Ingredients
We’ve learned how harmful ingredients can be to the skin and the planet. Therefore, our products do not contain the following:
- Nano particles
- Acrylates and other plastics in liquid or solid form
- Palm oil and derivitives
- Nuts (may contain: Argan, Shea, coconut)
- Essential oil (leave-on products only)
- Over-harvested ingredients
- Synthetic ingredients and colorants
- Silicones or petroleum derivatives
- Parabens, phthalates, NPE, BHA, BHT or hydroquinone
- Excessive packaging
- Algae & microplants
- Balloon Vine & Echium Complex
- Black Currant
- Blackberry
- Blue Sea Kale
- Borage seed oil
- Cucumber Seed Oil
- Elderberry seed extract
- Evening Primrose seed oil
- Friesian wool
- Lavender flower macerate
- Lawn Daisy
- Magnolia bark extract
- Olive oil / Sodium Olivate
- Pomegranate CO2 extract
- Rosehip seed Co2 extract
- Rosemary CO2 extract
- Sea Buckthorn
- Sea Fennel
- Sea Lavender
- Sea Mayweed
- Sea Starwort oil
- Seaweed
- Sunflower seed oil
Algae & microplants
Alaria extract is obtained from Alaria esculenta, a brown seaweed that grows in cold, wave-exposed North Atlantic waters. In cosmetics, it is valued as a skin-protecting marine extract. In SKAAI formulas, we use it for its refined, coastal active quality: helping support hydrated, supple and resilient-feeling skin, especially in formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin. Astaxanthin is a red-orange carotenoid derived from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, one of the richest natural sources of this antioxidant pigment. In nature, the microalga produces astaxanthin under stress, making it a beautiful symbol of resilience. In SKAAI formulas, we use astaxanthin with restraint for its antioxidant character, warm colour and ability to support comfortable, resilient and healthy-looking skin — especially in formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
INCI: Alaria Esculenta Extract
If Kalpariane™: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alaria Esculenta Extract
Botanical / marine source: Extract of the brown seaweed Alaria esculenta
Also known as: Atlantic wakame, winged kelp, badderlocks
Source: The Brittany coast
Alaria esculenta is a brown seaweed found in cold, wave-exposed coastal waters of the North Atlantic. It grows attached to rocks in demanding marine environments, where it must withstand movement, currents and changing light conditions. This resilience makes it a beautiful fit with SKAAI’s Wadden-inspired philosophy: coastal botanicals chosen not for drama, but for quiet strength. Alaria esculenta is described as a common edible brown seaweed of exposed rocky Atlantic shores in northern Europe and North America.
In cosmetics, Alaria Esculenta Extract is recognised as a skin-protecting ingredient. COSMILE describes this function as helping protect the skin from external influences, and the EU CosIng database lists Alaria Esculenta Extract as an extract of the alga Alaria esculenta with skin-protecting and hair-conditioning functions.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose Alaria extract for its marine, protective and firming-supportive character. It brings a refined active quality to formulas designed for dry, mature or sensitive skin that benefits from hydration, softness and resilience. Manufacturer information for Kalpariane™ describes it as an Alaria esculenta-based active developed for moisturising, firmness, tonicity and improved skin texture, so I think we can use this direction — but in softer SKAAI language.
Rather than promising “anti-aging,” I would say that Alaria extract supports skin that feels less supple, less firm or more fragile with age. It fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach: supporting the skin’s comfort, tone and resilience without forcing change.
A skin-protecting brown seaweed extract from cold, wave-exposed Atlantic waters, Alaria brings a marine, firming-supportive quality to formulas designed for hydrated, supple and resilient-feeling skin.
INCI: Astaxanthin
Possible INCI if supplied as an algal extract: Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Source:
Astaxanthin is a naturally red-orange carotenoid, best known from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis. Under stress, this freshwater microalga accumulates astaxanthin as a protective pigment — a beautiful example of resilience in nature. Haematococcus pluvialis is widely described as one of the richest natural sources of astaxanthin.
In skincare, astaxanthin is valued for its strong antioxidant character. Its molecular structure, with many conjugated double bonds, allows it to neutralise free radicals, which is why it has become so interesting in cosmetic research for skin exposed to environmental stress.
In SKAAI formulas, we use astaxanthin with restraint: not as a dramatic “anti-ageing” promise, but as a concentrated antioxidant active that supports skin comfort, resilience and a healthy-looking glow. Its warm red-orange colour also brings a subtle botanical richness to the formula.
For dry, mature or sensitive skin, astaxanthin fits beautifully within SKAAI’s preservation-based approach: helping support the skin against visible signs of environmental stress, while respecting the skin’s natural rhythm.
A red-orange antioxidant carotenoid from microalgae, astaxanthin brings a concentrated, resilience-supporting quality to formulas designed for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
Balloon Vine & Echium Complex
An oil-soluble active complex for sensitive skin, combining echium seed oil, sunflower seed oil unsaponifiables and balloon vine extract. In SKAAI formulas, we use it to support skin that feels dry, fragile, irritated or easily unsettled. Its botanical components bring a calm, comforting quality to the formula, helping the skin feel more protected, balanced and at ease. This makes it especially valuable in products designed for sensitive skin and barrier comfort.
