Open almost any moisturiser and the first ingredient on the list is water. It is the simplest base there is, and it does a job: it carries the other ingredients and gives a cream its spread.
The Azulene Soother line from Dr.SANTE makes a different choice. Where a formula would normally use plain water, it uses chamomile flower water.
What changes
Chamomile flower water is made from the flower itself, so it is not neutral. It is part of the formula’s character. On the label you will see it near the top of the list, often listed as chamomile flower water or chamomile flower extract.
The Azulene Soother Gel, for example, is made with chamomile flower water at 75%.
That does not make the gel a medicine, and it does not make it a remedy for anything. It means the base of the formula is a plant-derived ingredient that skin generally finds comfortable, plus a blue colour that comes from the same flower.
The blue is the proof
When chamomile is distilled at a high temperature, a compound called matricin changes into a blue pigment. That is azulene. In the Azulene Soother line the form used is guaiazulene.
So the blue colour of the gel is not dye. It is a sign that the chamomile is really in there. It is also why the colour can shift slightly with temperature and time, which is normal for a natural pigment.
What SANTE says it is for
SANTE describes the line as hydration and soothing first, made for skin that feels dry, hot or easily upset. The company’s view, after working with professional skin-care salons and their clients, is that comfortable, healthy-looking skin starts there.
Who might want to check first
Chamomile is in the daisy family. If you have an allergy to daisies, chrysanthemums, mugwort or ragweed, ask your doctor or pharmacist before using chamomile products. As with any new product, try a small amount on one area of skin first.
How to try it
A simple start is the gel or the lotion, which are the lightest textures in the line. The gel is a cooling, water-light gel; the lotion works for face and body. Both are in the Azulene Soother range: Azulene Soother Gel, Azulene Soother Lotion.
For extra moisture, SANTE suggests mixing a drop of Elsol jojoba oil into the cream or gel.
The short version
Water is the quiet default in skin care. Dr.SANTE swapped it for something with a reason to be there. If you are choosing between two similar creams, reading the first lines of the ingredient list is the quickest way to see what a formula is really built on.
Our full explainer on the ingredient is on the Azulene and chamomile page.
