CO2 Supercritical Extraction results in highly effective botanicals with superior activity

The purity, efficacy and environmentally friendly nature of botanicals are highly dependent on the process in which the plant materials are extracted. Doctor D. Schwab skincare has begun utilizing premium grade botanicals obtained through the latest, most advanced extraction method: supercritical CO₂ extraction.

CO₂ Extraction Process

The CO₂ supercritical extraction process is a modern technology for producing plant extracts that is specially formulated to gently and effectively separate active ingredients from plant materials. The process uses carbon dioxide as a solvent, which is the gas in fresh, sparkling drinks. Carbon dioxide is a newly approved Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) solvent for lipophilic molecules. The extraction process is performed under high pressure, without the stress of high temperatures and without oxygen. It is gentle and leaves no solvent residue.

Superior Activity

The CO₂ extraction process efficiently separates the plant materials’ bioactive substances such as antioxidants, essential oils and special fatty oils, resulting in the complete preservation of valuable plant ingredients. The CO₂ extracted botanicals and herbal extracts have concentrated lipophilic ingredients that give them superior activity.

Pure Process

The CO₂ extraction process is the purest, most environmentally friendly process available today. The extracts are produced free of solvents, inorganic salts and preservatives. Because of the manner in which the extracts are produced, they are sterile and need no preservation. This process produces extracts which have a higher purity and quality than is available through other extraction methods.

Environmental CO2 Extraction Process

The CO₂ extraction process is an eco-friendly method for the separation of plant ingredients without harmful emissions and without environmental impact. The carbon dioxide used to extract the plant materials is highly purified natural carbon dioxide of volcanic origin. This naturally existing carbon dioxide is used for extraction purposes only and is neutral to the environment. It does not contribute to the global CO₂ amount which is caused by burning of fossil fuels exclusively. The production process is also energy efficient. Energy savings are realized by using a heat pump system which utilizes waste heat from the extraction process for preparing the buildings‘ hot water and heating.

Certified Organic Plant Materials

When available, the raw plant materials are certified organic or are of controlled integrated cultivation which are produced under conditions respecting environmental protection. The process is certified for organic production according to the USDA NOP standard.

Whether you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift or looking to jump-start your summer skin routine, we have two power-packed moisturizers that will make skin look refreshed and renewed for Spring. As an added bonus, for a limited time they come with a Free Skin Essentials Travel Set!

Super Repair^TM CoQ10 Moist

A concentrated blend of active botanicals, enzymes, antioxidants, and nutrients prevent and repair the signs of aging. Active ingredients including Peptides, Grape Stem Cells, CoQ10, and Bilberry Seed Oil help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin’s tone, texture and firmness, while providing the right balance of moisture to the skin.

Ginkgo Lift® with Wrinkle Filler

A moisturizer and wrinkle filler which immediately reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles and hydrates for a smooth, radiant complexion. Natural extracts, proteins and polymers are encapsulated in our Alphasomes® skin delivery system for targeted delivery of active ingredients. Active ingredients include Grape Stem Cells to boost skin stem cells, powerful Peptides to reverse the signs of aging, and Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramides to plump skin. This power packed moisturizer gives skin an instant lift and smoothes wrinkles for a younger looking appearance.

Skin Essentials Travel Set

Great if you are new to the line and want to try the products or are looking for smaller sizes of your skin care essentials. Contains everything you need for your basic skin care routine on the go.

Includes:

Herbal Foam Cleanser | Botanical Age Defying Cleanser

A gentle foaming cleanser with anti-irritants that leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed.

Herbal Toner | For Optimally Balanced Skin pH

A refreshing blend of active botanicals which revitalizes pores and keeps skin pH balanced.

Cell Renewal Day Cream | Antioxidant Day Moisture

A luxurious daytime moisturizer with effective natural ingredients and powerful free-radical exchangers including Sodium Hyaluronate, Grape Stem Cells, Olive Leaf Extract, Ceramides, and Ginseng. Helps to regenerate damaged skin and improve skin texture as well as hydrates and softens skin.

Bamboo Cream Peel | Gentle Micro Exfoliator

A gentle, non-irritating skin smoother with natural bamboo, jojoba beads and crushed almonds. Exfoliates dead surface skin cells for soft, silky skin and a more radiant complexion.