Full INCI: Octyldodecanol, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Tocopherol
Source: Germany. ECOCERT & COSMOS certified
A oil-soluble active complex developed for sensitive, reactive and easily unsettled skin. It combines echium seed oil, sunflower seed oil unsaponifiables and balloon vine extract in a soft emollient base, with tocopherol added to help protect the lipid blend.
The botanical heart of the complex is Cardiospermum halicacabum, also known as balloon vine or heart seed. It is combined with Echium plantagineum seed oil, a plant oil known for its unusual omega fatty-acid profile, including gamma-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid. This is a beautiful active for sensitive skin and effect include reduced cutaneous hyper-reactivity and immediate soothing.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose this complex for skin that feels dry, fragile, reactive or easily disturbed. It supports the feeling of calm, comfort and relieves itch, helping the skin feel more settled without relying on a heavy or aggressive active approach.
It fits beautifully within SKAAI’s preservation-based philosophy: rather than forcing the skin to renew or change, it helps create conditions in which sensitive skin can feel protected, supported and at ease.
A sensitive-skin active complex with balloon vine, echium seed oil and sunflower unsaponifiables, chosen to help skin feel calmer, more comfortable and better supported.
Black Currant
Blackcurrant seed oil is pressed from the seeds of Ribes nigrum. Naturally rich in skin-relevant fatty acids, including linoleic acid and gamma-linolenic acid, it brings soft, omega-rich nourishment to formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin. In SKAAI formulas, we use blackcurrant seed oil to support softness, suppleness and barrier comfort, with a light, non-greasy feel that nourishes without heaviness.
INCI: Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of blackcurrant, Ribes nigrum
Source: France
Blackcurrant seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds of Ribes nigrum, the blackcurrant shrub. Native from Europe to Central Asia and the Russian Far East, blackcurrant grows primarily in temperate regions and has long been valued for its dark, aromatic berries.
In skincare, blackcurrant seed oil is valued for its unusually rich fatty-acid profile. It contains high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid, and is also known for its content of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. Published research on blackcurrant seed oil reports linoleic acid at around 43%, with tocopherols, carotenoids and phytosterols also present.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose blackcurrant seed oil for dry, mature, sensitive or easily unsettled skin. Its omega-rich profile helps support softness, suppleness and barrier comfort, while its light, non-greasy feel makes it suitable for formulas that nourish without heaviness. COSMILE lists Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil as a skin-conditioning emollient that softens and smooths the skin.
Blackcurrant seed oil also fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: gentle lipid support for skin that feels fragile or out of balance, without forcing the skin to change. If your supplier confirms the oil is made from seeds left after fruit processing, we can also describe it as a thoughtful use of a valuable botanical by-product.
An omega-rich seed oil with linoleic acid and GLA, chosen to support soft, supple and comfortable-feeling skin without heaviness.
Blackberry
Blackberry seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds of Rubus fruticosus, the blackberry. Light and elegant, it is naturally rich in skin-relevant fatty acids, including linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, with tocopherols, sterols and other minor components that contribute to its nourishing, antioxidant-associated character. In SKAAI formulas, we use blackberry seed oil to support soft, supple and comfortable-feeling skin, especially in formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin that prefers light, gentle nourishment.
INCI: Rubus Fruticosus Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of the blackberry, Rubus fruticosus
Plant family: Rosaceae, the rose family
Source: Poland
Blackberry seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds of the deep purple-black berries of Rubus fruticosus, a member of the rose family. Blackberries grow across many temperate European landscapes, including hedgerows, woodland edges and coastal areas. Kew lists Rubus fruticosus as native to northern, central and eastern Europe.
The oil is especially valued for its light skin feel and rich fatty-acid profile. It contains high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-6 linoleic acid and omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, alongside oleic acid. Published work on blackberry seed oil also reports valuable minor components such as tocopherols, phenols, sterols and carotenoids, which contribute to its antioxidant-associated character.
In SKAAI formulas, blackberry seed oil brings quiet nourishment without heaviness. We choose it for dry, mature or sensitive skin that benefits from softness, suppleness and barrier comfort. Its naturally occurring fatty acids and antioxidant-associated compounds make it especially interesting in formulas designed to support skin that feels exposed, fragile or in need of gentle care.
Like many berry seed oils, blackberry seed oil can also represent a more circular use of plant materials, because the seeds may be obtained from fruit processing streams that would otherwise have limited value. Research on blackberry pomace describes the seeds as containing around 14–15% oil, making them a useful source of lipids and bioactive compounds.
Light yet nutrient-rich, blackberry seed oil brings omega-rich softness, barrier comfort and antioxidant-associated nourishment to formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
Blue Sea Kale
Blue seakale is an oil-soluble extract of Crambe maritima, a resilient coastal flowering plant that grows along European shorelines. In SKAAI formulas, we use it for its skin-conditioning and barrier-supportive character. It helps dry, mature or sensitive skin feel more comfortable, protected and resilient — a quiet coastal active that reflects SKAAI’s gentle, preservation-based approach to skincare.
