INGREDIENT SOURCING AND STANDARDS

The quality and purity of my botanical ingredients are vital to the safety and effectiveness of each product. In 2012 I established The Essential Quality Standards for GENbotanicals to reflect my ‘Beyond the Bottle’ approach to formulation. From each plant’s origin in the soil, its growth, harvesting, extraction, to my blending and final formulation. 

As your formulator, I first envision then create the products for your skincare. Therefore, I have built long term, trusted relationships with suppliers whose quality control measures are equal to mine. Together, we offer you the highest quality ingredients.

The following are the guidelines that I adhere to in sourcing, testing, and evaluating the quality and purity of my ingredients. 

SOURCING

CERTIFIED ORGANIC CULTIVATION– is my first choice in sourcing ingredients, meaning grown without industrial pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, clones, GMOs, chemical medications, hormones, growth-boosters.

 

ETHICALLY WILD-CRAFTED when Certified Organic is not possible, is my second choice, also, cultivated and harvested without peptides, herbicides, or harm to the environment, local community, or plant sustainability.

 

SINGLE, BOTANICALLY SPECIFIC PLANT– Each plant or plant part is identity tested to confirm it derives from one botanical species, extracted for therapeutic use and aroma profile. Specific plant parts including aerial parts, flowers, hand-picked flower petals, seeds, resins, beans, woods, and leaves.

 

UNADULTERATED – Pure, not mixed with any foreign or inferior substance or element, especially added chemical synthetics, fillers, natural isolates, synthetic compounds, high boiling glycols, alcohol, nature-identicals, or substitutions.

 

COLD or EXPELLER PRESSED extraction for carrier/base oils. without chemical solvents or CO2 extraction.

 

UNREFINED. Oils, carrier and base, that have not been subject to refinement or processing methods such as bleaching, deodorization, filtration,  or neutralization. Unrefined oils deliver more of the vital nutrients of the plant material.

 

STEAM DISTILLATION. Best method for both Essential Oils and Hydrosols.

 

CERTIFIED ORGANIC OIL or WATER SOLUBLE PLANT EXTRACTS- Oil Soluble organic or wild-crafted plant material is extracted in organic Sunflower Oil, while my Water Soluble organic plant material is extracted in organic Rice Solution (Rice extract & water.)

 

WHITE & GREEN TEA LEAF –  Sourced only by New Mexico Tea Company, my tea leaves are grown and harvested in China in the purest environments. White Silver Needle tea leaf and buds are the least processed, never steamed or pan-fired or oxidized and fired. The leaves are naturally withered and dried in the sun. The Mountain Green Tea plants are grown high in the Huan mountains. For two hundred days a year the plants are shrouded in mountain mist. 

 

HERBAL POWDERS are organically grown or wild-harvested and purchased in small batches from the finest harvest. I do not offer you any plant powder grown by conventional methods.

 

BEAN AND RICE POWDERS – non-organic. Processed without additives, preservatives, colorings or fragrances.

 

RHASSOUL CLAY and OKINAWAN MARINE CLAY – are sun dried and untreated. Rhassoul clay is mined from beneath the Atlas Mountains in Eastern Morocco, while my marine clay is found in limited areas off Okinawa’s coast.

TESTING

Our dedicated suppliers using various testing methods to the best of their ability to ensure the purest and most effective unadulterated botanical before it is delivered to GENbotanicals. These testing methods include,

  • Identity testing.
  • DNA analysis,
  • Macroscopic and Extraneous Analysis,
  • Microbiological testing,
  • Pesticide residue testing,
  • Heavy Metal and Sulfite testing
  • GC-MS testing for authenticity and purity of Essential Oils
  • COA (Certificate of Analysis)

Despite all the advances in technology, the human senses, touch, taste, sight, and smell can still be the best judge of a quality botanical plant oil, essential oil, powder or grain. With over 30 years of experience in herbal skills, I evaluate each my ingredients for color, texture, taste, aroma, and consistency upon arrival. 

HANDLING

  • All the products offered by GENbotanicals are formulated with precision and care. All of the products we offer are accurately labeled, true to botanical type, processed under hygienic conditions.
  • None of our ingredients are further processed once they arrive at our facility. Exposing plant materials to any methods such as irradiation, X-Ray can seriously jeopardize the integrity of the plant material. 
  • Our ingredients kept at optimal temperatures for the proper storage of our herbal products.Temperature average between 68-71 degrees. Essential Oils are refrigerated following Industry Standard for shelf- life and safety.
  • We currently have in place strict protocols surrounding the proper treatment and storage of our carrier oils, essential oils, extracts, and dry ingredients. Every ingredient is logged in with dates of arrival and expiration.

These standards began with my first formulation and continue today as an ongoing commitment to product excellence.