Tied closely to memory and emotion, scent is powerful and is scientifically proven to heal the mind and consequently, the body. In fact, the origin of the word ”Aromatherapy” stems from the Greek words “aroma” meaning fragrance or pleasant smell and “therapie” meaning to heal.

In skin care, scent is tied closely with the connection people have with the brand and can be a reason people choose to – or choose not to – purchase the products. This is because fragrances incites chemical changes in our brains, evoking emotions such as calm or happiness. We are often drawn to a product that we think smells good, and the power of scent crosses age ranges and genders. “Fragrance can be as important as, if not more important than, a brand’s logo” says Michael Overstreet Expedite Services Inc. and Fragrance Design LLC in GCI magazine. “Vision is a person’s most relied upon sense, but scent often scores a much greater emotional impact.”

Neurologically, scent is tied very closely to the memory, and each brand has a specific scent profile based on what the brand represents.

The Doctor D. Schwab brand is known for being a botanically based natural and green skin care line for men and women and therefore has a clean, fresh, natural scent profile that appeals to all ages. The essential oils in the products are blended not only for their soothing and healing properties; the scent is also taken into account. Some of the lines best selling products also have the most distinct smells:

Thyme gives Herbal Foam Cleanser a fresh, clean smell that both men and women find refreshing. Additionally, Thyme’s antioxidant action offers protection from free radical damage and speeds up skin cell regeneration. It helps to improve skin tone and has astringent qualities so it balances the pH of the skin. Read more about the interesting uses, history, and qualities Thyme in this blog post about the herb.

Read more about Thyme in the Blog Post: Thyme in Skincare and Throughout History

Herbal Toner features Citric Acid and Rosemary which refresh and balance the senses.

Read more about Rosemary in the Blog Post: Rosemary in Skincare and Throughout History

Which product is your favorite scent-wise?

Thyme has a fresh botanical scent that when added to skin care products, appeals to both men and women. It is antioxidant and antimicrobial and has been used throughout history for its medicinal qualities, though it is mostly known these days as a great addition to foods.

Thyme in Skin Care

Thyme’s antioxidant action offers protection from free radical damage and speeds up skin cell regeneration. It helps to improve skin tone and has astringent qualities so it balances the pH of the skin. It is antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, antiseptic, and astringent, fungicidal, and is a stimulant to the immune system. The essential oil of thyme is made up of 20-54% thymol, which gives it the antiseptic properties. It cleanses skin effectively while leaving it soft and moist.

Thyme in History

Thyme, botanically-known as thymus vulgaris, gets its name from the Greek word thymon, an herb used as incense. Native to the Mediterranean area, thyme was thought to be brought to Britain by the Romans, who used it to purify their rooms and to "give an aromatic flavor to cheese and liqueur. The name derives from the Greek thymos meaning “to perfume”. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples. It was also used as a fumigator during sacrifices and placed on coffins during funerals as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life. Long-prized for its medicinal uses, ancient Egyptians used thyme oil in their embalming process.

In the European Middle Ages, Thyme was placed beneath pillows to aid in sleep and ward off nightmares, which has merit since the dried flowers of thyme, like lavender, have been used to preserve linen from insects since it is a natural insect repellant. The leaves and flowering tops of Thyme are an ingredient in sachets.

In the days of chivalry, ladies embroidered a symbolic sprig of thyme and a honey bee on their scarves, which they gave as gifts to the bravest knights as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer.

Types of Thyme

A Mediterranean native of the Mint family, Thyme is one of the most widely used herbs. There are over one hundred varieties of thyme, with the most common being Garden Thyme and Lemon Thyme. Thyme is a perennial evergreen shrub, whose sometimes woody stems are covered with small, green leaves. The entire plant is aromatic.

Uses of Thyme

Thymol, the active ingredient in Thyme, which is an antiseptic, was used to medicate bandages before the advent of modern antibiotics. It has also been shown to be effective against the fungus that commonly infects toenails. Since it is naturally antiseptic, it is sometimes used in alcohol-free hand sanitizers.

A tea made by infusing the herb in water can be used to control coughs. Medicinally, Thyme is used for respiratory infections in the form of a tincture, tisane, salve, syrup or by steam inhalation. Thyme boiled in water and cooled is very effective against inflammation of the throat when gargled 3 times a day. The inflammation should disappear in 2 – 5 days.

Thyme is a natural insect repellant, so it can be used in place of chemical insect repellants. To take advantage of this, make a cup of thyme tea, put it in a plant mister, and spray around doorways and windows in summer to repel insects.

