Products and brands tout terms like clean, green, and everything in between, but what does it all mean? Let this be your beauty brand wiki, your go-to resource with clear definitive definitions and marketing myth-debunking. 

Ensures an ingredient or product possesses particular, stringent qualifications and meets defined requirements and standards. Thus an entire product can be "certified organic" if all criteria is met and/or an individual raw material can be "certified organic." 

"Certified" matters because of the lack of transparency in the personal care industry. With certification, you can read the qualifications the company's products must meet to obtain that standard. You can also find out who verified that the standard was followed, thereby achieving complete transparency about the ingredient(s).

The individual or party which verifies that the standards are being followed.

At I-N we use third-party certifiers versus self regulation to ensure we follow the standards of Cosmos, USDA, Leaping Bunny, Green E and more. 

In order to call an ingredient "certified organic," it is audited by an accredited third party (typically an organization such as the USDA or Cosmos Organic) Certifier to ensure compliance with a rigorous set of standards.

At IN, we provide the % of certified organic content for every product formula. 

To learn more and see the Seals We use follow this link: (Click Here)

To learn more about the in depth requirements of the Cosmos standard: (Click Here)

To learn more about USDA standards: (Click Here)

Products that are safe for our body and the planet; made with ethically sourced ingredients; and made with the health of our bodies and the environment in mind. 

We choose ingredients with lower toxicity concern when possible to reduce overall burden on the body and the environment. We prioritize biodegradable raw materials. We're 100% transparent in labeling and listing every ingredient on our packaging (even our trade-secret aromatic essential oil blends).

Cold-Pressed oil refers to the extraction process of crushing the seed or nut and forcing out the oil.

Cold pressed  protects and preserves the nutrients, where with heat the chemical structure is altered and may reduce the benefits and efficacy.

At I-N, Our Seed Science features 5 certified organic and cold-pressed oils from Black Cumin, Red Raspberry, Red Grape, Pumpkin and Cranberry for maximum potency and benefits.

A non-profit organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. They inform consumers on the most environmentally safe products and companies available through their extensive research in agricultural subsidies, toxic chemicals, drinking water pollutants and corporate accountability.

EWG has a Skin Deep Database that consists of profiles for cosmetic and personal care ingredients that indicates their potential hazards and health concerns.  

EWG's Skin Deep database provides products with a hazard score on a scale from 1-10, 1 being the least hazardous and 10 being the most. All product scores are calculated based off of 17 general hazard categories. Nearly 60 toxicity and regulatory databases are used to compile all product ingredient information. 

At I-N we value reducing the toxic burden on our bodies and the planet and 90% of our ingredients have a 1-2 ranking with the remaining 10% ranking 3-6.

To learn more: (Click Here) 

Products developed with minimal present and future environmental impact.

We choose plants over petroleum; cruelty-free, eco-friendly and sustainably sourced ingredients, always. We choose sustainable packaging to reduce our footprint on human, health and planet.

Green washing is a form of marketing spin where 'green' is deceptively used to persuade people to believe that something is 'greener' than it actually is. Making claims that are not substantiated via the guidelines as established by the Federal Trade Commission Green Guide. In addition, many brands call their products green, organic, natural but only use a few drops of such content.

At I-N we are 100% transparent and disclose the % natural and % organic for every product. We strive for a minimum 85% natural content in each product with rare exceptions. There is an average of 96.2% natural content in products across the line.

To learn more: (Click Here)

A particle of matter that is between 1 and 100 nanometres (nm) in diameter.

At I-N we do not use any nano particles which may be penetrate our protective barrier and contaminate the bloodstream.

Contains ingredients from plants and other natural sources that are minimally processed.

At I-N, we choose plants over petroleum to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel, a non-renewable resources, while at the same time supporting global ecosystems.  90% of our ingredient library to use for formulations are natural or naturally-derived. Our formulas contain an average of 96.2% natural content across the line.

One of four types of ingredients we use. These raw materials contain ingredients from plants and processed chemically (i.e. ethoxylation), changing the molecular structure. These ingredients are generally available in a form that is allowed in certified organic and natural products. 

At I-N, 16% of our ingredients fit this definition. 90% of our ingredient library to use for formulations are natural/plant-based. Our formulas contain an average of 96.2% natural/plant-based content across the line.

Learn more about our Ingredient initiatives: (Click Here)

One of four types of ingredients we use. These raw materials contain ingredients from plants, processed minimally in a physical manner (i.e. fermenting, steam distillation, cold-pressing) as opposed to chemical processing. These ingredients are typically available certified organic and used in organic and natural products.

At I-N, we have over 85 ingredients and 50+ essential oils that fit this definition. 90% of our ingredient library to use for formulations are natural/plant-based. Our formulas contain an average of 96.2% natural/plant-based content across the line.

