Our Ingredients & Process

We’re Raising The Bar

Natural Is Not Enough

At Root Science, we like to dot our i’s and cross our t’s when it comes to creating exceptional skincare formulas. This starts with sourcing the very best from science and nature, which to us means using ingredients that deliver results without compromise. After all, what’s the point of greening up your routine if it’s not effective or contains questionable ingredients. What we don’t use in our formulas is equally as important to what we do use. And we’re not just talking about excluding harmful synthetics, because both natural and synthetic ingredients can be harmful to your skin. For instance, photosensitizing essential oils are commonplace in “luxury” skincare products, a cause for concern that is rarely spoken of. Also, skincare products with an essential oil concentration above 1% is a recipe for irritation. You can always identify a formula with a high % of essential oils when it smells strong enough to be a perfume. This is why simply using natural ingredients is not enough. We curate our ingredients based on quality, purity, safety and performance — never scent, color or marketing trends.

Ingredients Matter

What We Don’t Use Is Just As Important As What We Do

Synthetic Ingredients We Don’t Use:

 

Parabens


Phthalates


Sulfates


Petrochemicals


Silicones


Synthetic Fragrance


Synthetic Colorants


Hydroquinone


Talc

Natural Ingredients We Don’t Use:

 

Essential Oils Above 1% In Formulas


Bergamot Essential Oil (Phototoxic)


Lemon Essential Oil (Phototoxic)


Grapefruit Essential Oil (Phototoxic)


Jasmine Essential Oil (Common Skin Irritant)


Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (Common Skin Irritant)


Lavender Essential Oil (Common Skin Irritant)


Tea Tree Essential Oil (Common Skin Irritant)


Natural Parfum/Fragrance (Common Skin Irritant)

Ingredients Matter

Quality Matters

Very much like purchasing culinary olive oil, the spectrum of quality varies greatly amongst natural cosmetic ingredients. Counterfeit and adulterated ingredients is an unfortunate reality. As the demand for natural products grows, so do these malicious practices. Sourcing the very best ingredients from nature is a passion and dedication beyond what most companies are willing to invest their time and resources into. After all, consumers can’t see what goes on behind closed doors, so there’s very little return on investment when choosing to work with high-quality ingredients. However, we know you want better and are here to do exactly that. We’ve spent more than a decade sourcing natural ingredients of the highest quality, which to us means working with small artisan distilleries and farmers and choosing certified organic, biodynamic, fair-trade and environmentally conscious ingredients. We also procure ingredients based on how they are extracted and handled, prioritizing methods that preserve the nutrients and therapeutic properties. Choosing to work with superior quality ingredients equates to high-performance formulas that deliver results you’re going to love — and feel good about!

Skin First Formulas

We believe you shouldn’t have to compromise on results when choosing to care for your skin with natural products. That’s why we create hard-working formulas that support skin needs first, using only what’s necessary and nothing that’s not. That means omitting many natural and synthetic ingredients. As mentioned above, just because an ingredient is natural, doesn’t mean it’s safe, effective or suitable for facial care. Many natural and synthetic ingredients can cause irritation and do more harm than good, especially when included in products intended for daily use. Furthermore, having a few active ingredients in a cheap delivery system that serves no purpose and makes up 98% of the formula, doesn’t meet our quality standard. Each ingredient must directly benefit skin, otherwise it doesn’t make the cut. Our potent formulas do more, with less. We create intentional and essential skincare products around real skin needs. After all, your skin doesn’t care if the next product is blue or smells like jasmine, it has needs beyond sensory pleasers.

Ingredients Matter
Ingredients Matter

Small Batch In-House Process

The lack of quality standards and consideration for long term implications of skincare is not only a direct reflection of outdated (and lacking) U.S. cosmetic regulations — but also an industry norm of purchasing mass produced formulas from third party manufacturers. To successfully execute our high standards for ingredient quality and formulations, we make our fresh products in-house and in small-batches. This passion filled process takes place in our Portland, Oregon studio, surrounded by the lush evergreens of the Pacific Northwest, and is carried out by a small team of people who care about you and the planet. We would never outsource this beautiful and intimate process, because we really love what we do. We see this as the only way to truly fulfill our promise to you — to create products that care for your skin with the very best from nature.

Skin-Loving Ingredients We Use

Aloe Vera

Argan Oil

Astaxanthin

Bakuchiol

Baobab Oil

Bentonite Clay

Bisabolol

Black Cumin Seed Oil

Blackberry Seed Oil

Calendula

Camellia Oil

Carrot Seed Essential Oil

Chaga Mushroom

Chamomile

Chamomile Hydrosol

Cistus Hydrosol

Coconut Charcoal

Colloidal Oatmeal

Cranberry Seed Oil

Cucumber Extract

Edelweiss

Ethylhexylglycerin

Frankincense

French Green Clay

Glycerin

Gotu Kola

Grape Seed Oil

Helichrysum Essential Oil

Helichrysum Hydrosol

Hibiscus

Jojoba Oil

Kaolin Clay

Lemon Verbena Hydrosol

Macadamia Seed Oil

Marshmallow Root

Milk Thistle Seed Oil

Neem Leaf

Oat Oil

Orange Peel

Maracuja Seed Oil

Phenethyl Alcohol

Pomegranate Seed Oil

Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Raspberry Seed Oil

Rhassoul Clay

Rice Flour

Rose

Rose Geranium Hydrosol

Rose Hydrosol

Rosehip Seed Oil

Rosemary Extract

Sacha Inchi Seed Oil

Saponified Coconut Oil

Saponified Olive Oil

Saponified Palm kernel Oil

Saponified Palm Oil

Saponified Shea Butter

Sea Buckthorn

Sea Kelp Extract

Slippery Elm Bark

Squalane

Tamanu Oil

Turmeric Root

Vitamin E

Vitamin C Ester

Witch Hazel Hydrosol

Treat Your Skin To The Very Best From Science And Nature.