Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a moisturiser?

Using a moisturiser will stop your skin from drying out.

Do I need a day and a night cream, or can I just use a day moisturiser for both day and night?

The skin has time to relax at night and the regeneration process of cell division occurs to a greater extent at night than during the day. It is important to support the regeneration process at night you should therefore provide the skin with enriched creams, such as Purity Organic Skincare Regenerating Overnight Moisturiser.

How can I effectively protect my skin against premature ageing?

It is important to protect your face from premature ageing by using skincare products that contain UV filters to combat the sun's rays, plus anti-oxidant Vitamin E to protect against environmental influences such as pollution. Try either Anti Aging Moisturiser or the fantastic Ant aging serum and Mask to help your skin resist the first signs of ageing.

I have oily skin, do I still need to moisturise?

All skin, however oily, needs nurturing with vitamins and essential fatty acids twice a day, morning and night to ensure that it’s in the best possible condition. The best formulation for oilier skin types is our Facial Moisturiser. This light and gentle moisturiser is non-greasy and absorbs easily into the skin.

Should I moisturise before or after applying sunscreen?

We would recommend that you cleanse your skin first, then apply your preferred Moisturiser, to ensure that skin gets the nourishment and nutrients it needs. We would advise that after applying your moisturiser you wait a few moments for it to be fully absorbed into the upper levels of the skin before applying your sunscreen.

What is an antioxidant?

Modern day living, cigarette smoke, car exhaust emissions and the sun's rays can all produce free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules that contribute to the ageing process by destroying the collagen and elastin fibres that support the skin. Antioxidants help protect the body from free-radical damage. We can maintain our own supplies of antioxidant nutrients by eating a diet rich in vitamins A (in the form of beta-carotene), C and E. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best source of beta-carotene and vitamin C, especially dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli and brightly coloured fruits such as oranges, mangoes and strawberries. Vitamin E is more difficult to find naturally in large quantities but you can increase your intake of some vegetable oils (such as Soy oil or Argan oil) and consider taking a natural-source vitamin E supplement. You’ll find antioxidants in many of our products including our three Moisturisers and our Anti-Aging serum and Mask.

What is the shelf life of our products?

All products have a shelf life of 18 months if unopened.

What evidence is there to support claims that many chemicals are absorbed through the skin?

Until the fairly recently it was believed that the skin was an efficient barrier that prevented external substances from entering the body. This theory was challenged back in the 1960's with the development of the drug DMSO which was shown to transport other substances through the skin barrier and into the bloodstream.

The ability of many chemicals to be absorbed trough the skin is now widely accepted and in some cases is used as a route of medication. Drugs such as nicotine and female hormones are now routinely administered in the form of a skin patch and are readily absorbed into the body. Studies have shown that most substances can be absorbed through the skin and that up to 60% of any substance applied to the skin may enter the body through this route.

Why is glycerine used in some personal care products?

Glycerine is a humectant, which means that it helps to retain moisture in creams and lotions. Secondly, glycerine is an emollient, which means it makes the skin feel softer and smoother and helps to reduce wrinkles. This is achieved partly through coating the shin with a thin layer of oily wax, and partly by reducing water loss from the skin. Glycerine is also a solvent and helps different ingredients used in many creams and lotions mix together.

What is the purpose of the citrus seed extracts used in some skin care products?

The citrus seed extracts used in Purity Organic Skincare formulations form part of our preservative system. All products which contain both oil and water based ingredients such as creams and lotions have the ability to support bacterial growth and need to contain some form of preservative.

I find that the perfumes used in many skin care products cause skin rashes and sensitivity?

Purity Organic skincare is fragrance free and we do not use any synthetic perfumes. This enables us to reduce the chance of any skin irritancy and also keeps the cost affordable.

I keep reading about Essential Fatty Acids, particularly Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats. What is the difference between these and what foods contain them?

Dietary fats consist of mixtures of fatty acids, with different fats containing different mixtures of fatty acids. There are many different fatty acids but just two are considered essential for human health. These are called Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and, as the body cannot synthesize them, they have to come from the foods we eat.

Whilst these two fatty acids work closely together they have different functions and are not interchangeable. Omega-6 Fatty acids are found in many plant oils and few people are deficient in them, but Omega-3 Fatty acids are less commonly found in our diets and some people would benefit from supplementing their diet with them. For further information on this subject please see the article entitled 'Essential Fatty Acids' in the Information-Features section of this website.

Why do you use plastic tubes instead of glass for many of your products?

