At Oils by Nature we believe knowledge is power - but the fact is the wrong information is plentiful and misleading.

We want to help filter through the Myths and Misinformation for you in this section. Our on-staff expert, Joanne Wittenbrook, will answer your questions and share her hard earned knowledge with you to dispel the myths and misinformation circulating through the cosmetic community.

We have started with some common misinformation topics below and invite you to send in your questions on a particular subject to info@oilsbynature.com. We will answer these questions in this format with frequent updates.

Myth #1

Vitamin E is a Preservative

Misinformation

• You can use Vitamin E in your formulations to act as a natural preservative bypassing the need for a chemical or synthetic preservative.

True Information

• Natural Vitamin E, Tocopherol T-50 or T-70, IS NOT A PRESERVATIVE for your finished products. It is an ANTIOXIDANT and will prevent rancidity in both the stored oil and in the finished product.

A preservative is a BIOCIDE. It kills bacteria and prevents the growth of yeast and mold. Vitamin E will not protect your product against the growth of bacteria or mold.

Myth #2

Refined Shea Butter has no benefit

Misinformation

• Refining (filtering and deodorizing) unrefined shea butter removes the beneficial properties and there is not point in using it.

True Information

• All shea butter begins as unrefined - no matter where the butter is sourced. The refining techniques that Oils by Nature uses are natural filtration methods - using diatomaceous earth and paper filters - to remove debris and to deodorize the butter. There is no scientific proof that these natural methods remove the beneficial properties pro ported to be found in unrefined shea butter. Refined shea butter is cosmetic ready - no odor to deal with and no color issues.

Myth #3

Hydrogenated butters are bad for you and your health

Misinformation

• Using hydrogenated butters in skin care applications will lead to heart disease and hardening of the arteries.

True Information

• Naturally occurring butters such as shea butter and mango butter are expressed from the nut and fruit. These butters do not require any hydrogenation to make the butter stable and firm in texture. Vegetable butters such as avocado or almond butter are hydrogenated from the sister oil to produce a butter.

  The scientific definition of Hydrogenation is a bit complex. "Any reaction of hydrogen with an organic compound which may occur either as a direct addition of hydrogen to the double bonds of unsaturated molecules, resulting in a saturated product, or it may cause rupture of the bonds of organic compounds, with subsequent reaction of hydrogen with the molecular fragments."

In laymen's terms - hydrogenating oil produces a solid form called a butter.

Can use of this product in balms, creams or lotions enter your bloodstream and cause physical disorders? NO. Vegetable butters do not have an activator to force them through the skin and into the bloodstream like medicinal patches.

Hydrogenation allows us to offer a wide variety of products that offer moisturizing benefits is a user friendly form. Without it we would not see all the great vegetable butters now emerging in the marketplace.