Initiatives

We believe that everything we do makes a world of difference. Beauty isn’t just about looking good—it’s about cultivating a brighter tomorrow. We do the best we can until we can do better. One choice at a time.

CONSCIOUS BEAUTY

Clean, green, beyond the call of beauty.

We believe every product down to its very DNA should be intelligently formulated to meet our ethos of efficacy, integrity, transparency, ethics and sustainability. This philosophy of ours touches every step in the process, from how we source our ingredients to what happens to your product's packaging at the end of its lifecycle. Our initiatives stem from a responsibility to do the best that we can for our bodies and our planet.

Reduce toxic burden.

We choose biodegradable, biocompatible, plant-based ingredients instead of synthetic-based ingredients whenever possible to reduce the toxic burden on our bodies and the planet.

Reduce reliance on crude oil.

Petroleum-derived ingredients such as mineral oil, paraffin wax, DEA, and "parfum" or synthetic fragrance are widespread in personal care products. We choose plant-based alternatives to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Think Globally

We source over 225 plant ingredients from all over the world for their clinically proven benefits. And we do it as sustainably as possible to minimize our impact on the planet.

Act Locally-Made In the USA.

We work with chemists with decades of experience to develop our formulas. 99% of our products are developed and produced right here in the United States.

We support natural and organic, choosing plants in a world that settles for synthetics.

We believe in no-compromise, super-effective, clinically proven, plant-based ingredients. We source over 225 ingredients from seeds, sea, cells, plants, fruits—because nature provides all the beauty we need.

We require 90% of our Ingredient library to be comprised of plant-based ingredients, including butters, esters, waxes, emollients, resins, beads. and seed oils. Our goal is to have a minimum of 85% natural content in each product with only rare exceptions. Our average natural content across the line is 96.2%. We list the percentage of natural or organic ingredients on the package of every product.

Paraben-free preservatives.

We choose food-safe and/or ingestible preservatives such as sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate to protect the integrity, safety, and longevity of our products. These synthetic preservatives combat micro-organisms and bacteria while being safe for our bodies.

Functional synthetics.

In some cases, synthetic ingredients are necessary. We use as little as possible to ensure functionality keeping formulas free from separation, while maintaining viscosity and ultimately hold up in variable temperatures. We make promising strides in plant science all the time, striving for a synthetic-free future.

High-performance synthetics.

We've innovated plant science to perform equally if not better than synthetics, but we've still got work to do. We use the lowest level of synthetic ingredients possible to achieve performance benefits such as hold, style memory, shine, and slip—especially in our hair styling products.

No pseudo-natural ingredients.

Some so-called "natural" ingredients synthetically made because they aren't available commercially. We call these ingredients synthetic in our definitions, but some brands call them natural just because they exist in nature. We are transparent to raise the bar for the whole beauty industry.

THE WORLD IS OUR MUSE

Intelligent ingredient choices.

Unearthing the most potent plant-based ingredients takes us all around the world. The results are beyond compare. It's amazing what a difference it makes to use coconut instead of sodium lauryl sulfate, ajuga instead of minoxidil, and pure essential oils instead of synthetic fragrances. Plant-based, sustainable ingredients are better for our planet, too—less reliance on fossil fuels, more sustainable agriculture; it's all connected.

Gentle cleansing agents.

To get the best of both worlds—soft, clean skin, hair and an earth-conscious product—we choose biodegradable, biocompatible, plant-based coconut and sustainable palm surfactants. These don’t strip the skin, work gently on hair, and are better for the planet.

Sustainable palm.

IN is committed to using sustainable palm because palm oil farming is a destructive, unsustainable industry. We cooperate with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which reduces rainforest clear-cutting, habitat destruction, and exploitation of indigenous populations.

Plastic bead-free.

The plastic beads used in conventional scrubs go down your drain and pollute our oceans. We choose plant-based beads: they're gentler on skin with a sphere shape that will not cause micro tears on skin. These jojoba beads are completely biodegradable and will not end up in aquatic ecosystems.

No faux fragrance, ever.

We disclose every ingredient on pack—even our trade-secret fragrances. Each product is scented with a proprietary blend of 99% certified-organic essential oils. Our euphoric aromas are harmonically orchestrated for the active benefits, and sensorial experience they bring.

Sustainable packaging.

Sustainability is non-negotiable. From eco packaging to wind energy-powered production, we're dedicated to doing the best we can until we can do better.

We use a packaging tool developed by leading environmental organization, BWE, which measures packaging material impact on human health, resources and ecosystems. This tool compares different materials, helping us make the best choice based upon statistical and measurable data.

We use post-consumer recycled (PCR) bottles, which reduces environmental impact by 50% compared to "virgin" plastic. Our 90% PCR HDPE soft touch bottles reduce impact by 27%. The PCR paper we use for our 100% PCR cartons, marketing materials, and shippers reduces impact by 50%.

Infinitely recyclable, glass bottles reduce impact by 13% compared to plastic bottles. Most plastic bottles used in skincare products never end up being recycled.

SYNERGY IN NUMBERS

Taking action for change we believe in.

Challenging the status quo is what Intelligent beauty is about. Since launching I-N as the first USDA-certified organic hair care line in 2008, we’ve partnered with numerous organizations to help us actively practice the changes we want to see in the world of beauty.

Breast Cancer Prevention partner since 2008.

Together we’re working to support and stimulate innovation of safe, non-toxic personal care products; protecting consumers, workers and the environment from exposure to chemicals linked to cancer, and other adverse health impacts. We participate with the Safe Cosmetics Leadership Circle (including Beauty Counter and many more). In this forum, we collaborate reviewing, directing and helping refine legislation for active change.

Natural Organic Health & Beauty Alliance (NOHBA) board member.

We're dedicated to supporting natural and organic brands, ingredients, packaging developers and retailers to make the personal care industry more sustainable. This forum collaborates on resources, education, best practices. The board is composed of industry experts representing ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, brand and store owners such as Follain, Credo Beauty, Indielee, and many others.

1% for the Planet supporter.

A global movement with over 3,000 other members, 1% for the Planet supports vetted nonprofits dedicated to on-the-ground change within the issues of climate, food, land, pollution, water, and wildlife. By donating a minimum of 1% gross revenue annually to the vetted program(s) of our choice, we collectively amplify the impact of each program.

Green Circle Salon advocate.

The beauty industry creates 877 pounds of waste every single minute. That’s why I-N is a big supporter of Green Circle Salon (GCS). They provide better alternatives for waste-management in the salon and spa industry. The effort prevents approximately 51 metric tons of CO2 from polluting our atmosphere by keeping 143 metric tons of single use items out of the landfill.

No greenwashing.

All it takes to label a product "organic" or "natural" is a few drops of plant ingredient added to a completely synthetic formula. The beauty, fragrance and supplement industries are self-regulated, so they can make untruthful claims about their products and it's buyer beware.

At IN, we list the exact percentage of organic and natural for every product, following the standards of the USDA, Cosmos and other certifying organizations. We also work with third-party certifiers that allow us to use seals verifying our products to be organic/natural, cruelty-free, and made with sustainable practices.

Promise

Certifications

Initiatives

Packaging

Labelling