In traditional Jamaican childbirth practice, thyme tea is given to the mother after delivery of the baby. Its oxytocin-like effect causes contractions and more rapid delivery.

Thyme in Food

Thyme is considered by many herbalist as the very nearly perfect herb; it ranks as one of the finest herbs of French cuisine. The Persians once nibbled on fresh thyme as an appetizer. The general rule of using herbs in cooking is - when in doubt use thyme.

Thyme is widely cultivated for its strong flavor, which is due to its content of thymol. Thyme is one of the best known and most widely-used culinary herbs. It is easy to grow and is therefore commonly found in many home gardens. Lemon thyme has a more-pronounced lemony fragrance, which pairs well with fish. Thyme is highly attractive to bees; the honey from bees that feed on thyme flower nectar is a gourmet delight.

Doctor D. Schwab Products with Thyme

Doctor D. Schwab Herbal Foam Cleanser

Doctor D. Schwab products are made with botanical ingredients, but what exactly does that mean and why are botanical ingredients good for you?

1. What is Botanical Skin Care?

Botanical skin care products are products that are made with botanical ingredients. Botanical ingredients are derived from plants and include extracts from the roots, seeds, leaves, or flowers. In cosmetics, the botanical plant materials chosen for their healing properties such as antioxidants, vitamins, and living energy which are inherent in the plant. Botanicals have been studied and used for their calming and normalizing healing properties worldwide for centuries.

Use of Healing Botanicals Dates Back to 2700 BC

The knowledge of the healing power of plants is known as herbology, which dates back as early as 2700 B.C. and has been used by cultures and traditions including Greek, Roman, Chinese herbology, Ayurvedia (South Asia), Shamanism (South America, Himalayas), and Native Americans. Each of these cultures recognized the power these plants held!

2. Botanical Ingredients Are Better than Synthetics

Botanicals are better than synthetics in skin care because plant materials are very similar to skin – both are very complex in nature (unlike synthetic ingredients), so the two complement each other and are better accepted by the skin. The enzymes and peptides in botanical ingredients integrate easily with skin cells since they understand and communicate well with each other so the effectiveness is boosted. Not only that, botanicals are safe to put on skin and don’t have the adverse effects that synthetics have.

3. Not all Botanicals Are Good

Many botanicals have healing properties. However, some are toxic. Just because an ingredient is plant derived doesn’t mean that it has healing properties. A great example of this is Poison Ivy – it is botanical, but you wouldn’t want to use it on your skin.

On the other hand, there are many botanicals with high levels of effective antioxidants, which fight free radicals and protect from the effects of aging, therefore protecting skin and helping to keep you looking younger. There are also botanicals that are soothing and calming, benefiting sensitive skin, as well as botanicals which are antiseptic and benefit oily and acne-prone skin.

4. How Natural is it Really?

With the widespread understanding of the power of botanical ingredients, many companies have jumped on the botanical bandwagon so to speak and have unfortunately begun featuring one or two botanical ingredients in their synthetic products. How can you ensure that you are purchasing products that are all natural? You should definitely educate yourself by becoming familiar with natural ingredients and studying the labels of the products you use. Also, choosing products from a company with a history of creating natural products will help you weed out the offenders.

In the Doctor D. Schwab product line, all ingredients are natural, from Aloe Vera Extract to natural Vitamin A and E.

Also see: Creating Natural Skin Care Products for 28 Years

5. Can You Make Your Own?

Though you can definitely make your own skin care products, there is a lot of science that goes into creating products which are effective and safe to use on the skin. With some botanicals, there can be too much of a good thing. Take Pumpkin for example – Pumpkin is a great natural exfoliator, but if you put fresh pumpkin puree on your skin, it can throw the pH of your skin out of whack and you won’t get the desired result.

In the Doctor D. Schwab product line, we have researched the complimentary and synergistic effects of the ingredients and know which ingredients work well together so they boost the effectiveness. In all of our products, we ensure that the correct amount of an ingredient is added to have maximum effectiveness without being irritating or drying. We also include soothing ingredients in our products such as Aloe Extract and Chamomile Extract. The most effective natural products are created with an understanding of homeopathy and the effects of botanicals on the skin.

Interested in Getting Started?

Check out the products that are right for your skin type:

Anti Aging

Oily / Blemished Skin

Sensitive Skin / Rosacea

Normal Skin

Products for Men