Key Ingredients — What’s Inside Inherited Skincare
What’s Inside Inherited Skincare
Every ingredient chosen with purpose
We do not add ingredients to look impressive on a label. Every ingredient in every Inherited Skincare formula was chosen because it does something specific — and because it has either centuries of traditional use or modern cosmetic research (or both) behind it.
All formulas are CPSR certified, made in the UK, and free from parabens, sulphates, synthetic fragrance, petroleum derivatives and silicones.
Our Hero Ingredients
Organic Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Found in: All products
Ghee is the foundation of everything we make. Traditionally clarified butter, used in Ayurvedic skincare for over 5,000 years. The clarification process removes milk proteins and lactose, leaving behind a pure, golden fat extraordinarily compatible with human skin.
Ghee is rich in butyric acid (anti-inflammatory), conjugated linoleic acid (supports cell regeneration), oleic acid (conditioning), and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Its molecular weight allows it to penetrate the skin barrier deeply — carrying other active ingredients with it.
Comedogenic rating: 1/5 (suitable for most skin types, including sensitive skin)
Turmeric Oil (Curcuma longa)
Found in: Overnight Rejuvenation Cream, Radiance Serum
Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is one of the most studied anti-inflammatory and brightening botanicals in cosmetic science. It targets uneven pigmentation and dullness by inhibiting melanin production at the source, and its potent antioxidant action helps neutralise the free radical damage that causes premature ageing.
Curcumin is fat-soluble — which means it barely penetrates skin in water-based formulas. In a ghee base, it absorbs efficiently and works at the level of the dermis. This is why Ayurvedic practitioners have combined these two ingredients for millennia.
Key benefits: brightening, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant protection, pigmentation reduction
Saffron Oil (Crocus sativus)
Found in: Radiance Serum
Saffron has been used in beauty rituals across Persia, India and the Middle East for thousands of years. It contains crocin and safranal — compounds with documented skin-brightening and anti-inflammatory properties. Saffron also inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin overproduction, making it one of the most effective natural brightening agents available.
The warm, earthy fragrance of the Radiance Serum comes predominantly from the saffron and turmeric — no synthetic fragrance added.
Key benefits: brightening, pigmentation reduction, fine line support, antioxidant
Sea Buckthorn Oil (Hippophae rhamnoides)
Found in: Overnight Rejuvenation Cream, Radiance Serum
Sea buckthorn is one of the richest known plant sources of omega-7 fatty acid (palmitoleic acid) — a fatty acid found naturally in human skin that declines significantly with age. Replenishing it topically has a marked effect on skin softness, elasticity and barrier integrity.
It is also rich in vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and a full spectrum of omega fatty acids (3, 6, 7, 9), making it one of the most nutritionally complex plant oils available for skincare. Sea buckthorn also gives the Overnight Cream its characteristic warm amber tone.
Key benefits: barrier repair, hydration, elasticity, antioxidant, omega-7 replenishment
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Found in: Overnight Rejuvenation Cream
Calendula contains triterpenoids, flavonoids and polysaccharides that have been clinically studied for their wound-healing, anti-inflammatory and skin-calming properties. It is particularly effective at soothing reactive, irritated skin and has a long tradition of use in European herbal medicine for skin repair.
The floral, herbal scent of the Overnight Cream comes from the calendula working in combination with the sea buckthorn and ghee.
Key benefits: soothing, wound support, anti-inflammatory, skin-calming for reactive skin
Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis sativa)
Found in: Overnight Rejuvenation Cream
Hemp seed oil (not to be confused with CBD oil) is extraordinarily rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) in an ideal 3:1 ratio that mirrors what healthy human skin contains. Deficiency in linoleic acid is closely associated with dry, flaky, barrier-compromised skin. Hemp seed oil is one of the fastest ways to restore it.
Key benefits: barrier repair, linoleic acid replenishment, dry skin hydration, anti-inflammatory
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Found in: Radiance Serum
Gotu kola (centella asiatica) is one of the most researched botanical ingredients in modern dermatology. Its active compounds — asiaticoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid — stimulate collagen synthesis, support skin firmness and have a well-documented effect on the appearance of fine lines with consistent use.
It is also used traditionally in Ayurveda for its adaptogenic and skin-calming properties. Combined with saffron, turmeric and ghee in the Radiance Serum, gotu kola makes the serum genuinely effective for skin that wants to look firmer and more youthful.
Key benefits: collagen support, firming, fine line reduction, skin-calming
Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Found in: Deep Nourishing Cream
Aloe vera gel contains acemannan polysaccharides that act as humectants, drawing and binding water to the skin. It also has documented anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. In the Deep Nourishing Cream, aloe provides the hydrating base that keeps the formula light enough for daily use on face and body, while ghee and murumuru butter provide the occlusive seal that holds moisture in.
Key benefits: hydration, soothing, humectant, suitable for sensitive skin
Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum murumuru)
Found in: Deep Nourishing Cream
Murumuru butter is a plant butter from the Amazon, extraordinarily rich in lauric and myristic fatty acids. It melts at skin temperature, absorbs readily and leaves no greasy residue. It is deeply nourishing for dry skin without the heaviness of shea or cocoa butter, and has a natural light floral scent that contributes to the Deep Nourishing Cream’s subtle fragrance.
Key benefits: deep nourishment, fast-absorbing, no greasy finish, dry and sensitive skin
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Inherited Skincare products fragrance-free?
Our products contain no synthetic fragrance. The scent you experience comes entirely from the natural ingredients — saffron and turmeric in the Radiance Serum, calendula and sea buckthorn in the Overnight Cream, and oat and botanical extracts in the Cleansing Balm. These natural scents are mild and generally well tolerated by fragrance-sensitive skin.
Are the products vegan?
Our products contain organic ghee, which is a dairy derivative. They are therefore not vegan. They are, however, cruelty-free — we do not test on animals at any stage. The ghee we use is sourced from organic, grass-fed cattle in conditions that meet UK animal welfare standards.
What are the products free from?
All Inherited Skincare products are free from: parabens, sulphates, SLS/SLES, synthetic fragrance, petroleum derivatives (mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin), silicones, PEGs, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and artificial colourants. Every formula is CPSR (Cosmetic Product Safety Report) certified for use in the UK.
Where can I see the full INCI ingredient list for each product?
The full INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) list for each product is on the individual product page. You can view it under the Key Ingredients section on each product description. If you have a specific ingredient concern or allergy, please email us before purchasing and we will confirm the full formulation for you.