Sea kale is a resilient coastal flowering plant that grows along European shorelines, where it is shaped by salt, wind and exposure. Its thick, waxy leaves and maritime habitat make it a beautiful fit with SKAAI’s Wadden-inspired philosophy: plants that survive in demanding coastal conditions, translated into gentle care for the skin. Kew lists Crambe maritima as native from Europe to the Caucasus.
At SKAAI, we use it as an oil-soluble sea kale leaf extract chosen for its skin-conditioning, cell-protecting and barrier-supportive character. In cosmetics, Crambe Maritima Leaf Extract is recognised as skin-conditioning, meaning it helps maintain the skin in good condition.
In our formulas, blue seakale supports skin that feels dry, mature, sensitive or exposed to daily environmental stress. It helps the skin feel more comfortable, protected and resilient, without forcing or overstimulating it.
Like the coastal plants that inspire SKAAI, sea kale represents quiet strength: a botanical active used with restraint to support the skin’s natural balance.
A coastal sea kale extract chosen to support barrier comfort and help skin feel more protected, resilient and at ease.
Borage seed oil
Borage seed oil is a precious botanical oil pressed from the seeds of Borago officinalis. It is especially valued for its naturally high content of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid associated with skin barrier support and comfort. In SKAAI formulas, we use it for dry, sensitive or mature skin that benefits from softness, suppleness and quiet nourishment.
INCI: Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of the borage plant, Borago officinalis L.
Also known as: Borage oil, starflower seed oil
Source: United Kingdom and certified organic
Borage seed oil is pressed from the seeds of Borago officinalis, a flowering plant native to the western and central Mediterranean region and now cultivated more widely. The oil is especially valued in skincare because it is one of the richest botanical sources of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid. Kew lists Borago officinalis as native to the western and central Mediterranean, and COSMILE lists Borago Officinalis Seed Oil as a plant-derived oil with skin-conditioning and emollient functions.
Its fatty-acid profile makes borage seed oil particularly interesting for dry, mature, sensitive or easily unsettled skin. Alongside linoleic acid and oleic acid, borage seed oil contains a naturally high level of GLA, a fatty acid associated with skin barrier support and comfort. Published analyses report GLA levels around 20% in some borage seed oils, although the exact composition varies by cultivar, origin and processing.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose borage seed oil for its rich, quietly comforting quality. It helps support a soft, supple skin feel and is especially valuable in formulas designed for skin that feels dry, fragile or out of balance. It fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: gentle support for the skin barrier, without forcing or overstimulating the skin.
Rich in gamma-linolenic acid, borage seed oil brings a deeply comforting, barrier-supportive quality to formulas for dry, inflamed and sensitive or mature skin
Cucumber Seed Oil
Cucumber seed oil is cold pressed from the seeds of Cucumis sativus. Light, fresh and quickly absorbed, it is rich in linoleic acid and contains a meaningful level of palmitic acid — fatty acids relevant to the skin’s lipid balance and barrier comfort. Naturally occurring tocopherols and phytosterols add to its quiet nourishing character, making it especially interesting for formulas designed to support skin comfort as the skin matures.
Ingredient name: Cucumber Seed Oil
INCI name: Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of the cucumber plant, Cucumis sativus L.
SKAAI source: ethically sourced in India where the cucumber plant finds its origin. Certified organic.
We choose cucumber seed oil for its fresh, quickly absorbed skin feel and its ability to leave the skin feeling soft, supple and comfortable — without heaviness. It reflects SKAAI’s preservation-based approach to skincare: gentle support for the skin’s natural balance, rather than forcing change.
Cucumber seed oil is a light, elegant oil rich in linoleic acid and with a naturally meaningful level of palmitic acid, a fatty acid also present in the skin’s own lipid composition. Because the skin’s lipid profile changes with age, we value cucumber seed oil as a gentle botanical oil that helps support softness, suppleness and barrier comfort.
Cold pressed from the cleaned and dried seeds of the cucumber plant, Cucumis sativus, cucumber seed oil is a light, elegant botanical oil with a soft yellow colour and a naturally fresh, delicate scent.
Its fatty-acid profile makes it especially interesting for sensitive and dry skin: it is rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid associated with the skin barrier, and contains a meaningful level of palmitic acid, one of the fatty acids naturally present in the skin’s own lipid composition.
In SKAAI formulas, cucumber seed oil is chosen for its fresh, quickly absorbed skin feel and its ability to leave the skin feeling soft, supple and comfortable — without heaviness. Its naturally balanced fatty-acid profile, including linoleic and palmitic acid, makes it especially interesting in formulas designed to support skin comfort as the skin’s lipid balance changes with age.
Elderberry seed extract
Elderberry seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds of Sambucus nigra, the black elder or European elder. Light and non-greasy, it is exceptionally rich in essential fatty acids, especially linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. In SKAAI formulas, we use elderberry seed oil for dry, mature or sensitive skin that benefits from light, gentle nourishment. Its omega-rich profile helps support softness, suppleness and barrier comfort, while naturally occurring tocopherols and other minor lipid components add to its antioxidant-associated character.
INCI: Sambucus Nigra Seed extract
Botanical source: Seeds of black elderberry / European elder, Sambucus nigra
Source: Belgium
Elderberry seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds of the dark berries of Sambucus nigra, the black elder or European elder. Elder is a familiar shrub of European hedgerows and edges, flowering in creamy umbels in spring before producing its deep purple-black berries later in the season.
