Haircare Ingredient Glossary
This glossary explains the key ingredients used in our solid shampoo and conditioner bars, including what they are and why we chose them for our haircare formulations. It’s designed as a reference to help you better understand how each ingredient supports different hair and scalp needs.
Our Botanical Philosophy
Our approach to botanical haircare is deliberate and refined. Each plant, oil, mineral, and extract in our formulas was chosen not for their trendiness or marketing claims, but for their traditional role in a well-balanced haircare system.
Rather than relying on one hero ingredient to do everything, we focus on thoughtful combinations where botanicals also support a sensory experience, conditioning agents provide performance, and gentle cleansers do the foundational work.
Our ingredient glossary is designed to explain not just what each ingredient is, but how it fits into the overall design of our formulas, so you can understand the role it plays and why it was chosen.
Jump to an ingredient: A · B · C · F · G · J · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T
A
Aloe Vera
What it is:
A plant-derived ingredient commonly used in personal care.
Why we use it in haircare:
Supports hydration and is comforting for the scalp and hair.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar.
Argan Oil (Argania spinosa kernel oil)
What it is:
A lightweight plant oil derived from argan kernels.
Why we use it in haircare:
Chosen for its conditioning and shine properties, especially in formulas designed to leave hair feeling smoother and sleeker.
How it works:
Spreads easily through the hair and lightly coats the surface to improve the feel of softness and silkiness.
Where you’ll find it:
All of our bars have Argan Oil!
Aritha / Soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi)
What it is:
Soapnuts, or soap berries, are the dried, deseeded shells of the fruit from the Sapindus mukorossi tree, native to the Himalayas, which contain natural surfactants. They serve as an eco-friendly, biodegradable, and hypoallergenic cleansing agent.
Why we use it in haircare:
Included to support a deeper cleanse, particularly in reset-style formulas.
Where you’ll find it:
Clarifying Shampoo Bar.
B
Bamboo Silica
What it is:
Bamboo silica is a nutrient-rich, plant-based extract derived from bamboo, with up to 70% natural silica.
Why we use it in haircare:
It helps to strengthen hair, increase elasticity, and may promote scalp health by boosting collagen production. It may help reduce breakage, enhance shine, and protect against environmental damage over time.
Where you’ll find it:
Strengthening Shampoo Bar.
Bergamot Essential Oil (Citrus bergamia)
What it is:
An aromatic oil distilled from the peel of a bergamot fruit.
Why we use it in haircare:
We love it for its fresh, balanced scent profile and uplifting citrus aroma.
Where you’ll find it:
Strengthening Shampoo Bar, Purple Toning Shampoo Bar.
Biotin
What it is:
A vitamin, also known as vitamin B7, is commonly used in haircare formulations.
Why we use it in haircare:
Included as a supportive ingredient in conditioner formulas designed for overall hair vitality and a healthy-looking finish.
How it works:
Used in small amounts as part of a broader conditioning system, it complements the other ingredients rather than acting as a standalone hero.
Where you’ll find it:
Light Conditioner Bar, Deep Conditioner Bar.
Broccoli Seed Oil
What it is:
A lightweight, nutrient-rich oil pressed from broccoli seeds.
Why we use it in haircare:
Rich in erucic acid (omega-9), it provides shine, smoothness, and frizz control without weighing hair down. It also helps to nourish hair, lock in moisture, and act as a barrier against environmental damage.
How it works:
Lightly coats the hair to reduce friction and improve glide, helping hair feel smoother during detangling and styling.
Where you’ll find it:
Light Conditioner Bar, Deep Conditioner Bar.
C
Cetyl Alcohol
What it is:
A fatty alcohol derived from natural plant sources (not the same as drying alcohols).
Why we use it in haircare:
Supports providing moisture, softness, and improved manageability without drying hair like drying alcohols (e.g., ethanol). It smooths hair fibers, reduces frizz, adds shine, and helps to detangle.
How it works:
Helps thicken and stabilize the formulas while improving glide, allowing the bars to spread through the lengths easily.
Where you’ll find it:
All bars.
Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita)
What it is:
A flowering plant traditionally used in gentle personal care and herbal preparations.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its long history in comfort-focused formulations, chamomile is often included in products designed for sensitive scalps or hair that benefits from a softer, more balanced feel.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar, Light Conditioner Bar.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
What it is:
Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) is a mild, coconut-derived surfactant used in hair products for gentle cleansing, rich lather, and conditioning properties.
Why we use it in haircare:
Creates a luxurious, creamy lather, enhancing the shampooing experience while effectively removing dirt and oil without stripping natural moisture.
Where you’ll find it:
All solid shampoo bars.
F
French Green Clay
What it is:
A highly absorbent illite clay that helps cleanse and control excess oil. Its distinct color comes from iron oxides and decomposed plant matter found within naturally occurring deposits in France.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its absorbent nature, French green clay is commonly included in clarifying formulas intended to lift buildup by attracting and removing dirt, impurities, and oil from the scalp and hair strands.
Where you’ll find it:
Clarifying Shampoo Bar.
