben and Propylparaben.

What about the use of silver?

Silver properly used is a completely non-toxic and natural germ fighter. The silver we use is colloidal silver, silver that has been broken down into the tiniest form. It is used in many applications including medicine and for the purification of water.

Why do we use mineral oil?

There are many reasons we use mineral oil as an ingredient in some of our products:

1. White mineral oil is not synthetic, it occurs naturally in the earth, and is simply purified according to British Pharmacopeia standards to its final state.
2. It is also known that hydrocarbons of paraffinic structure exist naturally in human skin
3. We use mineral oil because it is inert. That basically means that it remains stable, whereas many plant oils are not. What often happens with plant based oils is that as soon as they are on the skin and are exposed to sunlight or are heated by the skin itself, a change in the structure of the oils occur, which results in a free radical chain reaction. One of the results of this can be ageing due to effect of uncontrolled free radicals on the skin. Mineral oil remains stable. As heating occurs, the essential oils contained in the cream are able to become small enough to penetrate the skin. The mineral oil lies on the surface as a barrier protecting the skin from dust, pollution and other undesirable elements and also preventing moisture loss.
4. Many of the mineral oil substitutes are merely synthetically made copies of the original, with the same structures.
5. The safety of white mineral oil has been confirmed by a review published in the Journal Food and Chemical Toxicology (Vol 34, No2, 1996, page 213), as well as the CTFA and other sources. It has been used for decades in a wide range of products including creams and lotions and baby products, and many cosmetic ingredients can't claim such extensive testing.
6. If people still feel that they do not like the mineral oil to remain on their skin, it would not affect the operation of the additional oils if the skin was wiped clean after 10 minutes. The only problem would be the lack of the protective barrier.