Natural Skin Care & Deodorant FAQs

Read what sets us apart here.

Our ingredients are pure and fresh, and we want to keep them that way. We do not use water, artificial or synthetic preservatives. Instead, we rely on the naturally antibacterial and antifungal properties of several botanical oils to boost the shelf life of our products. As a result, they do expire with time, as nature intends. To get the most our of our natural skin care products, keep your them cool, dry, out of direct sunlight, and always use clean hands (or a spoon) in the jar. The period after opening symbol on the packaging will indicate the number of months after opening you should use up the product for best results.

We take great care in selecting unadulterated ingredients that are ultra rich in naturally occurring antioxidants and minerals. We base our selections on several criteria: locality, purity and organic certification. As such, we source the vast majority of our ingredients from trusted UK and EU suppliers. Read more about our natural organic ingredients, where they come from and how they benefit your skin here.

GLUTEN FREE?

Yes, our products are free. We use organic wheatgerm oil and vitamin e derived from wheatgerm oil in some formulations. Despite sounding to the contrary, wheatgerm oil is gluten free. The refining process used to make wheatgerm oil removes gluten proteins from the final ingredient before we add it to our lovely products. A gluten free ingredient declaration statement is available upon request.

SOY FREE?

Yes, our products are soy free. We use organic coconut milk powder in the formulation and organic Maltodextrin makes up 2.5% of this ingredient. Our Maltodextrin is derived from organic Tapioca starch, which is extracted from a tuberous South American Cassava root. We also use glycerine derived from rape seed as opposed to soy.

NUT FREE?

All of our products are nut free. However, we use ingredients that may have been packed on premises that handles nuts (including peanuts), seeds, cereals, soy and products containing gluten prior to coming to our facility for mixing up into our lovely range of products.

PALM OIL FREE?

We don’t use palm oil directly in any of our formulations, however we do use some ingredients that are derived from Responsibly Sourced Palm Oil (RSPO). These tend to be emulsifiers that are needed to achieve the texture and results our customers have come to expect from our hair and body care products. Where palm-derived ingredients are used, they are notified on the ingredients list and they are certified RSPO.

A woman can be extra sensitive to many substances during pregnancy. For that reason we recommend waiting until after your baby is born before using products that contain essential oils. Rinse-off products, such as shampoo or a facial cleanser, will be less readily absorbed into the bloodstream. When in doubt, we always recommend that you consult your primary healthcare provider.

HEAVENS NO! We strongly oppose GMO agriculture.

Not all of our products are vegan, some contain beeswax. Please see our list of vegan products here.

Yes, we do not use any animal by-products in our formulas.

No. We never have and never will. All our products are Leaping Bunny approved.

To say that our products are chemical-free would be misleading, as everything at it’s core is technically a chemical.

All of our skincare products are free from synthetic additives known to be harmful, including parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances and colours. Our products are scented using extremely high quality, organic essential oils. List of ingredients we do not use

Production is located on a farm near Olney in Buckinhamshire, where our team of artisans make our products by hand. Every product is hand-packed, inspected and recorded, all before it makes its way to you! Read more about our process.

There is no straightforward answer to this question. We recommend that you do your own research so that you can make informed decisions when deciding what to apply on your skin.

Many off-the-shelf deodorants and antiperspirants contain undesirable chemicals that stay on your skin even after you shower. Aluminium, triclosan, phthalates, parabens, propylene glycol and formaldehyde (to name a few) are absorbed into the bloodstream on contact and, although you may not be able to detect them, they can continue to block the fragile ducts for up to 24 hours after you shower. Many of the synthetic ingredients used in mainstream products are known hormone disruptors, increase ones’ bio-toxicity and are now linked to breast cancer in both men and women. As well as breast cancer, exposure to aluminium has been linked to numerous human neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The long-term effects of daily exposure to these chemicals is still being studied, and more and more science is showing how dangerous they really are. Referenced from Breast Cancer UK.

Breast Cancer UK supports a ban on the use of aluminium compounds in cosmetics designed to be left on the skin, and in particular, for use in under-arm products. Read more about this here, so you can make your own informed decision.

The most disruptive and dangerous chemicals you should do your best to avoid putting anywhere near your body are: BHA & BHT, Coal tar dyes (p-phenylenediamine and colours listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number or by colour, e.g. “FD&C Blue No. 1” or “Blue 1”), DEA/MEA-related ingredients, Dibutyl phthalate, Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives (Look for DMDM hydantoin, diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea, methenamine and quarternium-15), Parabens, PEGs, Parfum (a.k.a. fragrance), Petrolatum, ingredients ending in “-siloxane” or “-methicone), and Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS).

Read more information about chemicals to avoid and where they commonly found.

Unlike antiperspirant, deodorant doesn’t stop you from sweating. Instead it works by fighting odour-causing bacteria that live on your skin. Sweat in itself is practically odourless – the smell of BO is created by the process of bacteria on the skin breaking down sweat. Sweating is normal, natural and healthy for your lymphatic system. It is your body’s way of releasing toxins. Our deodorant range enables your body to detoxify itself naturally, while keeping you fresh all day. We use natural Kaolin clay and Arrowroot powder to absorb moisture and help keep you drier.