G
Geranium Essential Oil (Pelargonium graveolens)
What it is:
An aromatic oil distilled from geranium leaves and flowers.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its complex, bright, sweet, rosy aroma with green, leafy, and citrusy undertones, geranium is traditionally used to bring balance to botanical blends, helping anchor scent blends while designed for dry or stressed hair to help enhance shine, reduce split ends, and promote overall hair health.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar.
Grapefruit Essential Oil (Citrus paradisi)
What it is:
An aromatic oil expressed from grapefruit peel.
Why we use it in haircare:
We love it for its bright, zesty and uplifting citrus aroma. Grapefruit is commonly used in clarifying and reset-style formulas to create a fresh, clean sensory experience while acting as a natural cleanser to remove product buildup and excess oil while adding shine, making it ideal for refreshing dull hair.
Where you’ll find it:
Clarifying Shampoo Bar, Strengthening Shampoo Bar.
J
Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia chinensis seed oil)
What it is:
A liquid wax ester derived from jojoba seeds. Known as "Liquid Gold", its not a true "oil" but closely resembles the scalp's sebum, which makes it an excellent moisturizer.
Why we use it in haircare:
It penetrates the hair shaft to reduce frizz, strengthen strands, treat dry scalp/dandruff, and protect against heat-styling damage. It is suitable for all hair types and can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment, a conditioner boost, or a scalp treatment.
How it works:
It acts as a natural conditioner, smoothing frizz and adding shine. It contains copper, zinc, and Vitamin E, which are essential for repairing hair, nourishing the scalp, and supporting overall hair follicle health.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar, Balancing Shampoo Bar.
L
Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
What it is:
An aromatic oil distilled from lavender flowers.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its gentle, herbaceous aroma, lavender is traditionally used in balanced formulations where a calming sensory profile supports an overall feeling of ease and care. Its antiseptic and antifungal properties help to reduce dandruff and scalp itch, while it helps to hydrates dry hair, reduce frizz, and form a protective coat on hair strands to prevent breakage.
Where you’ll find it:
Clarifying Shampoo Bar, Strengthening Shampoo Bar, Purple Toning Shampoo Bar, Light Conditioner Bar.
M
Mango Butter
What it is:
A plant butter derived from mango seed.
Why we use it in haircare:
It is a lightweight, non-greasy sealant and intense moisturizer for hair, nourishing the strands with fatty acids (oleic, stearic, palmitic) and vitamins A and E.
How it works:
The saturated fatty acids (stearic and palmitic acid) in mango butter mimic the natural lipids in the hair cuticle, reinforcing the hair's structure and protecting it from environmental stressors.
Where you’ll find it:
Clarifying Shampoo Bar, Purifying Shampoo Bar, Balancing Shampoo Bar, Strengthening Shampoo Bar, Light Conditioner Bar.
Marshmallow Root
What it is:
A plant root traditionally used in herbal preparations.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its naturally high mucilage content (a gel-like substance), marshmallow root has long been used in formulas designed to ease detangling and support a softer hair feel. It is a natural humectant and attracts moisture from the air, where it seals it into the hair shaft, particularly beneficial for dry or brittle hair. The gel texture also helps to define and enhance natural curls.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar, Deep Conditioner Bar.
N
Neem (Azadirachta indica)
What it is:
A botanical leaf extract derived from the Azadirachta indica tree.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its long history in traditional scalp and skin care rituals, neem is often included in purifying formulas intended to support a balanced scalp environment. Neem's thought to have powerful antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties that target the root cause of dandruff and help balance sebum production, effectively treating both overly oily and excessively dry, itchy scalps.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar.
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
What it is:
A botanical traditionally used in herbal hair preparations.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its longstanding use in hair and scalp traditions, nettle acts as a natural astringent, controlling oiliness at the scalp without over-drying.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar, Balancing Shampoo Bar.
O
Oats (Avena sativa), Oat Protein
What it is:
A cereal grain commonly used in gentle personal care, rich in amino acids, lipids, and vitamin E.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its long history in comfort-focused formulations, oats are often included in products designed to support softness and silkiness by creating a protective layer on the hair shaft that seals in moisture and prevents water loss.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar, Strengthening Shampoo Bar, Purple Toning Shampoo Bar, Light and Deep Conditioner Bars.
Orange Essential Oil (Citrus aurantium dulcis)
What it is:
An aromatic oil expressed from sweet orange peel.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its warm, approachable citrus scent, orange oil is often used in cleansing and nourishing formulas to add brightness while keeping the overall blend soft and comforting. The oil penetrates the hair shaft, providing moisture that softens dry hair, increases shine, and helps manageability.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar, Light Conditioner Bar, Deep Conditioner Bar.
P
Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5)
What it is:
A water-soluble vitamin derived from B5.
Why we use it in haircare:
Serves as a humectant, meaning it attracts and retains water, while also acting as an emollient to smooth hair.
How it works:
It acts as a bond-building ingredient that can strengthen the hair’s core structure, helping to mend damaged, broken hair and reduce split ends.
