What's in Wype? A guide to our ingredients (and everyone else's)
What's in Wype? A guide to our ingredients (and everyone else's)
Finding our way around ingredient lists can be daunting. Half the time we find ourselves squinting at impossible-to-pronounce words, and the rest of the time we’re reminding ourselves of that new article that just came out, wasn’t that ingredient dangerous this week, and good for us the week before? We’re there wondering what the difference between Prebiotic and Hypoallergenic is and by the time we figure it out, the shop’s closing in 5 minutes and we chuck it in our bag anyway. Luckily, we attended defence against the dark arts class, and know a thing or two about what the heck the ingredients in some of your intimate care products do. So, wands at the ready, textbooks open, let's glide along the facts as smoothly as Wype on toilet tissue.
Wait, wait, wait. It’s not that simple, is it? Ingredients are pieces of the puzzle, but when they come together, they can be accompanied by claims and certifications. What are those about? Why are they needed? Read on, and we’ll try to keep it easier than the back of a pack of peanuts.
The claims and accreditations on cosmetics packaging
Claims and certifications summarise the properties of a product and guess what, you can’t (or shouldn’t) say those things willy-nilly. Many well-known certifications require a brand to supply an extensive amount of information and go through several controls before they can print the symbol on the packet (as well as pay a fee to the certification provider itself).
Cruelty Free - means that an ingredient or a product hasn't been tested on animals for its safety and efficacy on human skin. You should also know that in the UK, where our product is manufactured, animal testing of cosmetic products is BANNED.
Vegan – means that products are created without using any ingredients derived from animals, including animal by-products (including fish, shellfish, and insects). This is different from cruelty-free, as a product can be created without being tested on animals, but still contain ingredients like milk or honey. In our case, we are accredited by the Vegan Society which has meticulously reviewed all our ingredients and suppliers.
Organic - means that the ingredients have been grown/produced without the involvement of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and any other synthetic ingredient, in order to be considered organic, a product must be made with at least 95% synthetic-free ingredients by weight, not by the number of ingredients. At Wype, our formula is COSMOS Organic, certified by the Soil Association. This sounds super fancy, but it’s just a guarantee to our customers that we use ingredients that they can trust! Beyond organic ingredients, the certification is only granted when the ingredients are sustainably sourced and included in a limited list of accepted ingredients (this means glycerin made from palm oil is OUT!).
Dermatologically Approved/Suitable for sensitive skin – means that the product has been tested on real skin for reactions and sensitivities and has been deemed safe and effective. This was particularly important to us at Wype as our product is used on sensitive areas.
Claims can also fall under what a product does. Does it say it’s cooling? Moisturising? Rejuvenating? Well, this all needs to be truthful, honest, legally compliant, have evidence, and be concluded by informed decision making. To make a claim about a product, the overall formula itself or a selection of its ingredients must in fact exhibit those characteristics, and being deceiving with claims is a big no-no.
What not to put on your bum
The skin around your bits below the belt is sensitive, so we need to treat it with kindness, even when things inevitably get a bit messy. We do this by making sure we don’t put anything down there that will cause irritation or discomfort, and if it gives us a little personal care boost, even better! Overall, it would be best to avoid high concentrations of alcohol, heavy amounts of synthetic fragrance, non-essential synthetic ingredients, and harsh exfoliants.
What sort of ingredients should we be looking for?
Because we know we should care for our downstairs, we should be looking for ingredients that won't mess up our private parts’ mojo. We want to look for ingredients that are gentle, soothing, moisturising, cleansing, pH balanced, cooling, refreshing, or any of those other lovely words. The gentler and kinder to skin it sounds, the better.
We spend so much time thinking about how many gallons of SPF to smother on our faces every 2 hours, when to use what serum, on what day, on what full moon, on what winter solstice to get the best effects, so when it comes to what we put on our derriere, the fundamentals shouldn’t change. We wanted to create a cleansing gel that everyone can use, easily, so we made sure that we kept these glorious words in mind when creating our formula.
