We are very proud of our new collaboration: starting this month, PhD candidate Laura from The Green Cosmetry will write a blog about our SMPL products. She shares her knowledge, experience and vision of our natural ingredients and helps you see the forest through the trees in clean and green cosmetics land.
Today in the spotlight: our multifunctional Wash .
SMPL Wash - by Laura
The body, face, hair and hands Wash from SMPL contains a nice combination of cleansing and moisturizing ingredients. Jojoba oil is a good example of a nourishing ingredient. This is a natural ingredient, made from jojoba dark brown seeds. Jojoba oil consists of 98% wax and is a super moisturizing ingredient! In addition, jojoba oil has many more benefits; it is super effective in the fight against acne and psoriasis.
Aloe vera is another beautiful, natural ingredient of the SMPL Wash. Aloe vera comes from a plant that used to be widely used for medical purposes. This ingredient mainly contains water, but also contains active components such as enzymes and antioxidants. Super interesting for care products. Aloe vera restores, softens, cares for and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
This wash is sulfate free, what does that mean?
You've probably heard of sulfates or SLES. These substances are proven to be irritating to the skin. Everyone reacts differently to this, of course, one is more sensitive than the other. If your skin comes into contact with these substances for a longer period of time, there is a good chance that they will eventually irritate and inflame your skin. You often find these substances in rinse-off products, such as soaps and shampoos, so these substances do not stay on your skin for long. Because SMPL considers it important to make all products suitable for sensitive skin, they have omitted sulphates from their Wash and other products. This makes the Wash perfect for sensitive skin, including that of children and babies.
What exactly is the difference between a hand and body wash?
It's all about the 'soap' ingredients called: surfactants. Surfactants are made of one part that likes to sit in water and another part that prefers oil. Together it can mix water and oil. Dirt and bacteria are contained in oil particles. Surfactants trap the dirty oil particles on your skin or hair and because it also has a water-holding part, you can rinse off the dirt with water.Surfactants need a (short) time to capture the oil particles. You touch a lot with your hands, so it contains more bacteria and therefore a larger oil layer. So there you will have to wash a little longer and let the molecules mix with the dirt.
Unfortunately, they also easily take your natural oils from your skin. But that's why wash products also have ingredients such as polymers, emollients and moisturizing agents, glycerin and antioxidants. These stick to the skin to immediately nourish during washing.
All Wash products basically do the same thing. So you don't need a separate hand soap: a shower gel works just as effectively.
What should you pay attention to when purchasing a wash for your child / baby?
What we mentioned earlier about skin irritations also applies to your child and baby. This skin is extra sensitive, so it is extra important to pay attention to the following:
- mild surfactants, and no sulfates
- avoid perfume or essential oils
- avoid microplastics
My conclusion about this SMPL product
The SMPL Wash does exactly what it should do: cleanse and care for all types of skin and hair. No fragrances or other substances have been added that your skin does not need. If you suffer from skin irritations quickly, this Wash is a very good option!
In addition, all ingredients are plant-based and sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals (ingredients obtained from petroleum by refining) . Why would you rather not see this in your care products? These are not sustainable and can take millions of years to be produced again. This is a VERY important reason to choose alternative ingredients from sustainable sources (such as plants), which can renew themselves at a faster pace. Saves a lot of worries and so much better for our planet!