This light, non-greasy oil is especially valued for its exceptional essential-fatty-acid profile. Recent analysis of cold-pressed elderberry seed oil found it to contain around 93% essential fatty acids, including approximately 41% linoleic acid, 38% alpha-linolenic acid and 13% oleic acid.
In skincare, this makes elderberry seed oil particularly interesting for dry, sensitive, mature or easily unsettled skin. Linoleic acid is closely associated with the skin barrier, while alpha-linolenic acid brings a valuable omega-3 component to the oil’s profile. I would describe it as a light botanical oil that helps support softness, suppleness and barrier comfort.
Elderberry seed oil also contains naturally occurring antioxidant-associated compounds such as tocopherols, phytosterols and carotenoids. In SKAAI formulas, we choose it for its rare balance of lightness and richness: a delicate oil that nourishes without heaviness and supports skin that feels stressed, dry or fragile.
A light, omega-rich seed oil with high levels of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, chosen to support soft, supple and comfortable-feeling skin without heaviness.
Evening Primrose seed oil
Evening primrose seed oil is pressed from the seeds of Oenothera biennis. It is especially valued for its content of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid associated with sensitive-skin comfort and support of the skin’s protective function. In SKAAI formulas, we use evening primrose seed oil for dry, mature or sensitive skin that benefits from gentle nourishment, softness and barrier comfort.
INCI: usually Oenothera Biennis Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of evening primrose, Oenothera biennis
Source: China, Malaysia
Evening primrose seed oil is pressed from the tiny seeds of Oenothera biennis, a yellow-flowering biennial plant native from Canada to Central Mexico and now naturalised in many temperate regions.
In skincare, evening primrose oil is valued for its distinctive fatty-acid profile, especially its content of gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, an omega-6 fatty acid associated with sensitive-skin comfort and support of the skin’s protective function. COSMILE lists evening primrose oil as a skin-conditioning emollient and specifically notes its GLA content in relation to sensitive skin and the skin’s protective function.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose evening primrose seed oil for dry, mature, sensitive or easily unsettled skin. It brings a soft, nourishing quality without heaviness and helps the skin feel smoother, calmer and more comfortable.
Rather than presenting it as a treatment oil, we value evening primrose as a gentle botanical support: rich in skin-relevant fatty acids and beautifully aligned with SKAAI’s preservation-based approach to barrier comfort.
Rich in gamma-linolenic acid, evening primrose seed oil brings soft, comforting nourishment to formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
Friesian wool
The wool in this box comes from sheep grazing the Frisian sea dikes and Ameland. The fibres are too short to spin and would otherwise go to waste, so we use them as natural protective packaging. Please give the wool a final life outdoors: place small tufts in a sheltered spot for birds to find and use in their nests.
The soft wool inside your SKAAI box comes from sheep that graze the sea dikes of Friesland and the island of Ameland. These sheep live close to the Wadden Sea, moving through a coastal landscape of grasses, dandelions, lawn daisies and salt-loving plants that grow along the shore, such as sea kale, sea lavender and sea fennel.
We use this wool as natural protective packaging because it would otherwise go to waste. The fibres are clean and beautiful, but too short to be spun into yarn. Instead of discarding them, we give them a second life: cushioning your SKAAI products on their journey from our hands to yours.
After opening your box, you can give the wool another life outdoors. Place small tufts in a sheltered, bird-friendly spot — for example in a shrub, hedge or between branches — so birds may find it and use it when building their nests.
For SKAAI, this is what care means: using what is already there, wasting less, and staying connected to the landscape that inspires us.
Lavender flower macerate
Lavender flower macerate is made by slowly infusing Lavandula angustifolia flowers into sunflower seed oil. This creates a gentle botanical oil with the softness of sunflower and the delicate herbal character of lavender. In SKAAI formulas, we use it with restraint for its soft aromatic presence and comforting skin feel. Unlike lavender essential oil, this macerate is a quieter preparation, chosen to support softness, ease and balance.
Ingredient name: Lavender flower macerate
Likely INCI: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Botanical source: Flowers of Lavandula angustifolia
Carrier oil: Sunflower seed oil
Source: France
Lavender flower macerate is made by allowing the flowers of Lavandula angustifolia to infuse slowly into sunflower seed oil. Unlike lavender essential oil, this is a gentler botanical preparation: the sunflower oil remains the caring base, while the lavender flowers add a soft aromatic and botanical layer.
Lavandula angustifolia, often called true lavender or English lavender, is native to parts of the western Mediterranean, from north-eastern Spain to Italy. It has a long history of use in traditional body care and is valued in cosmetics for its refreshing, tonic and fragrancing qualities.
In SKAAI formulas, lavender macerated in sunflower seed oil brings a quiet, comforting quality. The sunflower oil helps soften and condition the skin, while the lavender flower extract adds a delicate herbal presence and a sense of calm. We choose it not as a strong active, but as a gentle botanical infusion that supports the skin’s feeling of softness, ease and comfort.
Because SKAAI is designed for sensitive skin, we use lavender with restraint. This reflects our preservation-based approach: botanical ingredients should support the formula without overwhelming the skin.