Let’s start with the INCI list and how it works:
When you look at the list of words nobody can even pronounce without some kind of science degree, you’ll find the ingredients organised by concentration. We go from highest concentration to lowest (yes, it’s that simple!). The last ingredients you see at the bottom of the list are present in less than 1% of the formula. If you find a little something down here, it is likely an essential ingredient (like a preservative) present in minimal concentrations so it shouldn’t be anything to worry about!
Wype’s Formula
Wype’s posterior elixir was designed with your lil’ Tushy front and centre (or back and centre?). We didn't want something that just ‘does the job’ or has the same effect as wet wipes, but we wanted to make something better! The natural and organic botanicals in our formula all work together to bring you that Wype clean feeling and keep your butt peachy keen, Wype really does it all!
Our big three (and no we’re not talking about star signs) are natural and organic botanicals that leave you feeling fresh, clean, and moisturised after taking to the bog.
Aloe Vera takes on the task of cooling and soothing the exit area, if you’re someone that finds themselves a little sore or inflamed after popping a squat (that’s your business), this bad boy ingredient will turn down the heat and keep the RIGHT kind of bounce in your step. It has been used for centuries to cleanse impurities from the skin and leave the skin feeling smooth and fresh, now that’s the pamper day your butt deserves!
Next on the roll call is Chamomile! Chamomile aids the aloe in its anti-inflammatory properties, this is also what gives Wype its calming effect on the skin. Think of it as your butt’s night-time sleepy tea so you can go to bed knowing that your backside is taken care of!
The last of the big three is Cocus Nucifera Extract, or in other words, Coconut! Other than being a delicious, sweet treat, coconut is a great moisturiser and keeps the sensitive skin around your bum super smooth. You’ve been cleaned, you’ve been soother, and all you need to get that final Wype clean feeling is a little bit of moisture. Now, that’s a feeling we go coco-nuts for.
Our big 3 ingredients all work in tandem to create the Wype clean feeling that you will or do know and love!
A notable mention is our Decyl Glucoside, which is essentially coconut sugar! It acts as a gentle cleanser in our formula. The ingredient is usually found in baby products, so you know it’s going to be kind to the sensitive skin around your private parts.
Other ingredients include: Xanthan Gum - turns liquid to gel | Propanediol – solvent | Tocopherol (Vitamin E) - antioxidant | Bambusa Tuldoides (Bamboo) Leaf Extract – detoxifying and hydrating | Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil – antioxidant | Sodium Benzoate – preservative | Benzyl Alcohol – preservative | Potassium Sorbate - preservative | Citric Acid – to adjust the pH | Dehydroacetic Acid - preservative.
One important thing to consider, is we each have different levels of sensitivities to ingredients, allergies, and comfort levels. You live in your body, and sometimes you really do know best. If the mildest soap breaks you out, you probably know your way around an INCI list by now. If you've been using the same heavily scented shower gel for your entire body for 10 years, sounds like your skin is less sensitive! Our formula is designed to suit even the most sensitive skins, because we truly wanted it to work for everyone.
Overall, the ingredients you are comfortable using are really up to you but knowing more about what you’re looking at is going to help you make more informed decisions, without feeling like you’re in potions class without having done your homework!
The ‘Wetter is Better’ motto
We believe that wetter is better because the logic behind it makes sense! Everything we do to keep things clean in life will usually include water. Washing your dishes, your face, your car, your clothes and more! So why do we treat the junk in our trunks any different?
We also know, with the fragile state of toilet paper, we couldn't just use a liquid formula. Liquid sprays make the toilet tissue disintegrate far too quickly, and simply don't work as well. If the loo roll starts to break down, you could end up with little bits of tissue around your anus, or your finger could just go straight through (or in)! How about that as a wake-up call instead of a strong cup of coffee? We’d rather stick to coffee (or tea), that’s why we decided to make a gel formula, so the product sits nicely on the toilet tissue without causing any finger slips or chocolate dips!
Want to put our formula to the test? Experience how we’re revolutionising wiping your bum first hand with the Wype Starter kit! Single-use plastic free, with an infinitely recyclable aluminium bottle and a reusable applicator. Get Wype here!
Email us at hello@wypeuk.com if you have any other questions!
I have very sensitive skin but Wype doesn’t,cause me any problems. It really does leave me feeling fresh and clean!