Ingredients We Choose Not to Use
Our choices are deliberate.
At Nirvana Natural Bliss, what we leave out of a formulation can be as considered as what we put into it.
Our ingredient choices reflect our formulation philosophy, the purpose of the product and the experience we want to create.
Importantly, choosing not to formulate with a particular ingredient does not automatically mean that ingredient is unsafe.
We believe there is a difference between making a formulation choice and making a fear-based claim.
Here are some of the ingredients and ingredient categories we choose not to use in NNB formulations.
A — Aluminium Salts
Aluminium salts are commonly used in antiperspirants to temporarily reduce perspiration by forming plugs within sweat ducts.
NNB chooses not to formulate with aluminium salts. Where we develop body-care products, we prefer formulation approaches that do not rely on aluminium-based antiperspirant actives.
B — Bleaching Agents
At NNB, our approach to uneven skin tone is not to “bleach” the skin or alter someone's natural skin colour.
Instead, our pigmentation formulations are designed around the biology of uneven pigmentation and the appearance of dark marks and uneven tone.
Our goal is healthy-looking, even-toned skin — not lighter skin.
C — Coal Tar & Certain Tar-Derived Dyes
Coal tar and certain tar-derived colourants have historically been used in cosmetic and therapeutic products.
NNB chooses not to use coal tar as a cosmetic ingredient and does not formulate products around unnecessary colourants simply to make a formulation appear more visually appealing.
F — Formaldehyde & Certain Formaldehyde-Releasing Preservatives
Effective preservation is essential in water-containing skincare products, but different preservation systems can achieve this purpose.
NNB chooses not to formulate with formaldehyde or certain preservatives whose function involves releasing formaldehyde into the formulation.
Instead, we select preservation systems according to the requirements of the individual product.
H — Hydroquinone
Hydroquinone is a well-known depigmenting ingredient used to treat certain forms of hyperpigmentation. Its availability and permitted use vary between countries and product categories.
NNB chooses not to formulate with hydroquinone.
Our approach to uneven pigmentation instead uses cosmetic ingredients selected to support a more even-looking complexion without attempting to change a person's natural skin tone.
L — Lanolin
Lanolin is a wax-like substance derived from sheep's wool and is widely used as an emollient in skincare.
Lanolin was one of the ingredients our founder encountered frequently when she began examining conventional baby-care formulations before the birth of her child.
NNB chose a different formulation direction and does not formulate with lanolin, favouring alternative emollients, botanical oils, butters and waxes where appropriate.
This is a formulation choice rather than a claim that lanolin is universally unsafe.
M — Mineral Oil, Liquid Paraffin & Petrolatum
Mineral oil, liquid paraffin and petrolatum are petroleum-derived ingredients widely used in skincare for their emollient and occlusive properties.
NNB has chosen instead to formulate with alternative lipid and occlusive systems where appropriate, including carefully selected plant-derived oils, butters and waxes.
Properly refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil and petrolatum have established uses in skincare. Our decision not to formulate with them reflects the NNB formulation philosophy rather than a claim that these ingredients are inherently unsafe.
M — Plastic Microbeads
Plastic microbeads were historically used in some rinse-off cosmetic products to provide physical exfoliation.
Because these persistent plastic particles can enter aquatic environments after being washed down the drain, NNB chooses not to use plastic microbeads.
Where physical exfoliation is required, we select alternative materials appropriate to the formulation.
O — Oxybenzone
Oxybenzone, also known as benzophenone-3, is an organic UV filter used in some sunscreens to absorb ultraviolet radiation.
Oxybenzone has received scientific and regulatory attention because it can be systemically absorbed, while experimental research has investigated potential endocrine activity and environmental effects.
These findings do not establish that normal sunscreen use causes endocrine harm in humans. NNB has nevertheless chosen a different approach to sun protection.
Our Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50+ uses non-nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide as mineral UV filters and is formulated without oxybenzone.
