Meet the Team

meet the team

Products & Ingredients

What makes Zesty's formulas stand out?

The very heart of Zesty's products - the active ingredients - is flowers and herbs from the Baltic meadows and forests.

The natural environment in the Baltic region is unique because the northern summers are much shorter, leaving flowers with a much shorter time to attract bees for pollination. Plants are compelled to concentrate their blossoming vigour in this short blossoming time. As a result, at the time of harvest they are rich with the active ingredients required to survive in bitter climates.

We believe that all skincare and makeup on the planet should be done right – effective yet friendly to the skin and our environment.

Zesty marries nature with science to create game-changing products that harness powerful plants actives to deliver real results.

Nourishing both the skin and senses, all products are Natural and Organic Certified according to the international COSMOS standard by ECOCERT Greenlife.

How are products tested?

The products go through several testing phases and processes.

  1. The formulation process begins after checking the guidelines from ingredient suppliers about recommended usage and concentration for each ingredient. Sometimes, we even test several hundreds of samples to decide on the best formula.
     
  2. We believe that beauty should be cruelty free, which is why we don't test (and never will) on animals. Instead, each product is tested by volunteers who share their skin’s reaction after testing and provide their subjective evaluation – both are taken into account when refining the formula.
     
  3. After a product is created, it is tested in a laboratory by measuring various physical and chemical properties, determining stability and expiration date, as well as studying and defining standards for storage. In accordance with law, the product is tested by a qualified chemist to ensure it complies with safety and consistency tests. We also send the items to external labs to make sure that the chosen preservatives work well throughout the validity period.
     
  4. We also check physical and chemical properties for each batch we manufacture to ensure that the product from production is consistent with the approved version from the laboratory.

What percentage of natural and organic ingredients are within the product formula?

This varies formula to formula – please see the product description for most accurate answer. But in general, in a natural certified formula at least 95% of total ingredients are natural.

Whereas in an organic certified formula, at least 95% of total ingredients are natural, at least 10% come from organic farming, and 95% of all plant-based ingredients must be organic, too.

Is Zesty's packing environmentally friendly?

Yes – a big part of our ethos is creating eco-conscious products, which is why our product packaging is recyclable and made of BPA-free materials.

Are Zesty's products vegan?

The majority of Zesty's products are vegan, with the exception of certain formulas that contain lanolin and beeswax.

Since all our products are ECOCERT certified, the lanolin and beeswax found in our formulas are produced in a strictly regulated way. From sheep farming and beekeeping to the way the ingredients are obtained, every step is monitored to ensure that animals are not harmed in any way.

Are Zesty products safe to use during pregnancy?

All Zesty's products are formulated with clean ingredients and checked for safety, but they have not been specifically tested on pregnant or breast-feeding women. For those pregnant or breast feeding we recommend checking the ingredients list of any product with a doctor to address any concerns.

What allergens do the products contain?

The most common allergens found in the products are Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol. The ingredients of each product are clearly listed on the product page, please check against the list to identify potential allergens.

Are the products free from Parabens/ Microplastics/ Silicones/ Mineral Oil and its derivatives?

Yes. No corner cutting. Full stop.
You can be sure that all Zesty's products are free from parabens, mineral oils, silicones, PEG, chemical UV filters, microplastics, synthetic fragrances, artificial colourants and other questionable ingredients.

Do the products contain alcohol?

Not all alcohols are created equal, and not all are bad for the skin – each ingredient in Zesty's formulas has been carefully evaluated to ensure it is safe to use.

Please check the INCI ingredient list for each product to find out it contains alcohol and/or alcohol derivatives.
However, majority of products has some traces of alcohol since most plant extracts (except in oil products) are made using alcohol-based extraction methods.

So even though there might be no alcohol and/or alcohol derivates listed in INCI, we can’t claim the products are actually alcohol-free.

Are the products free from Sulfates?

The only sulfate that we use in our products is sodium coco sulfate (SCS), which is approved by the third-party certification organisation COSMOS. SCS does not penetrate the epidermis and is far less irritating than the often-used sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).

Do the products contain Palm Oil and/or Palm Oil derivatives?

We do not add palm oil to our formulas as a separate ingredient, however, palm oil derivatives may be part of another ingredient and are present in most products (for example, palmitic acid), although in a very low concentration.

All ingredients containing palm oil derivatives are RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certified, which means that plantations are cultivated using sustainable methods.

Are the product fragrances natural?

Yes – we do not use sythetic fragrances. All our fragrance compositions are 100% vegan, carefully curated using natural aromatic substances, with no phthalates or other synthetic preservatives involved.

What is Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C) in the products?

Ascorbyl Palmitate is a stable, oil-soluble form of vitamin C. Formulated by combining ascorbic acid with palmitic acid, it is used in our products due to its antioxidant abilities.