Unacceptable Ingredients

Not normally used in skin care. We make an exception of aluminium oxide which is insoluble in water and not a source of exposure to aluminium.

Romilly Wilde offers Vegan Society certified products for those who want to avoid all animal products and derivatives. Animal by-products, which do not harm the animal, are acceptable for certain products in the range. We allow the use of bee-derived ingredients where these are sustainably and humanely sourced, such as honey or beeswax.

Synthetic product anti-oxidants which have been linked to cancer, skin irritation and hormone disruption. We prefer to use non-GMO tocopherol (Vitamin E) or rosemary extract to naturally protect our products from rancidity.

Romilly Wilde does not currently offer a product to specifically protect against UV radiation but would never formulate with chemical sunscreens.  Physical (inorganic) sun protection ingredients, which are generally approved for natural cosmetic standards are allowable for future developments i.e. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.

Synthetic EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid) and its salts Disodium EDTA, Tetrasodium EDTA etc. are widely used as chelating /sequestering agents, i.e. they bind to heavy metal ions and inactivate them which helps the preservative to work better. Concerns around this material are its poor biodegradability and environmental impact so we use natural alternatives.

Examples include diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA) and monoethanolamine (MEA).

Surfactant and emulsifier ingredients that are produced using Ethylene Oxide (EO) or Propylene Oxide (PO) which can be contaminated with unacceptably high levels of a known carcinogen 1,4-dioxane. This category also includes PEGs. Whilst responsible manufacturers ensure acceptably low levels of 1,4-dioxane, in accordance with EU regulation, Romilly Wilde avoids these synthetic ingredients preferring to use plant based, renewable alternatives.

Whilst formaldehyde is rarely used as such, formaldehyde donor preservatives are still legally available but never used in Romilly Wilde products.

Romilly Wilde seeks to use only natural ingredients that are palm-oil free or utilise sustainable palm oil sources.

Parabens have been subject of much debate in the scientific community. Being synthetic, with suspected health concerns, they will never be used in our natural products.

We strive to avoid the use of any petrochemically derived or unsustainable raw materials.

We do not use synthetic fragrances in our skin care and hence phthalates are excluded.

Romilly Wilde does not use synthetic glycols, although it is thought that only propylene glycol causes any issue to the skin of people who are sensitive to it. Propanediol and higher glycols produced by fermentation, and are hence sustainable, are acceptable.

Romilly Wilde will not formulate with ‘quat’ based preservatives or anti-microbials. Although not in current products, should no other suitable alternative exist, a few low risk naturally derived quats such as those based on Guar gum would be considered acceptable.

All synthetic retinoid ingredients are avoided. Although Vitamin A (retinol) is known to be highly effective on skin it has known sun sensitivity and skin drying issues. Romilly Wilde believes in using high quality plant oils rich in a combination of vitamins, including natural retinol.

These man-made ingredients have environmental issues and are replaced in Romilly Wilde products with plant-based emollients.

Only high-quality essential oils are acceptable to fragrance Romilly Wilde skin care products.

Romilly Wilde products only ever have a colour due to the high content of natural active ingredients, such as seabuckthorn oil.

Romilly Wilde prefers to use formulation techniques that render the product self-preserving. Only in a last resort would we utilise safe (food grade) synthetic preservative systems generally accepted by the natural standards. Occasionally a raw material supplier may need to include a very low level of one of these preservatives to protect the precious natural ingredient from degradation. We are constantly working with our suppliers to encourage them to identify more sustainable options where this is possible.

These include the ring-structure man-made silicones with the INCI name Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) – both already restricted in the EU, Cyclohexasiloxane (D6), and Cyclomethicone. Plant based alternatives are available where this functionality may be required.

Due to concerns over purity of talc, Romilly Wilde prefers to formulate with sustainable plant alternative powders such as corn, tapioca or rice starch.