Sun protection remains important. Our decision to formulate without oxybenzone reflects our formulation philosophy rather than a recommendation to avoid sunscreen containing approved UV filters.
P — Parabens
Parabens are preservatives used to help protect cosmetic formulations from microbial contamination.
NNB chooses to formulate without parabens and instead selects alternative preservation systems appropriate to each product.
We recognise that permitted cosmetic preservatives, including certain parabens, are subject to regulatory safety assessments and concentration limits.
“Preservative-free” does not automatically mean safer. Effective preservation is an important part of responsible formulation.
P — Phthalates
Phthalates are a family of chemicals with a variety of industrial and consumer applications. Certain phthalates have historically been used in cosmetics, including as solvents or plasticisers.
NNB chooses not to intentionally formulate its skincare products with phthalates.
P — Propylene Glycol
Propylene glycol is a widely used cosmetic ingredient that can function as a humectant, solvent and formulation aid.
NNB chooses alternative humectants and formulation systems where appropriate rather than formulating with propylene glycol.
This reflects our ingredient preferences and should not be interpreted as a claim that propylene glycol is inherently unsafe in cosmetics.
S — Silicones
Silicones are used extensively in skincare to influence texture, slip, spreadability and the feel of a product on the skin.
NNB chooses to create these sensory and functional properties through other formulation approaches rather than relying on silicones.
This is a formulation choice rather than a claim that cosmetic silicones are inherently unsafe.
S — SLS & SLES
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are surfactants used in many cleansing products.
NNB chooses alternative cleansing systems and, particularly in products developed for dry, sensitive or barrier-compromised skin, places emphasis on effective cleansing without unnecessarily aggressive degreasing.
S — Synthetic Fragrance
Fragrance can contribute significantly to the sensory experience of skincare, but it is not appropriate for every product or every skin concern.
NNB chooses not to formulate with synthetic fragrance. Where fragrance is used within the wider range, our formulation choices reflect the intended product experience and skin concern.
Products developed specifically for eczema-prone skin, including our Eczema Cream and Eczema Face & Body Wash, are formulated without added fragrance.
T — Talc
Talc has a particular place in the Nirvana Natural Bliss story.
Before the birth of her child, our founder encountered research and public discussion examining a possible association between perineal talc use and ovarian cancer. This was one of the factors that prompted her to look more critically at conventional baby-care formulations.
NNB chose a different approach.
Our Baby Powder is formulated without talc.
We do not state that cosmetic talc has been established as a cause of ovarian cancer. Our talc-free approach reflects a formulation decision that has been part of NNB since its earliest products.
T — Triclosan
Triclosan is an antimicrobial ingredient that has historically been used in a range of personal-care products.
NNB does not formulate its skincare products with triclosan. We select other formulation strategies according to the purpose and requirements of the individual product.
Natural does not automatically mean better.
Botanical ingredients are an important part of Nirvana Natural Bliss, but “natural” is not our definition of safety or efficacy.
Natural ingredients can cause irritation or allergic reactions. Synthetic ingredients can be safe, effective and useful. What matters is the ingredient, its concentration, its purpose and the formulation in which it is used.
Our standard is not simply whether an ingredient is natural. It is whether it has a purposeful place in the formulation.
What we choose instead.
Across the NNB range, we combine carefully selected African and global botanicals with established cosmetic ingredients chosen for specific functions.
Depending on the formulation, these may include ingredients such as marula, baobab, Kalahari melon, sunflower, jojoba and shea, alongside ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, panthenol and allantoin.
We select ingredients according to the needs of the individual formulation rather than according to a universal “good ingredient/bad ingredient” list.
Our approach is simple.
We don't believe you need to be frightened of an ingredient list to care about what goes onto your skin.
We believe you should be able to ask why an ingredient is there and expect a thoughtful answer.
No fear-based formulation.
No ingredient chosen simply because it is fashionable.
No assumption that natural automatically means better.
Just considered ingredient choices guided by the purpose of the formulation.
That is Science-Led Formulation.