A gentle infusion of lavender flowers in sunflower seed oil, chosen for its soft aromatic presence and quiet, comforting skin feel.
Lawn Daisy
Lawn daisy, or common daisy, is a small flowering plant that dots the Wadden Sea dikes in spring, opening its cheerful flowers to the sun. In cosmetics, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract is valued as a skin-conditioning ingredient. In SKAAI formulas, we use lawn daisy for its gentle botanical character and soft, toning feel. It helps sensitive, dry or mature skin feel calmer, cared for and more comfortable, while supporting a fresh, healthy-looking appearance.
INCI: Bellis Perennis Flower Extract
Botanical source: Flowers of the common daisy, Bellis perennis
Plant family: Asteraceae
Source: France
Lawn daisy, also known as common daisy, is a small flowering plant found in grassy places across Europe. In May, it dots the Wadden Sea dikes with bright, cheerful flowers that open to the sun. Kew lists Bellis perennis as native from Madeira and Europe to the Mediterranean and Central Asia, and notes its traditional use as a medicinal, food and environmental plant.
In cosmetics, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract is recognised as a skin-conditioning ingredient. The plant is also rich in botanical compounds of interest, including phenolic compounds and flavonoids, and recent reviews describe antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential in Bellis perennis extracts.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose lawn daisy for its gentle, skin-comforting character. It brings a soft botanical quality to formulas designed for sensitive, dry or mature skin, helping the skin feel calmer, cared for and more at ease.
Rather than promising to tighten or “lift” the skin, we would describe lawn daisy as a quiet toning and conditioning botanical: one that supports a soft, fresh and healthy-looking appearance while staying true to SKAAI’s gentle, preservation-based approach.
A gentle daisy flower extract chosen for its skin-conditioning character and soft, toning feel, helping skin look fresh and feel calm, cared for and comfortable.
Magnolia bark extract
Magnolia bark extract comes from the bark of Magnolia officinalis, a tree native to China. It contains naturally occurring compounds such as magnolol and honokiol, which are studied for their antioxidant and skin-comforting properties. In SKAAI formulas, we use magnolia bark extract to support skin that feels sensitive, reactive or easily unsettled. It brings a quiet, protective quality to the formula, helping the skin feel calmer, more balanced and comfortable.
INCI: Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Botanical source: Bark of Magnolia officinalis
Key compounds: magnolol and honokiol
Source:
Magnolia bark extract comes from the bark of Magnolia officinalis, a tree native to China with a long history of traditional use. In cosmetics, it is valued for its skin-conditioning and antimicrobial functions, and for the presence of naturally occurring compounds such as magnolol and honokiol.
These compounds are widely studied for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and inflammation-modulating properties. For SKAAI, I would translate that into gentler cosmetic language: magnolia bark extract helps support skin that feels sensitive, reactive or easily unsettled, while contributing to the antioxidant character of the formula.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose magnolia bark extract for its calm, protective quality. It helps the skin feel more comfortable, balanced and at ease, especially in formulas designed for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
Its role fits beautifully within SKAAI’s preservation-based approach: not forcing the skin to renew or change, but helping support a quieter, more resilient-looking complexion.
A bark extract rich in magnolol and honokiol, chosen to help sensitive or easily unsettled skin feel calmer, more comfortable and better supported.
Olive oil / Sodium Olivate
Olive oil is one of the classic oils of traditional soapmaking. In SKAAI soap, it is transformed through saponification into sodium olivate, a cleansing ingredient made from olive oil fatty acids. Rich in oleic acid, olive oil helps create a mild, creamy and long-lasting soap bar with a gentle, comfortable after-feel.
Ingredient name: Olive Oil / Saponified Olive Oil
INCI in soap: Sodium Olivate
Botanical source: Fruit oil of the olive tree, Olea europaea
Source: Spain, cold pressed, extra virgin, and organically certified,
Olive oil has a long history in traditional soapmaking. In SKAAI soap, it is used not as a leave-on oil, but as part of the soap base: during saponification, olive oil reacts with sodium hydroxide to form sodium olivate, a gentle cleansing soap ingredient derived from olive oil fatty acids.
Olive oil is naturally rich in oleic acid, which gives olive-oil soaps their characteristic mild, creamy and conditioning feel. In a handmade bar, it contributes to a smooth, long-lasting soap that cleanses without the harsh, stripping sensation often associated with stronger cleansing ingredients.
In SKAAI formulas, olive oil supports our approach to slow, careful soapmaking: a traditional botanical oil that helps create a gentle bar for everyday washing, especially for skin that prefers simplicity and restraint.
Pomegranate CO2 extract
Pomegranate seed oil is a precious botanical oil pressed from the seeds of Punica granatum. It is especially valued for its high content of punicic acid, a rare omega-5 fatty acid, alongside naturally occurring tocopherols, phytosterols and other minor lipid components. In SKAAI formulas, we choose pomegranate seed oil for dry, mature or sensitive skin that needs softness, comfort and quiet support. Its distinctive fatty-acid profile makes it especially interesting in formulas designed to support skin resilience when the skin feels fragile, dry or unsettled.
