Week #1 Challenge
What ingredients can we find in this famous Nuxe Cosmetic Product
Here we are in our very first week of the challenge…
And we just discovered how much work is to be done! But also how passionate we are about Natural Cosmetics and our decision to use our own homemade versions.
For that very first week, we decided to choose a beloved skincare brand and product… and reinvent our own natural/homemade version of it.
We already knew about Nuxe shimmering Gold Oil as it is well exposed in the press, like Marie Claire, ELLE and Bazaar Magazine for instance. Nuxe was also on the 2013 GENIUS AWWARDS MAKEUP page. Nuxe’s brand and product image is mostly based on “natural” skincare.
So…lets see if this adds up.
Here is the “NUXE huile prodigieuse” formula
Let us explain and dissect this formula but first, below is our very own (100% natural this time) recipe.
The Spoiled Bee’s very own natural recipe:
We first thought that we would share a natural formula that is as close as possible to the existing one, then we realized it didn’t really make sense. The huge cosmetic industry formulas are conceived in the most cost effective way possible, all that whilst maintaining a luxurious image.
For approximately 3.5 Oz of “Huile Prodigieuse” you will need:
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10 tablespoons of organic macadamia oil (you can find it in Whole Foods and most organic shops)
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2 tablespoons of vegetal glycerine. You can find it in drugstores like CVS in the US or Boots in the UK.
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2 tablespoons of Coco Caprylate
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2 tablespoons of Carrot Oil
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5 drops of Geranium Essential Oil
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1 Vanilla Pod
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20 drops of benzoin extract. This is used in very famous perfumes like “Allure de Chanel”, L’Instant de Guerlain, Yves Saint Laurent,L’Eau de Prada fragrances.
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1 teaspoon of gold mica or hazelnet shiny mica glittering powder.
- 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract.
Cut the Vanilla pod in half and incise it in its length. Put the pieces of vanilla pod in your recycled cosmetic bottle. And now you just need to mix everything together and shake it! Use a funnel to pour into your bottle.
Your own natural version of the Huile Prodigieuse is now ready. That easy!
The longer the vanilla is “brewing” in your oil, the more it will reveal its wonderful fragrance…after 2 or 3 weeks, it’s just amazing! If you like it with more of a floral fragrance, you can also add 3 or 4 drops of Jasmine Essential Oil. Again, amazing!
It hydrates the skin whilst giving it a beautiful golden shimmer (perfect for summer !)
And now…our dissection of Nuxe Ingredients
Isopropyl Isostearate
This ingredient is a synthesized emollient and conditioner.
So it’s a synthetic ingredient which mainly composes this body oil.
Referred to “Environment Canada Domestic Substance List” this ingredient is an uncertain environmental toxin and uncertain persistent or bioaccumulative. Which means it stays in your skin and body. Yikes!
Macadamia Ternafolia Seed Oil
Macadamia nut oil has a high content of palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that is similar to the skin’s sebum, which tends to decrease naturally with age. Using macadamia nut oil can help fight the dryness as a natural moisturizer and is absorbed by the skin quickly.
Like olive oil, macadamia nut oil is rich with antioxidants and is especially high in vitamin E. Vitamin E improves the appearance of scars, tones the skin and prevents stretch marks.
An important aspect is that it’s a stable oil, it won’t oxidate too fast…great oil for your body!
We will keep that one!
Coco Caprylate/caprate
This is a great natural substitute to silicone. It’s a good option to use as a non-oily conditioner.
Dicaprylyl Ether
It is commonly used as a solvent and was once used as a general anesthetic . It has narcotic properties and has been known to cause temporary psychological addiction.
It’s a synthesized ingredient. We won’t be using that in our recipe!
Almond Oil
This wonderful vegetal oil is used to treat dry skin and hair. It’s used all over the World for baby skin and in natural cosmetic products. Again, that’s a keeper.
Corylus Havelana
This is as simple as that, Hazelnut Oil!
This is perfect for the skin, it penetrates easily in the skin and is very soothing. We can keep it.
Camelia Seed Oil
This is an oil that has been used by Japanese women for centuries to hydrate their skin.
It protects and penetrates very easily. Keeper as well!
Perfume, Fragrances
It could be synthetic fragrances because much cheaper so we will use essential oils and natural vanilla.
Tocopherol
Tocopherol is Vitamin E which a very effective preservative ingredient. However, you have natural and synthetic vitamin E which is no where near as good.
We chose to substitute tocopherol with grapefruit seed extract which is full of vitamin E and is a natural ingredient.
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Great oil to use in cosmetic products if you want to hydrate and revitalized your skin. It’s a wonderful anti aging oil, which can really be an excellent anti-stretch mark treatment.
We keep that one too!
Olive Oil
This is an excellent moisturizing oil. It also has anti-inflammatory effects. We could keep that one or use it to substitute another one you don’t have at home.
Sunflower Oil
It’s a good oil to use in your recipe. It also has anti-inflammatory benefits and contains beta carothene which is excellent for your skin. But honestly…we have already a lot of other EXCELLENT oils so maybe another day!
Rosemary Essential Oil
This Essential Oil can revitalize your skin. We could use it, but already have great ingredients to help revitalize your skin so maybe skip for this time!
Hypericum Perforatum Oil
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, hypericum perforatum has antibacterial and anti-inflammation properties. When applied to the skin, it relieves irritation of minor wounds and conditions, including eczema, cuts, minor burns. The herb’s antibacterial properties help prevent infection and promotes healing of the skin.
This is a good oil, however…we want to make it simple so we won’t keep that oil for our homemade recipe.
Solanum or Tomato seed oil
Is a highly penetrating oil but is more expensive. You could use this oil but this will depend on your budget.
Caprylic/Capric Tryglyceride
This is an ingredient derived from coconut. However the benefits are really similar to coco caprylate which we have used in our recipe so it is only optional.
Benzyl Salicylate
This ingredient has been associated with allergies and contact dermatis. It’s an ultraviolet light absorber (sunscreen). So be careful exposing yourself in the sun!
According to the “Cosmetic Database”, it’s ranked between middle to high overall hazard as it causes allergies and immunitoxicity.
It’s under strict restrictions in the cosmetic industry (although if you ask us, that is reason enough to never use it!)
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
It’s a synthetic perfume substance which is ranked hazardous in Europe and is part of the 26 allergen fragrance substances.
No need to tell you that we won’t be using that in our homemade recipe!
Citronellol
This is another synthetic fragrance with the same hazardous risk as the previous ingredient….It is basically a chemical substitute to Rose.
Geraniol
It’s another chemical substitute to Rose.
Hydrocitronellal
We were off to such a good start… but honestly, all these chemicals! This is yet another synthetic fragrance.
Limonene
And again… another cheap chemical to substitute natural fragrances.
Linalool
Same…this is getting old now!
Our Conclusion:
Ok, so Nuxe’s slogan is: Natural Origin Cosmetic, however this could not be further from the truth. There were some good natural ingredients in their formula, don’t get us wrong, but also a lot of harsh (sometimes hazardous) chemicals. Unecessary!
Hope you enjoyed our post today. And remember, any questions, please comment below.
Lots of Love
The Spoiled Bee! Xx
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