Ingredients

At Paradoxicality, we are serious about the ingredients we use. Our goal? High quality ingredients, each chosen specifically for the benefits it provides individually and for the contribution it makes to the overall product.

Refined Shea Butter: Shea butter is known especially for its cosmetic properties as a moisturizer and emollient. Some claim that it is also an anti-inflammatory agent. Shea butter is marketed as being effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, eczema, burns, rashes, acne, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, stretchmarks, wrinkles, and in lessening the irritation of psoriasis. Shea butter provides natural ultraviolet sun protection, although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from nothing to approximately SPF 6. Shea butter absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy feeling.

Shea Oil: This oil can be found in many types of lotions and creams which aid in the treatment of dry skin. It is also used in many cosmetic applications. Shea Oil is a byproduct of Shea Butter production, which produces fractionated oil. Shea Oil is used for protecting skin from harsh weather environments. The oil offers benefits for skin problems such as dermatitis, eczema, burns, dryness and other irritations.

Jojoba Oil: Unlike common vegetable oils, jojoba oil is chemically very similar to human sebum. Most jojoba oil is consumed as an ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products, especially skin care and hair care. Jojoba oil is an exceptional moisturizer. It can be used to remove kohl, and is popular with stretched lobes (it aids in the healing process). Jojoba oil is also a fungicide. Jojoba oil is also used as a replacement for whale oil and its derivatives, such as cetyl alcohol. The ban on importing whale oil to the US in 1971 led to the discovery that it is "in many regards superior to sperm oil for applications in the cosmetics and other industries."

Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is an edible oil pressed from the fruit of the Persea americana (avocado). It is one of few vegetable oils not derived from seeds, but from the fleshy pulp surrounding the avocado pit. It is used for lubrication and in cosmetics where it is valued for its regenerative and moisturizing properties, and is high in monounsaturated fats and Vitamin E.

Tapioca Starch: Tapioca starch has many times more thickening power than corn starch or arrowroot starch in liquid mixtures. Tapioca starch also makes a great addition base for body powders, and is bright white and has a very smooth flow. In Paradoxicality's Shea Mousse, tapioca starch helps to provide a matrix to hold the whip of the mousse, and also leaves a silky feel on the skin as the mousse is absorbed.