INCI: Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of the pomegranate fruit, Punica granatum
Source: our pomegranate is CO2 extracted in Germany
Pomegranate seed oil is pressed from the seeds of the pomegranate fruit, Punica granatum, a tree with ancient roots from north-eastern Türkiye through western and northern Pakistan, now cultivated widely in warm and temperate regions.
Rich and precious, pomegranate seed oil has a distinctive fatty-acid profile. It is especially valued for its high content of punicic acid, a rare conjugated omega-5 fatty acid that gives the oil its particular place among botanical oils. Studies of pomegranate seed oil consistently identify punicic acid as its dominant fatty acid, although the exact percentage varies by cultivar, origin and extraction method.
Pomegranate seed oil also contains naturally occurring tocopherols, phytosterols and other minor lipid components that contribute to its antioxidant and nourishing character. In SKAAI formulas, we value it as a rich, restorative-feeling oil for dry, mature or sensitive skin — not to force the skin to change, but to support softness, comfort and resilience.
Its punicic-acid-rich profile makes pomegranate seed oil especially interesting in formulas designed for skin that feels dry, fragile or unsettled. Recent skin-cell research found that pomegranate seed oil reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines under induced inflammatory conditions in human keratinocyte and fibroblast models, which supports a cautious “skin comfort” or “calming” angle — but I would avoid saying it treats inflammatory skin diseases.
Rich in rare punicic acid and naturally occurring tocopherols and phytosterols, pomegranate seed oil brings a rich, comforting quality to formulas for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
Rosehip seed Co2 extract
Rosehip oil is pressed from the seeds of wild rosehips. Naturally rich in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, with tocopherols, sterols and carotenoid pigments, it brings a nourishing and antioxidant-associated quality to skincare. In SKAAI formulas, we choose rosehip oil for dry, mature or fragile-feeling skin. It helps support softness, suppleness, barrier comfort and a healthy-looking glow — without forcing the skin to change.
NCI: Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds/hips of wild rose species, often Rosa canina or Rosa rubiginosa
Source: Germany, Bulgaria & Poland
Wild roses can be found across many European landscapes, including coastal hedgerows, dunes and sheltered areas near the sea. After flowering, they form rosehips: small red-orange fruits rich in botanical colour and long associated with traditional care.
Rosehip oil is valued in skincare for its distinctive fatty-acid profile. It is naturally rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, alongside oleic acid and minor lipid components such as tocopherols, sterols and carotenoids. These components contribute to its nourishing, antioxidant-associated and skin-conditioning character.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose rosehip oil for skin that feels dry, mature, dull or fragile. It helps support a soft, supple and comfortable skin feel, while its naturally colourful botanical compounds bring a quiet vitality to the formula. Rather than promising to “repair” or “regenerate” the skin, we value rosehip oil as a gentle, nutrient-rich oil that supports the skin’s barrier comfort and healthy-looking radiance.
It fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: a familiar wild coastal botanical, used with restraint to nourish the skin and support its natural resilience over time.
Rich in skin-relevant fatty acids and naturally occurring antioxidant-associated compounds, rosehip oil supports soft, supple, comfortable and healthy-looking skin.
Rosemary CO2 extract
Rosemary CO₂ extract is obtained from rosemary leaves and used in very small amounts for its antioxidant-rich compounds, especially carnosic acid and carnosol. In SKAAI formulas, it helps protect delicate botanical oils from oxidation and supports the freshness and stability of the formula.
INCI: usually Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Botanical name: Salvia rosmarinus — formerly Rosmarinus officinalis
Botanical source: Leaves of rosemary
Source: Italy
Rosemary CO₂ extract is obtained from the leaves of rosemary, a resilient aromatic shrub native to the Mediterranean region. Although the plant is now botanically accepted as Salvia rosmarinus, the older name Rosmarinus officinalis is still commonly used in cosmetic INCI names. Kew lists Salvia rosmarinus as the accepted species, native to the Mediterranean.
Unlike rosemary essential oil, rosemary CO₂ extract is used mainly for its antioxidant-rich fraction. It contains phenolic diterpenes such as carnosic acid and carnosol, which are recognised as the principal antioxidant components of rosemary leaf extract. Supercritical CO₂ extracts can be especially rich in these compounds.
In SKAAI formulas, we use rosemary CO₂ extract with restraint to help protect delicate botanical oils from oxidation and support the freshness and stability of the formula. It is not there to perfume the product or create a strong herbal scent, but to help preserve the integrity of the lipid blend.
This fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: caring not only for the skin, but also for the quality and stability of the ingredients themselves.
A concentrated rosemary leaf extract used with restraint to help protect SKAAI’s delicate botanical oils from oxidation and support the freshness of the formula.
Sea Buckthorn
Sea buckthorn fruit/pulp CO₂ extract is obtained from the vivid orange fruit pulp of Hippophae rhamnoides. Unlike sea buckthorn seed oil, the fruit/pulp extract is especially rich in omega-7 palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid and carotenoids, which give it its warm orange colour and nourishing character. In SKAAI formulas, we use it with restraint for its rich, comforting skin feel and its ability to support soft, resilient-feeling skin. It is especially interesting for dry, mature or sensitive skin that benefits from gentle lipid support.
