Ingredients Glossary
At BeTABU365, we believe customers should feel informed about the products they use. This glossary explains the purpose of many ingredients commonly found in our handcrafted soaps, body-care products, washes, beard-care products, and home-fragrance collections.
Please review the ingredient list on each individual product page and product label before use, as formulas may vary by product.
Oils, Butters & Fats
Apricot Oil
Apricot oil is a lightweight conditioning oil that helps support a soft, smooth skin feel. It is often used in facial and body-care formulations because of its light texture.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil contributes conditioning properties and a creamy lather in soap. It is also used in skin-care products to help the skin feel nourished and moisturized.
Babassu Oil
Babassu oil is a plant-derived oil that can add firmness and fluffy lather to soap. It may be used as an alternative to coconut oil in some formulations.
Beef Tallow
Beef tallow adds hardness and a creamy lather to soap bars. It can help create a longer-lasting bar when the soap is stored properly between uses.
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter helps add firmness to soap bars and contributes to a rich, conditioned skin feel.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contributes cleansing properties and large bubbles to soap. We formulate with care to balance cleansing and conditioning properties.
Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is a lightweight oil that helps support a silky, conditioned skin feel. In soap, it can contribute to a creamy lather.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is commonly used in soap and skin-care products for its conditioning qualities and ability to help support a soft skin feel.
Safflower Oil
Safflower oil is a lightweight conditioning oil commonly used in soap and skin-care products. It helps support a smooth, moisturized feel.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is a rich emollient used to support softness and moisture. In soap, it also contributes to a creamy, conditioning feel.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil adds conditioning properties to soap and helps contribute to a creamy, silky lather. It is also used in body-care products because of its lightweight feel.
Sustainable Palm Oil
Palm oil adds firmness, lather, and structure to soap bars. When used, we select responsibly sourced options whenever possible.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oils may be used in soap-making to help create firm, long-lasting bars with cleansing and conditioning properties.
Milks, Sugars & Other Additives
Cane Sugar
Cane sugar is sometimes added to soap recipes to help support bubbles and lather.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk can contribute to a creamy lather and a rich, conditioned feel in soap.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt may be used in certain soap recipes to create a rich, creamy lather and a luxurious skin feel.
Heavy Cream Powder
Heavy cream powder may be added to soap to support a creamy, conditioning lather.
Sorbitol
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol commonly used in cosmetic formulations. It can support lather and help attract moisture.
Sodium Lactate
Sodium lactate may be used in soap-making to help create a firmer, longer-lasting bar and support a smooth texture.
Tussah Silk or Mulberry Silk
Silk fibers may be added to some soap recipes to help create a smooth, silky feel in the finished bar.
Clays, Exfoliants & Colorants
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is used in some soap and body-care products to help cleanse the skin and create a distinctive appearance.
Coffee and Coffee Grounds
Brewed coffee may contribute color to soap, while coffee grounds may be used to provide physical exfoliation.
Kaolin Clay
Kaolin clay is a gentle cosmetic clay that can help absorb excess oil and add a smooth, creamy slip to soap bars.
Mica
Mica is a cosmetic colorant used to add color and, in some cases, a soft shimmer to products.
Soap-Making Ingredients
Castor Oil
Castor oil helps create a stable, creamy lather in soap and contributes conditioning properties.
Citric Acid
Citric acid may be used in soap formulations to help reduce soap scum.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is purified water used in soap-making and cosmetic formulations. It is preferred because it contains fewer minerals and impurities than ordinary tap water.
Glycerin
Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it helps attract moisture. It occurs naturally during the soap-making process and may also be added to some body-wash formulations.
Saponification
Saponification is the chemical reaction that occurs when oils or fats react with an alkali to form soap and glycerin.
Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide are alkalis used during soap-making. During saponification, the oils and alkali react to form soap and glycerin. Properly formulated and fully cured soap should not contain free lye.
Stearic Acid
Stearic acid is a fatty acid found naturally in some oils, butters, and fats. It may be used to help create a firmer bar and a more stable, creamy lather.
Cleansers & Surfactants
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cocamidopropyl betaine is a mild surfactant commonly used in body washes and cleansers. It helps support foam and a gentler cleansing feel.
Decyl Glucoside
Decyl glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant used in cleansers and washes. It is commonly selected for its mild cleansing properties.
Sodium Coco Sulfate
Sodium coco sulfate is a cleansing surfactant derived from coconut-based ingredients. It is used in some rinse-off products to help create lather and cleanse the skin or hair.
Preservatives
Broad-Spectrum Preservatives
Broad-spectrum preservatives are used in water-based products to help protect against mold, yeast, and bacterial growth and to support product stability and safety.
Liquid Germall™ Plus
Liquid Germall™ Plus is a broad-spectrum preservative system used in certain water-based cosmetic and personal-care formulations.
INCI: Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.
Optiphen Plus
Optiphen Plus is a broad-spectrum preservative system used in certain cosmetic formulations.
INCI: Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol.
Beeswax
Beeswax is used in certain products to help add structure and create a protective, conditioning feel on the skin.
Product Safety Note
Product safety and quality are important to us. When a formulation requires preservation, we use an appropriate broad-spectrum preservative system to help support product stability and protect against microbial growth.
Ingredient lists vary by product. Always review the specific product label and ingredient list before use.
For additional guidance, please review our Product Safety & Medical Disclaimer page.
Questions?
Please contact ContactUs@BeTABU365.com with any ingredient-related questions.
BeTABU365
Operated by TABU Soap & Candle Co., LLC
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Broad Spectrum Preservatives: Used to prevent the growth of mold, bacteria, yeast and fungi in products that contain distilled water.
Liquid Germall™ plus preservative INCI: Propylene Glycol (and) Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
liquid germall™ plus preservative is a patented synergistic combination of germall™ II preservative (diazolidinyl urea) and iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC) in propylene glycol. germall™ plus is a highly effective, broad-spectrum preservative for emulsions and aqueous formulations. It can be incorporated into a variety of leave-on and rinse-off cosmetic and personal care formulations for broad preservation.
Optiphen Plus is a broad-spectrum preservative that was developed as an alternative to parabens for cosmetic formulations. It is globally accepted, making it perfect for beauty brands planning to sell internationally. Broad spectrum preservatives blend both preservatives and chelators to offer the fullest possible coverage for your product.
Optiphen Plus contains Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, and Capryl Glycol. Phenoxyethanol is an ether alcohol used to preserve personal care products, while Sorbic Acid helps to lower pH and functions as a complementary preservative. Caprylyl Glycol is an emollient base, giving the final formula an exceptional feel.
We will not compromise the quality of a product. We will not sell a product that requires a preservative for stability and integrity of the product without one of the above-mentioned preservatives.