There is a quiet trick in skincare called the "trace ingredient" — adding a glamorous active in such tiny amounts that it can legally appear on the label but does nothing for your skin. We have always found this dishonest, so STEMOVA does the opposite. Every active is included at a meaningful concentration, listed in plain language, and explained openly.
We also publish a short list of ingredients we will not use. Synthetic fragrance is the first — it is the most common cause of skincare-related contact dermatitis and adds nothing beyond smell. Drying alcohols like SD Alcohol 40 are next; they give a satisfying quick-dry finish but compromise the barrier with repeated use. We avoid harsh sulfates, and any ingredient with a strong sensitisation record.
We also avoid most essential oils, even the trendy ones. Citrus oils especially can cause photosensitivity — particularly in sunny climates.
What goes in is just as deliberate as what stays out. A short list of actives, each chosen for evidence and tolerability, in a base that is gentle enough to use daily. That is the entire formula. No hidden blends, no fairy dust, no fine print. The bottle is the bottle, and the label tells you the whole story.