The Wonders of Water
Sometimes we are asked “Why is water the number one or number two ingredient in your personal care products? Shouldn’t it be something beneficial like aloe or an herbal extract?”
Good question!
The immediate answer is “Water IS beneficial, extremely beneficial. All known forms of life depend on water and nothing, including our skin, can survive without it!”
Water is essential to respiration, metabolism, and photosynthesis. Our bodies are made of significant amounts of water: Blood contains 83% water, lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water, body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water. 71% of the earth’s surface is covered in water and the weather systems responsible for life on our planet are based on the never ending cycles of water.*
The chemistry of water is very important in the production of effective personal care products. Water is known as the universal solvent. Without water, most bath and body products would be either goopy or solid, flaky or inconsistent, or be prone to settling or separating. Water dissolves many types of substances, including salts, sugars, acids, and alkalis. It allows the other ingredients to take a liquid form and ensures their even distribution throughout the product. Under ambient conditions, water is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless liquid, creating a perfect environment for adding natural fragrances and color.
Water is pH neutral – that is, neither acidic nor alkaline. With water as a basic ingredient and starting point we can develop formulations that match the skin’s natural pH of about 5.5, which is slightly acidic. So when a body or bath product says it’s pH balanced, it will be slightly acidic to compliment the skin’s natural chemistry.
So the benefits of water are many – aesthetic, chemical and commercial, but most of all – it’s totally consistent. Water is dependable in the formula from start to finish, making it a great ingredient for quality body care.
A note about water labeling:
Water is water. Occasionally, you will see “purified water” listed in an ingredient deck. Every reputable manufacturer uses pure, clean, sanitized water in their products, and the “technical” name standardized by the Personal Care Product Council is simply “Water.”
There are several methods used to purify water including UV Light technology, reverse osmosis, ozone treatment and sterilization. Morningside Products uses a combination of filtering and UV Light technology to cleanse and sterilize its water prior to manufacture. UV water treatment (exposure to Ultraviolet light) is highly effective at destroying bacteria and viruses without adding any chemicals to the water.
* Some of the facts and figures noted in this article were gathered from Wikipedia.com
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