The Ethics of Unadorned Essentials

If you have enjoyed the sweet aroma of the rose, the invigorating scent of peppermint, or the verdancy of coriander, then you know essential oils.

Essential oils are a liquid concentrate of the unadorned aromatic molecules of a plant. These oils have the distinctive aroma and flavor of the plant of origin. This nourishing liquid enthusiastically absorbs through the membrane of our skin to bless mood, mind, and body. Sincere, generous, and immeasurable plant life! 

Purity

All Libations' botanicals are authentic and pure and distilled only from the named plant matter. We call our essential oils Hi-Fi oils due to the distillers' faithful and accurate adherence to the master plant. All of our Hi-Fi oils are distilled from either wild crafted or organically grown plants. Our wild crafted plant matter is collected from the plants' natural habitat in lieu of a farm. We avoid offering botanicals from rare or threatened species of plants growing in the wild to discourage their disruption and disappearance. Our organic oils originate from plants cultivated without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, or herbicides. 

To amplify the potency of the aromatic essence in the plant being distilled, our harvesters gather the part of the plant needed for the oil at the ideal time of day for each plant. An ancient and artful distillation method further ensures that the maximum amount of compounds and trace elements are captured in every drop. Most of our oils are distilled with nothing more than pure water.

Our ‘absolute’ oils are a unique type of extraction used required by a few plants that that need a solvent to liberate the aromatic molecules from the plant’s cellulose. The solvent is cleanly removed after distillation.

Singles, Carriers and DIY Advice

Some people prefer to blend their own botanicals, and we offer single note essences and carrier oils to empower creative mixing. We are happy to offer good-mixing tips and encourage wise experimentation. Most of our Libation bottles and lids can easily be washed and reused to contain your own creations before they are recycled.

Better than Good: Libations’ Manufacturing Quality Assurance

The FDA maintains a quality assurance recommendations check-list for the food, drug, and cosmetics industries called the Good Manufacturing Practice. The GMP check-list includes guidance on all areas of business: record keeping and controls, manufacturing facility suitability, equipment appropriateness, personnel and training, processing standards, laboratory hygiene, the storage and handling of products and ingredients, and customer service administration. Participation in the GMP is voluntary, and Living Libations adheres to its industry recommendations and our quality control exceeds the recommendations.

Living Libations' Legitimate Labeling

We practice legitimate labeling, and we put the ingredients list right on the front of the bottle as an invitation to be read. We make each formula with care and attention, and we want Libations lovers to easily find and understand what is in each product.

Free from artificial and synthetic colors, preservatives, fragrances, and petrochemicals, every component of a Libation is an active ingredient. We preserve purity, space, and resources by offering full potency products without fillers or diluters. Our essential oils and supercritical extracts are highly concentrated, and with some of our botanicals, a whole plant is required to create a single drop of oil.

As a family and as the creators of Libations, we are totally gluten free.  All Libations are gluten-free. Oat straw (Avena sativa) is also known as milky oats. Our certified gluten-free oat straw is an herbal infusion of the green, unripe stem or straw of the oat plant, and the seeds, which are the cereal grain, are not included in the infusion.

Our Libations creations are as raw as possible. All of our fatty oils are cold pressed and completely unheated. There is no such thing as a raw essential oil because they are produced by steam distilling plant matter.  Libations’ oils are produced using a long and slow distillation at the lowest temperature possible. 

Discern What's Real

All essential oils are not equal. Due diligence is needed if you want only really pure and authentic botanical oils. Many distributers and marketers use terms such as “Grade A,” “therapeutic grade,” and “aroma-therapeutic grade” to describe their oils. Yet, these are words without meaning. No organization, association, or commission monitors the purity or quality of essential oils, and there is no universal essential oil grading system in place. Be aware.

Each essential oil has specific components that make it distinctive and authentic, and there are published standards defining these profiles. Various countries, including the US, have published pharmacopoeias that outline exacting chemical and physical standards for hundreds of botanical oils. There is also a universal standard for most botanicals maintained by the International Standards Organization (ISO).

The ISO and the pharmacopoeias are not regulating bodies or purity-police. No one holds distillers or distributers to the published standards or monitors for quality. It is very important to know your source.

Global Responsibility is a popular marketing trend and for this we are deeply grateful. Living Libations' rigorous standard of purity honors the health and preservation of forests, lakes and rivers, farms, the people who cultivate and distill for us, our families, our neighbors, and our clients.

For over 20 years we have nurtured personal relationships with artisan distillers and family farmers around the globe so that we may secure authentic oils and extracts that are purely and fairly produced. Many of the highest quality plants and flowers used in plant oils are indigenous to the developing world, and the people native to those regions learned from their families the ancient craft of distillation. We can track the source of our oils from the plant growing in the field to the oil arriving on our doorway. It is our pleasure to observe fair trade practices so that our skilled farmers, harvesters, and distillers are safe and earn a fair wage for their labor and goods.

