First Aid Cream Ingredients
All of the first aid creams are made using the same cream base to which the tincture is added. All of the remedies have single active ingredients, except for the Hypericum Calendula Cream, which has the two active ingredients.
Ingredients in the Cream Base
Emulsified base of distilled water, coconut oil, high oleic sunflower oil, vegetable emulsifying wax, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl glycol, Borax.
Here is some information about the nonactive ingredients in the cream:
-Phenoxyethanol and Caprylyl glycol come mixed together as the preservative called “Optiphen.” The person who manufactures the creams has done extensive research on non-paraben preservatives and has found this one to be one of the most benign yet effective. Here is a description of Optiphen:
“Optiphen is ISP’s first globally approved preservative and is an excellent choice for formulations that require a paraben and formaldehyde-free preservative system. Optiphen™ is a unique liquid preservative that consists of phenoxyethanol in an emollient base. The combination of these ingredients provides optimized protection against microbial growth from bacteria and yeast while imparting a pleasant feel to the finished product.”
-The borax is there in a tiny quantity. The manufacturer uses 2 teaspoons for a gallon of cream. It helps lower the surface tension of the water so that the cream will form more readily and the ingredients won’t curdle and separate.
Please read below to see what each of the inactive ingredients does:
Coconut oil is a non-greasy base oil.
Vegetable emulsifying wax is an emulsifer, i.e. it binds the oil and water together to make cream.
Phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol are the preservatives.
Borax conditions the water to aid in emulsification of the oils and water.
Ingredients in the Calendula officinalis Butter
The butter base is different from the cream base above. The difference between the Calendula officinalis Cream and the Calendula officinalis Butter is that the cream is made from the tincture, which contains alcohol in it and requires a chemical preservative due to the water in the base formula. The butter, on the other hand, is made from the oil, and there is no water in the base formula, hence it does not need a chemical preservative. Both the cream and the butter deliver the wonderful healing properties of Calendula to those who are using them for wound care and healing.
Here are the ingredients in our Calendula officinalis Butter: Organic Calendula officinalis Extract HPUS in a base of Shea Butter, Deodorized Cocao Butter, Sunflower Oil, Olive OIl, and Vitamin E.
Manufacture and Expiration Date Labeling
Starting in October of 2023 all cream jars will be labeled with both the manufacture date and the expiration date. There are differences of opinion as to how far the expiration date should be from the manufacture date. Currently we are estimating it as three years from the manufacture date. This is what we will be putting on the jar.