INCI: likely Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract or Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Botanical source: Fruit pulp of Hippophae rhamnoides
Source: Poland, certified organic, CO2 extracted
Sea buckthorn fruit/pulp CO₂ extract is obtained from the vivid orange fruit pulp of Hippophae rhamnoides, a resilient shrub native from Europe to southern Siberia and south-central China, and naturally at home in temperate landscapes including coastal regions.
Unlike sea buckthorn seed oil, the fruit/pulp extract is especially rich in the C16 fatty acids palmitoleic acid and palmitic acid, alongside oleic acid. Published comparisons show that sea buckthorn pulp oils are dominated by palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid and oleic acid, while seed oils are richer in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids.
The pulp oil is also valued for its high carotenoid content, which gives it its characteristic orange-red colour. It naturally contains antioxidant-associated compounds such as carotenoids, tocopherols and phytosterols, making it a particularly rich botanical oil for cosmetic formulations.
In SKAAI formulas, we use sea buckthorn fruit/pulp CO₂ extract with restraint: just enough to bring its golden colour, lipid richness and comforting skin feel. Its omega-7-rich profile makes it especially interesting for dry, mature or sensitive skin that benefits from softness, comfort and barrier support.
It fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: a concentrated coastal botanical, used carefully to support the skin’s natural resilience without overwhelming it.
Rich in omega-7 palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid and naturally occurring carotenoids, sea buckthorn fruit/pulp CO₂ extract brings a warm, nourishing quality to formulas designed for dry, mature or sensitive skin.
Sea Fennel
Sea fennel, or rock samphire, is a salt-tolerant coastal plant that grows along European shorelines, including parts of the Wadden Sea landscape. In SKAAI formulas, we use Crithmum maritimum extract for its skin-conditioning and protective-feeling character. Rich in coastal plant resilience, sea fennel helps dry, mature or sensitive skin feel more comfortable, balanced and supple. It supports our healthy-ageing philosophy: not forcing the skin to change, but helping it remain resilient, cared for and at ease.
INCI: Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Botanical source: Sea fennel / rock samphire, Crithmum maritimum
Source: Greece
Sea fennel, also known as rock samphire, is a resilient coastal plant that grows along sea cliffs, shorelines and saline soils. Around the Wadden Sea, it can be found in sheltered places between the basalt stones of the dike, especially where grazing sheep do not reach. Crithmum maritimum is native across parts of Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Macaronesia and the western Caucasus, including the Netherlands, France, Great Britain and Ireland.
For centuries, sea fennel has been valued as an edible and traditional coastal plant. Modern research describes it as a halophyte — a salt-tolerant plant — rich in bioactive compounds, including phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids and other plant constituents associated with antioxidant activity.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose sea fennel for its coastal resilience and skin-conditioning character. It brings a refined, protective-feeling quality to formulas designed for dry, mature or sensitive skin. Rather than using it as a strong “anti-ageing” promise, we value it as a botanical active that helps skin feel more comfortable, balanced and resilient.
Sea fennel fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: a plant shaped by salt, wind and exposure, used with restraint to support the skin’s natural comfort and healthy-looking vitality.
A resilient coastal plant extract chosen for its skin-conditioning character, sea fennel helps dry, mature or sensitive skin feel more comfortable, supple and protected.
Sea Lavender
Sea lavender is a purple-flowering coastal plant associated with salt marshes, sea wind and saline soils. At SKAAI, we use SEA LAVENDER SC™ from Seppic, an oil-soluble extract of Limonium gerberi, chosen for its skin-protecting and barrier-supportive character. In our formulas, sea lavender helps dry, mature or sensitive skin feel more hydrated, comfortable and resilient. It fits SKAAI’s healthy-ageing philosophy beautifully: gentle support for skin exposed to time, weather and daily life.
INCI: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limonium Gerberi Extract
Botanical source: Sea lavender, Limonium gerberi
Source: Brittany, France. ECOCERT & COSMOS certified
Sea Mayweed
At SKAAI, we use Sea Mayweed for its gentle, skin-comforting character. Chosen especially for sensitive and redness-prone skin, it helps the skin feel calmer, softer and less reactive.
INCI: Tripleurospermum Maritimum Extract — sometimes listed as Tripleurospermum Maritimum Extract, Aqua/Water, so check your supplier document.
Botanical source: Sea mayweed / coastal scentless mayweed, Tripleurospermum maritimum
Synonym sometimes used by Seppic: Matricaria maritima
Source: Brittany, France. ECOCERT & COSMOS certified.
Sea mayweed, also known as scentless chamomile, grows abundantly along the Wadden Sea and other European coastlines, where its white, daisy-like flowers withstand wind, salt and shifting weather.
At SKAAI, we use Sea Mayweed for its gentle, skin-comforting character. Chosen especially for sensitive and redness-prone skin, it helps the skin feel calmer, softer and less reactive.
Like the coastal plants that inspire us, sea mayweed brings quiet resilience to the formula: not forcing the skin to change, but helping it return to comfort and balance.
Sea Starwort oil
Sea starwort, also known as sea aster, is a salt-tolerant coastal plant associated with salt marshes and estuaries. In SKAAI formulas, we use Seppic’s SEA STARWORT OIL®, an oil-soluble extract of Aster tripolium, chosen for its skin-protecting and barrier-supportive character. It helps dry, sensitive or mature skin feel more hydrated, comfortable and resilient — a quiet coastal active that supports the skin’s natural balance.