The healthiest ways to extract the vital compounds from botanicals is by either cold-pressing or steam-distilling them.

Cold-Pressed: This is where the oil is extracted by first grinding nuts, seeds or plant parts into a paste. Then an oil stone or other mechanical tool is used to press the paste which forces the oil to separate out.

Steam Distillation: Hot steam helps to release aromatic molecules from the plant material by forcing open the pockets in which the oils are kept. The steam, which then contains the essential oil, is condensed as it passes through a cooling system. This forms a liquid from which the essential oil and water is then separated. Steam distillation is the most common form of essential oil extraction.

No, they are not. That being said, our products do contain a majority percentage of Soil Association Certified Organic ingredients. Where Certified Organic ingredients are not possible to obtain, we source materials that are Fairtrade, Wild-crafted, Unrefined, and/or locally raised, grown and/or produced. Simply put, we buy the best quality ingredients we can get our hands on.

Yes.

Awake Organics believes that beauty should be cruelty free.

We are proud to be Leaping Bunny approved. A global programme, Leaping Bunny requires cruelty free beauty standards over and above legal requirements.

All of our own brand cosmetic and personal care products are approved under the Cruelty Free International Leaping Bunny Programme, the internationally recognisable gold standard for cruelty free products. We adhere to a fixed cut-off date policy and proactively monitor our suppliers to ensure that our products continue to adhere to the Leaping Bunny criteria. Our supplier monitoring system is also independently audited.

Pure, high-vitamin oils are the best moisturisers and cleansers for skin, even oily and acne-prone skin. We only use oils that are non-comedogenic, meaning that they are not known to clog pores. Products containing synthetic oils, like mineral oil, do the opposite.

Our moisturisers an serums also use non-comedogenic ingredients, as well as essential and cold-pressed oils that are known to help balance oily skin.

A woman can be extra sensitive to many substances during pregnancy. For that reason we recommend waiting until after your baby is born before using products that contain essential oils. Star Cloud is a gentle, unscented natural deodorant that does not contain essential oils. Rinse-off products, such as shampoo or a facial cleanser, will be less readily absorbed into the bloodstream. When in doubt, we always recommend that you consult your primary healthcare provider.

We do not use harsh detergents, chemical preservatives or artificial fragrances, which are usually the “flare-up” culprits. That being said, skin chemistry varies from person to person. However, our natural skin care products are designed to provide aromatherapeutic benefits, and therefore contain up to 2.6% essential oil concentration. The allergens contained in our essential oil blends are naturally occurring, and include: Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol, Citronellol, and Citral. We recommend testing any natural skin care product you purchase on a small area inside your wrist or upper arm for 2-3 days prior to using. If in doubt, please consult your primary healthcare provider.

Read about the Best Essential Oils you need to know about.

There are loads, and loads, and LOADS of ingredients that have rushed onto the natural beauty scene in the past couple of years. So many, in fact, that it’s almost impossible to keep up with what’s “HOT” right now. Even for the experts! Now, with so many options at your fingertips, how do you make sure you’re spending your hard-earned money where it counts? Here’s a quick guide to our Top 10 Oils & Butters to look for, and in which type of product they will provide the most benefit.

At this point, you could probably rattle off the health benefits of kale in your sleep, and you’ve got an abundance of superfood-laden recipes saved on Pinterest. But these nutritional superstars are now stretching beyond the kitchen and into your anti-aging skin care products. The vitamins and minerals found in superfoods like Green Tea, Sea Buckthorn Berry, and Raw Honey are capable of beautiful things, from supporting collagen formation to hydrating dry skin and refining pores. Adding a healthy dose of these farm-to-face ingredients into your daily routine is sure to improve your complexion and promote positively radiant, healthy skin. Read more about Carrot Seed, Sea Buckthorn and essential oils for skin over 35.

Aromatherapy (we like to call it Aromather-HAPPY) is the use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils to promote physical and psychological wellbeing. These powerful botanicals are used worldwide in traditional medicine to help manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia. Read more about the Top 7 Essential Oils for stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.

The term Holistic (a.k.a. wholistic) is the philosophy and practice of healing that has to do with constantly keeping the whole body (meaning the physical body, the mind and the spirit) at the highest level of total wellness. This concept draws from the universal natural laws that state a whole is made up of the sum of all its parts, and that the parts cannot function properly if the whole is not functioning properly. Holistic skincare is more than just what you use on your skin. It 
starts with what’s inside. Organic, healthy whole foods, plenty of good quality water and frequent exercise are important factors in a good anti-aging skincare regimen. There are also external forces at play. When it comes to the ever-growing burden of unwanted chemicals in our food, water and air, and even sun damage, your skin might need a little help. To help unburden yourself from chemical overload, Awake Organics provides skin care products that use only the purest, healthiest ingredients that are inline with a holistic approach.

Yes. Please contact us with your business information and inquiry details.