Essential oil yields vary from year to year depending on weather patterns, plant growth and health, and even political stability in some regions. As with wine, some years are just better than others. All of these factors influence the availability and the price of the botanicals we use.

Animal Attraction

Almost all Libations are vegan. There are a few products that include ethically harvested and produced beeswax: the lip glosses and balms, the perfume balms, Maidenfern Blushing Balm, and Jai Baby Balm. Sundew Transdermal Vitamin D Crème contains vitamin D from lanolin, which occurs naturally on the wool of woolly animals, such as sheep. 

Animal Testing is and always has been a non-issue for Libations creations. Botanical oils have blessed and benefited humans for all of recorded history, and this is copious proof of their safety and effectiveness.

Our Living Ethic of Nature, Beauty, and Being

Beauty is everyone’s birthright as a blessing of nature. It is the effervescent insignia of the divinity in our souls. Beauty endures with time. It cannot be pursued, purchased, or put on. Tending to Beauty is simple; step into it and liberate it from vogue inclinations, marketing madness, and artificial facades.

• Water
  Filtered, deionized water is the non-allergenic fluid foundation that keeps all of the ingredients properly swished and swirled together.
• Iron Oxide Black
  This naturally occurring mineral provides the non-irritating, perfectly-pitched, pure pigment to our mascara for the most naturally tinted lashes.
  Typically, carbon black is used to pigment cosmetics, and it is produced in the combustion of carbon products like tar. It is reportedly linked to incidence of organ and endocrine disruption.
• Beeswax
  This wonderful wax is such a special gift from the hives of healthy bees, giving vital viscosity to our lusciously thick mascara, so it coats, lifts, and protects lashes.
  Beeswax replaces paraffin, polyethylene, vegan soy wax, or a synthetic wax.
• Carnauba Wax (Copernicia cerifera)
  This breezy Brazilian palm tree lends its leaf wax to our formula for lavish lash-lengthening body with a nice, soft gloss. It also adds emollience for smooth, moisturized eye lashes.
  Carnauba wax replaces polymers, paraffin, polyethylene, and synthetic waxes.
• Bayberry Fruit Wax (Myrica cerifera)
  This silky wax is water extracted from organically grown berries of the Southern Bayberry Myrtle. It contributes to the creamy, rich texture of the mascara and gives the lashes a lustrous coat of a porous, protective plant layer.
  Film-forming polymers, such as acrylates copolymer, ammonium methacrylate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and polyethylene, derived from petroleum, are commonly used in lieu of Bayberry Fruit Wax.
• Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate
  Conifer sap resin is steam purified and combined with hydrogen to create a shelf-stable liquid that helps the mascara stay coated on your lashes while adding a dash of gloss.
  Polyvinylpyrrolidone is typically used in this role as a fixative in mascara. It is a synthetic ingredient derived from petroleum.
• Frankincense Resin (Boswellia carterii)
  Inspired by Frankincense used as the ingredient of an early cosmetic — ancient Egyptian Kohl — this fragrant and flawless extract furnishes soothing, smoothing properties to our formula. This radiant resin is key to our formula’s tenacity and texture.
  In synthetic mascaras one will often find shellac on the ingredient list instead. Shellac is made from the exudate of the lac insect. The exudate is then bleached or decolorized to make it cosmetic grade.
• Stearic Acid
  This magnificent multi-tasker is a natural, plant-based long chain fatty acid that stabilizes the solution and makes the mascara silky smooth.
  Triethanolamine (TEA) is frequently used in lieu of stearic acid, for the long chain fatty acid. It is created in a reaction of ammonia with ethylene oxide from the petroleum industry.
• Propanediol
  Plant-derived propanediol is a trusty texturizer and non-irritating fluid that assists in keeping the ingredients wet and well blended.
  Typically, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used in this role as a wetting agent, and it can trigger allergies and irritations. A vast number of people (maybe as high as 72%), have developed anti-PEG antibodies that can cause hypersensitivity reactions when exposed.
• Glyceryl Stearate
  This plant-based emulsifier, conditioner, and body builder is created in a process super similar to DIY soap making. This process produces magnificent molecules that are both water and fat soluble, which helps to keep our mascara ingredients all mixed together.
  Triethanolamine plays a similar role here in replacing stearic acid, and is also frequently used in lieu of glyceryl stearate.
• Arginine
  A lash-care essential! Arginine is an essential amino acid for building keratin, a fibrous protein that structures and protects hair. It also moisturizes each lash to keep them long and strong.
• Pullulan (Aureobasidium pullulans)
  This mighty microorganism produces this edible cellulose that acts and feels similar to gelatin. Pullulan helps our mascara lavish each lash with a sheen that stays all day yet magically washes away with water.
