what's in it. and what isn't.
we believe beautiful fragrance and thoughtful formulation should go hand in hand.
that's why we spent sixteen months developing our perfume body oils, carefully selecting the oils that nourish your skin and working with our fragrance house to create scents you'll genuinely love wearing.
here's a closer look at what's inside every bottle, what we leave out, and why.
What are endocrine disruptors?
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with the body's hormone system, by mimicking hormones, blocking them, or changing how they're made and used. Researchers are still studying how everyday exposure affects people, and it's a big part of why Morning Sun exists.
They've been studied in everything from plastics to personal care products, including some ingredients used in fragrance.
Why fragrance is a blind spot
Under U.S. law, brands can list their whole fragrance blend as one word, "fragrance" or "parfum," because the formula is treated as a trade secret. A private blend isn't automatically harmful. It just means you can't see what's inside, and some fragrance ingredients, like certain phthalates, are ones many people choose to avoid. That's why we tell you everything we can about ours.
What we do differently
Our fragrance is a private blend created with our fragrance house. The exact formula is their trade secret, so it appears on our label as "fragrance (parfum)," but here's what we can promise: it's made with 98%+ natural ingredients, it's naturally derived in accordance with ISO 16128-2, and every bottle is formulated without:
- Phthalates
- Parabens
- Synthetic musks
- Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
- PEGs (polyethylene glycols)
- Sulfates (SLS, SLES)
- Mineral oil and petrolatum
- Silicones
- Artificial colors or dyes
- Ethanolamines (DEA, TEA, MEA)
Our carrier oils are cold-pressed where possible, and our fragrance is composed by a natural perfumer using essential oils, absolutes, and naturally derived aroma molecules, plus a small amount of lab-made ones.
So what's the other 2%?
A small amount of lab-made aroma molecules. Some notes can't be pulled from nature, or can't be pulled sustainably, and a few modern molecules are what give a scent its glow and its staying power on skin. Synthetic doesn't automatically mean unsafe, and natural doesn't automatically mean safe. So every molecule in that 2% went through the same screening as everything else in the bottle: no phthalates, no parabens, no synthetic musks, and nothing flagged as a known endocrine disruptor.
Every ingredient on the label.
Here is every ingredient in every bottle, listed in order of concentration. It's the same list printed on the label.
SALTED SKIN · NO. 01
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Polycitronellol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Squalane, Tocopherol.
HONEY HOUR · NO. 02
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Fragrance (Parfum)*, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Squalane, Tocopherol.
*Fragrance is a private blend from our fragrance house, made with 98%+ natural ingredients and naturally derived in accordance with ISO 16128-2.
Ingredient dictionary
Each ingredient, in plain English.
Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil: The primary carrier oil. Light, non-greasy, absorbs quickly. Rich in linoleic acid, which supports barrier health and hydration.
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil: Cold-pressed. Adds a light silkiness and helps the fragrance stay close to skin. Traditional in perfumery for its ability to hold scent.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: Derived from coconut and glycerin. A dry oil that absorbs immediately without residue. Also functions as a natural fragrance carrier.
Fragrance (Parfum): A private blend from our fragrance house, made with 98%+ natural ingredients and naturally derived in accordance with ISO 16128-2. Composed by a natural perfumer using essential oils, absolutes, and naturally derived aroma molecules. The remaining 2% is synthetic aroma molecules, held to the same standard. No phthalates. No synthetic musks.
Polycitronellol (Salted Skin only): A naturally derived fragrance molecule that gives the scent its soft, salty-skin musk quality.
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (Argan Oil): Cold-pressed. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Restores softness and adds a subtle luminosity.
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil: Nourishing and non-comedogenic. High in vitamin E and oleic acid. Softens skin without heaviness.
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil: Light and fast-absorbing, high in vitamins A and E. Especially good for sensitive or reactive skin.
Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil: Not technically an oil but a liquid wax, the one that most closely mimics the skin's own sebum. Balancing, nourishing, and helps the fragrance wear evenly.
Squalane: Plant-derived, from sugarcane or olives. One of the most bioavailable moisturizing molecules for skin. Locks in hydration without clogging pores.
Tocopherol (Vitamin E): A natural antioxidant. Extends the shelf life of the formula and protects skin from oxidative stress.
How clean is clean?
"Clean beauty" doesn't have a single legal definition, so here's what it means to us. We reviewed our ingredients against EU cosmetic regulations, and we'll always tell you the truth if anything changes.
Here is exactly what those words mean when we use them. "Formulated without" means we do not add that ingredient to our formulas. It is not a promise that an ingredient is undetectable at trace levels, because trace amounts can occur naturally or come through the supply chain. Our fragrance is made with 98%+ natural ingredients, and "naturally derived" is calculated under the ISO 16128-2 standard. We keep the records behind every one of these statements, and if you ever want to see the basis for a claim we make, just ask.
We're not going to tell you Morning Sun will change your health. We are going to tell you it's one of the beauty products in your life that you don't have to think twice about.
What about seed oils?
You may have heard that seed oils are bad for you. That conversation is about eating refined seed oils in processed food. Putting a plant oil on your skin is a different thing entirely.
Our base starts with safflower seed oil. Classic safflower and sunflower oils are rich in linoleic acid, a fatty acid your skin uses to build its natural barrier. Research on topical plant oils has found that linoleic-acid-rich oils help support the skin barrier and hydration (Lin et al., International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2018). It's light, absorbs quickly, and is part of why Morning Sun leaves skin soft instead of greasy.
How to use it safely
Morning Sun is a cosmetic for external use on skin. Patch test on a small area and wait 24 hours before your first full use. Keep it out of your eyes, do not swallow it, and keep it out of reach of children. Some of our ingredients are derived from tree nuts, so skip it if you have a nut allergy. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a known skin condition, check with your doctor first. Stop using it if your skin reacts, and email us at paigelindgren.partnerships@gmail.com so we can help and so we know.
Nothing on this page is medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Read fewer labels. Trust more of them.