Learn more about our Ingredient initiatives: (Click Here)

A product or ingredient that is not harmful to humans.

The level of toxicity always depends on the dose and on the individual; for example, a glass of water is safe, a tidal wave is not. In addition, while a healthy body can easily process and eliminate different chemicals/toxins from their bodies, many health conditions may impede this natural ability, resulting in toxic buildup. This can potentially further exacerbate the effect of the toxin on the body. Fragrance in cosmetics is sometimes used as a loophole to hide toxic ingredients. 

Nothing to hide here, at I-N, this is why we disclose every ingredient in our "trade-secret" aromas even though it is not required. 

In addition, because we believe toxicity is dose dependent, we choose ingredients with low toxicity concern when possible to reduce overall burden on the body and the environment.

These plants cannot use genetically modified organisms and have been grown, raised, harvested, manufactured and preserved without chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or antibiotics. 

At I-N, we support organic to help reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and fungicides herbicides; promote healthier air, soil, water, eco systems; and support cleaner land stewardship practices.

From plants, not petrochemicals and a term that we use interchangeable with natural.

At IN, we choose plants over petroleum to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel, a non-renewable resources, while at the same time supporting global ecosystems. 90% of our ingredient library to use for formulations are natural/plant-based. Our formulas contain an average of 96.2% natural/plant-based content across the line.

The material (paper, plastic, metal, etc.) has been out on the market, used by a consumer, sent to a recycling facility and then processed to become a product for a consumer again. Ultimately, diverting material from the landfill and utilizing in the production of other commodities.

At I-N, a majority of our packaging material is from PCR content and:

-Reduces the amount of plastics going to landfills
-Reduces micro plastics making their way into oceans, seas and waterways
-Reduces carbon footprint (often requiring less, water, energy, etc.)
-Eliminates the need to use fossil fuels as a raw material, i.e. producing 90% post-consumer HDPE is 50% lower than manufacturing virgin – and this includes the energy required to collect, recycle, and remanufacture the plastics.

Learn more about our initiatives: (Click Here)

Grown and certified against the 8 RSPO principles and criteria (with supporting indicators). These stringent sustainability criteria relate to social, environmental and economic good practice.

Learn more about our initiatives: (Click Here)

A symbol which is awarded for following the standards which can be issued to a product or a company as a whole. Once awarded, the seal can be used by the company to provide transparency of their product or practices which have been verified. According to the Organic Monitor, there are over 20 different types of seals now seen on cosmetics and personal care products. They touch on organics, ethics and sustainability amongst other things. These seals are proof of transparency for the organic, natural, sustainable, and ethical claims that we make. Certifiers have verified that we have followed the standard and therefore awarded use of the seal.

Learn more about our seals and certifications: (Click Here)

One of the four types of ingredients we use. Starts from a plant source but includes a synthetic component from petroleum.

At I-N we have <15 ingredients that fit this definition. 

Learn more about our initiatives: (Click Here)

A set of rules defined by a private group or government. We have both company-wide standards that cover all IN products, regardless of the presence of the seal on the package. And product specific standards that cover individual products and some require a seal to be on the package and some do not. 

Quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.

Choosing ingredient or packaging components that are sustainable, either renewable or recyclable ensures long-term availability of resources.
-We choose plants as most are renewable. Petroleum is non-renewable with limited and finite availability.
-Recycling a material (i.e. post-consumer recycled plastic) extends the availability of that finite resource.

Growing, harvesting and processing of palm oil has led to clear-cutting and burning massive areas of forest to plant more palm trees to meet demand. You'd be hard pressed to go 24 hours without consuming something containing palm oil—it’s used in so many products, and that’s the problem. Most palm oil harvesting is contributing to climate change, putting wildlife populations at risk by destroying their habitats, creating conflicts with indigenous communities living on company concessions, as well as worker exploitation and labor abuses. 

I-N is committed to using sustainable palm only in our products in cooperation with organizations promoting sustainable palm attempt to mitigate these issues, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil or RSPO, which promotes the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products, helps push through credible global standards, and offers certifications.

One of four ingredient types we use at IN. Starts from a petrochemical (petroleum) source. Note some synthetic ingredients can come from "natural sources." The difference is that one is derived from sustainable resource (i.e. plants) and the other is not (i.e. petroleum).

Products have to perform, last, and not grow bacteria (another form of safety). At times this requires the use of synthetic ingredients—for example, the food-based preservatives we use. In addition, some ingredients occur in nature but aren't readily available in a commercial way.

At I-N our ratio of ingredients in our library of natural vs synthetic ingredients is 90% natural to 10% synthetic.