aqua (water)
what it is
Water — INCI name Aqua. Ours is purified and deionised, meaning minerals, trace metals and anything else water picks up along the way are removed before it enters a batch. There is nothing exotic about it, and we will not pretend otherwise.
why we use it
Water is the solvent everything else works in. It dissolves the humectants and the water-soluble actives, and it forms the water phase of every emulsion we make. Most moisturisers on the market are mostly water — that is what makes a cream a cream rather than an oil. The difference here is that we print the number.
where you'll find it
In feather at 78.55%, in cloud at 70.20%, and in our mineral sunscreen (SPF 50+ PA++++) at 18.80%, where it is disclosed on its own line rather than inside a group.
evidence
Evidence grading does not really apply here — water is the medium, not an active. What matters is purity, and purity is a manufacturing specification, not a study.
safety
Purified water is the least controversial ingredient in cosmetics. Its one real risk is that microbes love it, which is why every water-based formula needs a preservative system — see our phenoxyethanol page for how we handle that.