Glossary of Terms

Astringents
Agents that dry up excess oil on the skin, tightening it temporarily. Usually used in products for oily skin or in skin toners.

Botanicals
Plants used for therapeutic or cosmetic function. Includes medicinal or culinary herbs and spices. Used in fresh, dried or extracted form. All of Mukti Botanicals' preparations contain certified organic herbal extracts.

Dermabrasives
Are agents that exfoliate or buff the top layer of the skin removing dead skin cells, grime and impurities.

Emollients
Emollients serve two functions: they prevent dryness and protect the skin, acting as a barrier and healing agent as well as soothing and softening the skin. They reduce roughness, cracking and irritation and may assist with retarding fine wrinkles. Water is the best emollient but evaporates too quickly to be effective unless used in conjunction with oils in an emulsion. Natural emollients nourish the skin. They are metabolised by the skin’s own enzymes and are readily absorbed, biodegradable and of edible quality.

Emulsifiers
Are agents that create emulsions. Their role is to hold two dissimilar ingredients together that don’t normally homogenise. This can occur as a physical action such as vigorous mixing or physical substances like waxes or soaps. Natural emulsifiers are obtained from nuts, berries and leaves. Emulsifiers assist with prolonging the shelf life of products by keeping the oil and water components combined.

Humectants
Attract water from the air and hold it within a substance, slowly releasing moisture into the skin and protecting against dryness when used in controlled amounts. Natural humectants are naturally derived from vegetable oils.

Surfactants
Are surface-active agents that are used in all foaming products. They are capable of emulsifying oils and holding dirt in a suspension so that they can be rinsed away with water. Surfactants are used in cosmetic preparations to allow lotions and cosmetic liquids to spread out quickly and evenly on the skin. A serious implication with anionic (negatively charged) surfactants is that they may be contaminated with NDELA, a potent carcinogen. The levels at which they are absorbed into the body is much greater than eating nitrate-contaminated foods such as bacon or ham.

Thickeners
Are ingredients used to add body or to stabilise emulsions and other cosmetics. They include waxes, gums, clays, some foaming agents, starches and mineral compounds.