There are three main reasons why we use plastic tubes and jars. The first is that this packaging offers the best protection to the product as it reduces the risk of bacterial contamination. This means we can use fewer preservatives in the formulations.

The second reason is that advances in plastics manufacturing mean that the material we use is overall less environmentally damaging that some other forms of packaging. It is recyclable, biodegradable, can be burnt without releasing harmful or noxious gasses and costs far less in cost and fuel to transport. The third reason is for consumer safety as many of the products are used in the bathroom where the use of glass could pose safety risks.

If I eat organic foods, why do I need to think about using organic skin care too?

The skin is composed of multiple, lipid containing layers. As with all lipid-containing membranes, the skin can be easily penetrated by lipid-soluble materials. Once a chemical gains access to the dermis, rapid and complete absorption into the bloodstream is usually assured.

Around 75,000 chemicals might come in contact with your skin and you absorb up to 60% of any substance applied. Differences in skin structure and condition affect the degree to which chemicals can penetrate the skin. When the skin is damaged by abrasion or chemical irritation, penetration of chemicals further increases.

Using chemical based skin care products adds to the toxic burden that we have to deal with. By using organic skin care products you can help to decrease the toxic load on your body and on the environment.

Why do a lot of your ingredients sound like chemicals?

Under EC legislation all ingredients have to be given their Latin, INCI name (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients). Some manufacturers use this to disguise or hide the true nature of the ingredients they use. We use truly natural and where possible organic ingredients in our products.

Our glossary lists all ingredients that we use and gives their common names and sources. Some ingredients do sound like chemicals even though they are from natural sources. Examples include foaming agents, e.g. Decyl Glucoside derived from coconut; emulsifiers, e.g. Cetearyl alcohol - not an alcohol but fatty waxes derived from plant oils.

Are your products suitable for sensitive skin?

Purity Organic Skincare products are based on pure, natural, certified organic ingredients. All our formulations are extremely gentle. They're easily absorbed into skin and do not block the pores. Our products are free from sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate, chemical irritants, artificial fragrances, synthetic colourants and alcohol (ethanol). As a common sense precaution, we recommend a patch test is carried out prior to first application.

What is your policy regarding animal testing?

Purity Organic Skincare is totally opposed to any cruelty to animals. In order to attain Ecocert certification we have had to show to them that we have never carried out or commissioned animal testing of any raw material, cosmetic ingredient or finished product. All Purity Organic products are tested on human volunteers. We do not and will not use ingredients that have been made by manufacturers who carry out or commission animal testing of cosmetic ingredients.

Do any of your products contain parabens?

No, none of our products contain parabens.

Is your plastic packaging safe and is it biodegradable?

The plastic we use for our packaging is either PP or HDPE. In both cases, the material consists of long molecule chains made from Carbon and Hydrogen. These materials are recyclable, are fully biodegradable and when burned release only Carbon Dioxide and water. They are inert substances and do not react with or adversely affect the products packed within them.

Please note that we never use PVC or any other form of plastic. None of the plastics we use contain phthalates in any form whatsoever. The reason we don't use glass packaging is three-fold. Firstly, glass is not a safe material to use in bathrooms and showers as it is prone to breakage if dropped onto hard surfaces. Secondly, glass is very heavy and expensive to transport and would add considerably to the cost of the products making them unnecessarily expensive. Thirdly, the cost to the environment of using glass is very high when compared to PP or HDPE.

Taking into account the energy needed to manufacture glass (whether from recycled material or from scratch), and then to transport it means that up to three times as much energy goes into making a glass container compared to a plastic one. Added to that is the fact that unless glass is properly recycled it never biodegrades and contributes the build-up of waste materials polluting the earth. On balance we believe that our use of selected plastics is fully justified, although we continually monitor the situation and review all developments in new packaging materials as and when they happen.

Mechanical recycling of plastics refers to processes which involve the melting, shredding or granulation of waste plastics. Plastics must be sorted prior to mechanical recycling. At the moment in the UK most sorting for mechanical recycling is done by trained staff who manually sorts the plastics into polymer type and/or colour. Technology is being introduced to sort plastics automatically, using various techniques such as X-ray fluorescence, infrared and near infrared spectroscopy, electrostatics and flotation. Following sorting, the plastic is either melted down directly and moulded into a new shape, or melted down after being shredded into flakes and than processed into granules called regranulate.

It is not necessary for the plastic type number to be placed on the packaging for either of the above processes to take place.

We currently use HDPE and PP for the bottles, PE for our tube and PP for the jars.