INCI: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aster Tripolium Extract
Botanical source: Sea starwort / sea aster, traditionally Aster tripolium
Accepted botanical name: Tripolium pannonicum — Kew lists Aster tripolium as a synonym of Tripolium pannonicum.
Source: Europe
Sea starwort, also known as sea aster, is a salt-tolerant coastal plant associated with salt marshes, estuaries and temperate shorelines. Its older botanical name, Aster tripolium, is still used in the cosmetic INCI name, while the currently accepted botanical name is Tripolium pannonicum.
In cosmetics, Aster Tripolium Extract is recognised as a skin-protecting ingredient. COSMILE describes it as an extract of sea aster / sea starwort that helps protect the skin from external influences.
At SKAAI, we use Sea Starwort Oil for its barrier-supportive and skin-comforting character. This oil-soluble coastal extract for skin barrier reinforcement, soothing efficacy and moisturisation. The supplier data describe effects on hydration and visible redness.
A coastal sea aster extract chosen to support barrier comfort, hydration and resilient-feeling skin.
Seaweed
Laminaria digitata extract is obtained from Laminaria digitata, a brown seaweed found in cold, wave-exposed North Atlantic waters. Naturally rich in marine polysaccharides such as alginate, fucoidan and laminarin, it brings a mineral, skin-conditioning quality to SKAAI formulas. We use it to support hydrated, supple and comfortable-feeling skin, especially in formulas for skin that feels dry, tired or exposed to the elements.
INCI: Laminaria Digitata Extract
Botanical / marine source: Extract of the brown seaweed Laminaria digitata
Also known as: Oarweed, kelp
Source: Ireland
Laminaria digitata is a large brown seaweed found in cold North Atlantic waters. It grows attached to hard substrates in lower intertidal and subtidal zones, often in exposed coastal areas with strong wave movement — a marine landscape of resilience, movement and mineral richness. European distribution maps describe it as occurring along Atlantic coasts from northern Russia to the Canary Islands, favouring moderately to very exposed areas with strong wave currents.
In cosmetics, Laminaria Digitata Extract is recognised as a skincare ingredient, and COSMILE places it within ingredients for skincare. Brown algae-derived ingredients are commonly used as skin-conditioning agents, and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review notes that brown algae contain alginic acid and fucoidan in their complex cell walls, with composition varying depending on growing conditions, harvest and extraction method.
The value of Laminaria digitata lies in its marine polysaccharides and mineral-rich character. Studies describe this brown macroalga as a carbohydrate-rich biomass containing alginate, fucoidan, laminarin and mannitol, with seasonal variation in composition. These compounds are part of what makes kelp extracts interesting in cosmetic formulations for hydration, texture, comfort and a protective skin feel.
In SKAAI formulas, we choose Laminaria digitata extract for its coastal, mineral-rich character and its quiet skin-conditioning quality. It supports formulas designed for skin that feels dry, tired or exposed to environmental stress, helping the skin feel hydrated, supple and comfortable.
It fits SKAAI’s preservation-based approach beautifully: a resilient seaweed from wave-washed waters, used not to force the skin, but to support its natural comfort and balance.
A mineral-rich brown seaweed extract from cold, wave-washed Atlantic waters, chosen to support hydrated, supple and comfortable-feeling skin.
Sunflower seed oil
Sunflower seed oil is a gentle botanical oil pressed from the seeds of Helianthus annuus. Light, soft and familiar, it is valued in skincare for its emollient feel and its naturally occurring fatty acids, including linoleic acid in high-linoleic sunflower oil. In SKAAI formulas, we choose sunflower seed oil as a quiet, reliable base oil that helps leave the skin feeling soft, supple and comfortable. It supports our preservation-based approach to skincare: simple, gentle care that respects the skin’s natural balance.
INCI: Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Botanical source: Seeds of the sunflower, Helianthus annuus
Source: France
Sunflower seed oil is pressed from the seeds of Helianthus annuus, a plant native to North America and now cultivated widely around the world. In skincare, it is valued as a gentle, familiar botanical oil with a light skin feel and a long history of use in emollient formulations. Kew lists Helianthus annuus as native from the south-western United States to Mexico.
In SKAAI formulas, sunflower seed oil is chosen for its softness, simplicity and skin comfort. It is naturally rich in fatty acids, especially linoleic acid in high-linoleic sunflower oil, and contains minor components such as tocopherols and phytosterols that contribute to its nourishing character.
Linoleic acid is especially relevant to the skin barrier. Reviews of topical plant oils describe sunflower seed oil as relatively high in linoleic acid compared with olive oil, and one adult skin study found that sunflower seed oil preserved stratum corneum integrity and improved hydration without causing erythema.
We use sunflower seed oil as a gentle, reliable base oil: light, absorbent and quietly supportive. It helps leave the skin feeling soft, supple and comfortable, without heaviness. In SKAAI’s preservation-based approach, sunflower seed oil represents care in its simplest form — a modest botanical oil that supports the skin’s natural balance.
A gentle, light botanical oil rich in skin-relevant fatty acids, sunflower seed oil brings softness, comfort and quiet barrier support to SKAAI formulations.