Buzzwords are rampant in skincare. We should know, we make it. ‘Clean’, ‘natural’, ‘sustainable’, ‘conscious’ are all well and good ideals. But without any clarity of what they mean to us as a brand, they are decorative at best. And as a consumer it is overwhelming to navigate the sea of products that promise the best for your skin.
At MESH Laboratory, we get it. Our goal is to make targeted treatment products using the power of our oxygenated activated carbon and a pantry of natural, biodegradable ingredients to create products that support and revitalise your skin. Let’s embark on a little adventure, to uncover some of the fabulous ingredients in our products that make it all possible.
Oxygenated activated carbon: Our Proprietary Carbon
Our hero is a special one to us. Oxygenated activated carbon (OA Carbon) is our special ingredient, using a unique method of sustainably producing activated carbon. Our technology gives us activated carbon at lower temperatures than traditional methods of production, uses less water, heat and energy resources, while still giving exceptional adsorbency.
Our OA carbon is sourced from a superb byproduct: Australian almond shells. These superb quality shells are usually discarded when harvested, but we make sure that they are used to give you a refreshed face.
What makes it so special?
Sourced from the Best: Australian almond shells are excellent to make efficacious OA carbon that is highly adsorbent for dirt and impurities.
The Porous Powerhouse: The remarkable porous structure of OA carbon acts like a magnet to pick up dirt, debris, oxidised sebum and dead skin cells from the surface. Your skin is left decongested and detoxified.
The Magician of Radiance: When your skin is congested, has lots of dead skin on the surface or is collecting debris, the skin naturally looks dull. Using OA carbon, the veil of debris is lifted and your skin is left resurfaced gently and smoothed giving a radiant complexion.
Pore-Perfecting Wonder: Pores can appear enlarged if your skin is quite oily, and the pores well up with sebum. Using OA carbon , we can mop up the excess oil and unclog any congested pores leaving them looking reduced in size and clean.
Detox Guru: When we talk about detoxification, we’re specifically talking about how excessively oily/congested skin can become breeding grounds for acne-causing bacteria (eg. C. acnes). Activated charcoal can help remove the dead skin and oxidised oil, making it inhospitable for bacteria like C. acnes.
N.B. If you have a skin infection or have been diagnosed by a physician with acne, please consult with your physician before using any MESH Laboratory Skincare products.
Sweet Almond Oil: Nourish and soothe
We don’t just use the shells, we also use high quality sweet almond oil. Its a soothing balm for your skin. What’s in it for you?
Nature’s Nourishment: A gift from nature, sweet almond oil nourishes the skin deeply leaving your skin smooth and pampered. It's very skin compatible and - unless you have a nut-allergy - it's very unreactive on the skin.
Non-comedogenic champion: Sweet almond oil is deeply nourishing but is also exceptionally lightweight which means it is unlikely to clog your pores. A light oil such as sweet almond is marvellous for congested skin as it can also help dissolve the oxidised sebum, making it easier for OA carbon to soak it up.
Soothes and supports: Sweet almond oil is gently soothing for inflamed skin and helps repair the skin after damage from any irritants. It helps to keep the skin barrier strong and resilient to inflammation.
Bentonite Clay: Clarify and calm
This natural clay with a fine, soft texture works wonders in soaking up oil and combined with OA carbon it is the adversary of impurities.
Nature’s vacuum: Whereas OA carbon adsorbs impurities onto its surface, bentonite clay absorbs the oil and dirt. This combined action gives superior decongestant capabilities.
A Little Touch of Calm: As well as purifying the skin, bentonite is also gently calming on irritated skin, particularly those prone to breakouts. Your skin will thank you as it coats the skin, soaks up the dirt and protects it from external irritants.
Salicylic Acid: Smooth and slough
From almonds to willow tree, salicylic acid is another natural ingredient with star power:
Gentle exfoliator: Salicylic acid is an extremely gentle exfoliant that works within the pores to slough out dead skin cells leaving it smooth and clarified.
Mild antimicrobial agent: Mildly antimicrobial, salicylic acid can help make the skin inhospitable to microbes that cause inflammation in the pores.
Our Preservative Blend
Natural cosmetics are wonderful, but if they’re not preserved they go from glorious to ghastly in a matter of days. MESH Skincare uses a blend of preservatives to give the products longevity, efficacy and stability. These guardians are phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium phytate and benzyl alcohol. These powerhouses make the product inhospitable for microbes and binds potential food sources for these microbes.