Where you’ll find it:
All of our bars!
Peppermint Essential Oil (Mentha piperita)
What it is:
An aromatic, menthol-rich oil extracted from Mentha piperita leaves.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its crisp, cooling aroma, peppermint is commonly included in scalp-focused formulas to create a refreshed, invigorated sensory feel during use. It may help regulate oil production, reducing excessive sebum that can clog follicles.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar.
Purple Pigments
What it is:
Color-correcting violet pigments are used in toning formulas.
Why we use it in haircare:
Based on color theory, purple is the opposite of yellow on the color wheel, allowing the pigment to cancel out warm tones and restore a cooler, brighter, and more refreshed look. Our Purple Toning Shampoo Bar deposits a small amount of violet pigment onto the hair shaft with each wash, providing a "mini" color-correction session each time it's used.
Where you’ll find it:
Purple Toning Shampoo Bar.
Pumpkin Seed (Cucurbita pepo)
What it is:
A nutrient-dense botanical ingredient, derived from pressed pumpkin seeds,
Why we use it in haircare:
Contains nutrients and antioxidants like vitamins A, E, and K, plus minerals such as zinc and magnesium, essential for a healthy scalp and encourages shine and strength in hair.
Where you’ll find it:
Strengthening Shampoo Bar.
R
Rice Protein (Hydrolyzed Rice Protein)
What it is:
A plant-derived protein that delivers high amounts of amino acids - arginine, histidine, and lysine.
Why we use it in haircare:
Supports strength and resilience for fragile hair by reinforcing the hair shaft, reducing breakage.
Where you’ll find it:
Strengthening Shampoo Bar, Deep Conditioner Bar.
Rhassoul Clay
What it is:
A mineral-rich clay traditionally sourced from Morocco. A high concentration of iron oxide gives it a red hue.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its ability to absorb excess oil without feeling overly stripping, rhassoul clay is often used in formulas designed for oily or buildup-prone scalps. It helps the scalp to detoxify and removes excess product buildup, dirt, and other external pollutants.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar.
Rosemary Essential Oil (Rosmarinus officinalis)
What it is:
An aromatic oil distilled from rosemary leaves.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its fresh, herbaceous character, rosemary has a long tradition in haircare formulations designed for clarity, balance, and a clean scalp feel. It also may provide added nourishment and moisture to the hair.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar, Clarifying Shampoo Bar.
S
Shea Butter
What it is:
A plant butter derived from the shea nut.
Why we use it in haircare:
Shea butter is rich in fatty acids (stearic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid) that work together to help repair and protect the hair's natural lipid barrier, easily compromised by exposure to environmental factors, heat styling, and chemical treatments.
How it works:
It acts as a deeply hydrating emollient and protective agent in haircare to seal in moisture, smooth the cuticle, and prevent breakage as it lightly coats the hair.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar, Purple Toning Shampoo Bar, Deep Conditioner Bar.
Slippery Elm
What it is:
The inner bark of the slippery elm tree.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its gel-like properties when hydrated, slippery elm is traditionally included in formulas where smoothness and ease of detangling are a priority. Its high nutrient content (calcium, amino acids) strengthens follicles, boosts elasticity, and soothes the scalp, making it ideal for curly, coily, or damaged hair types.
Where you’ll find it:
Nourishing Shampoo Bar.
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI)
What it is:
A mild, coconut-derived surfactant/cleansing agent.
Why we use it in haircare:
SCI creates a rich, silky lather while gently cleansing the hair and scalp, with a larger molecular structure that attaches to dirt and sebum on the scalp, emulsifying them so they can be easily rinsed away with water without disrupting the hair's protective barrier.
Where you’ll find it:
All of our solid shampoo bars.
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (SMCT)
What it is:
A gentle surfactant derived from coconut fatty acids.
Why we use it in haircare:
SMCT lowers the surface tension of water, allowing it to mix with oils and lift dirt from the scalp without irritation. It produces a rich, stable lather, making it popular in sulfate-free, sensitive-scalp formulas. It also may act as a mild conditioner that improves hair texture and reduces dryness or flakiness, leaving hair soft rather than "squeaky" clean.
Where you’ll find it:
All of our solid shampoo bars.
Spirulina
What it is:
A nutrient-dense algae.
Why we use it in haircare:
Spurlina is a potent source of nutrients, sugars, proteins, and amino acids and is excellent for soothing and rebalancing the scalp and providing barrier protection. The proteins, polysaccharides, and fibers in spirulina are also natural polymers that can create a protective film on the scalp, aiding hydration and helping control sebum.
Where you’ll find it:
Clarifying Shampoo Bar.
T
Tea Tree Essential Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia)
What it is:
An aromatic oil distilled from tea tree leaves.
Why we use it in haircare:
Known for its sharp, clean aroma and traditional role in scalp-focused blends, tea tree is often used in formulas intended to feel purifying and refreshing. It may help to regulate sebum and to balance both excessively oily and dry scalps.
Where you’ll find it:
Purifying Shampoo Bar.