  Typically, plastic or nylon reinforced cellulose are in mascara used to create the gel-like feel in mascara. Both plastic and nylon are made from petroleum.
• Pentylene Glycol
  This sustainably produced, plant derived organic alcohol works synergistically with organic Rosemary Leaf Extract to preserve and protect our mascara from mutant microbes. It is also a silky humectant that protects lashes from drying out.
  Pentylene glycol replaces polyethylene glycol (PEG), which functions in many types of mascara as a humectant and preservative. A vast number of people (maybe as high as 72%) have developed anti-PEG antibodies which can lead to hypersensitivity reactions when exposed.
• Kaolin
  Silica rich Kaolin clay is an ancient haircare preparation that imparts opulent density to our finished formula.
  Typically, polymer opacifiers are used instead to thicken and make the formula opaque. Synthetic polymers may be irritating and inflammatory.
• Caprylyl Glycol
  Soft, flexible lashes are less apt to break, and this moisture magnifier keeps your lashes lush and long. Caprylyl glycol is a non-irritating, non-drying alcohol derived from the caprylic fatty acid found in coconut oil.
• Xanthum Gum
  Widely used in the organic food industry and a pantry staple for gluten free baking, this gel is a natural exudate of Xanthomonas campestris. It is an excellent thickener!
  We used Xantham Gum instead of hydroxyethylcellulose, which is a synthetic polymer that is made using 1,4 dioxane, a substance that can contribute to some cancers.
• Cacao Butter (Theobroma cacao)
  Expeller-pressed from raw cacao beans, velvety cacao butter delivers antioxidants and conditioning to keep lashes nourished from follicle to tip.
  Sorbitan sesquioleate is commonly used in mascara for added moisture, and it is increasingly considered an irritant.
• Sodium Phytate
  This simple salt of phytic acid derived from plant tissues acts as an all-natural super stabilizer for our ebonizing pigments so that our mascara looks and feels the same, day after day.
  Sodium phytate replaces sodium EDTA to manage the minerals in the mascara. Sodium EDTA may cause redness and rashes to those with sensitive eyes and skin.
• Glycerin
  Lash-plumping and moisture-maintaining Glycerin acts as a water-binding humectant in our formula. This pure, non-GMO glycerin is made from palm oil extracted from Elaeis guineensis trees grown sustainably and ethically harvested in the tropics.
  Glycerin is best avoided for skin care as it can lead in the long term to water loss and imbalanced skin cells, yet a bit of Glycerin when combined with other moisturizers and humectants is benign in mascara. Glycerin is safe for eye lashes because hair is made of non-living cells.
• Pea Peptides (Pisum Sativum)
  This pea peptide is a plant protein multi-tasker concentrated in lysine. It hydrates, strengthens, and fortifies lusher lash density overtime. The texture of the peptide also pumps up voluminous volume for thick, long lashes.
  Our peptide is lavishly laced with radish root filtrate that has been fermented with Leuconostoc, the same lactic acid bacteria that is used to make kimchi and sourdough bread. This pale-yellow liquid is a natural bacteria-balancer, and its moisturizing properties make it superbly smoothing and conditioning to the lashes and follicles.
• Rosemary Leaf Extract (Rosmarinus officinalis)
  This steadfast and super potent supercritical extract is a favorite of ours, acting as a replenishing tonic for lashes, roots, and follicles and keeps the mascara fragrant and fresh.
  Typically, butylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben are used as preservatives, and they are known endocrine disruptors. Imidazolidinyl urea may also be found on mascara ingredient lists as an antimicrobial, and it is a formaldehyde releaser.
• 1,2-Hexanediol
  Though synthetic, it has been heavily tested to be harmless, 1,2-Hexanediol only differs molecularly from Caprylyl Glycol in that it has six carbons in the carbon chain while Caprylyl Glycol has eight. 1,2-Hexanediol is both water and lipid loving, and thus it helps hold the ingredients together and disperse pigments more evenly.
• Tropolone
  This conditioning agent helps to keep our mascara flake-free, and acts as a clean beauty preservative. When combined with 1,2-Hexanediol and Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone provides essential full-spectrum microbe-management to protect the mascara from contamination after every application.
  While this compound is synthesized, Tropolone is skin safe and also occurs in plants, especially in the Cypress and Lily families, and essential oils are good sources of Tropolone derivatives.

Apply with sweeping strokes to the eyelashes. Focus on one lash-line at a time. Repeat, slowly sweeping the brush through the lashes from root to tip before it sets. One dip can be layered multiple times onto lashes before it sets to build depth and density. The back of the top lashes can be coated too.

It will wash away with water, yet a little oil will make the cleanup quicker and condition lashes further. Use our Goodnight Oil, Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever Cleansing Balm, Chocolate Mocha Lip Balm (yes!), or your fave Best Skin Ever on a damp cotton pad, and whisk it away.

Tip: Avoid pumping the wand and keep the lid on tight to keep air out and moisture in.