On my Patreon feed, Laura asked: Question about botanical extracts: I want to avoid using liquid extracts because mane contain Phenoxyethanol and my clients DO NOT want it. Nor do they want Sodium Benzoate. There are not many available preserved with Leucidal Liquid. I do use some powdered extracts, but they tend to not dissolve, settle and darken product dramatically. Question is HOW some companies manage to include countless extracts and the product is still light""" What is going on""" I am beyond puzzled at this point. 

There's a lot to unpack here, so bear with me as I try to answer each question one by one...

Powdered extracts will colour your product, there's no doubt about that, but some of the good stuff botanical extracts offer are all about the colour.
Proanthocyanidins are colourless molecules also called oligoflavonoids, condensed polyphenols, or hydrolyzable tannins. They called the latter because they can be hydrolyzed (the molecule is split by water into different compounds) in an acidic environment to produce anthocyanidins, which are coloured. They play a role in the stabilization of collagen and maintenance of elastin in the skin. They are being studied as water retention reducers, and capillary protectors. They can help the body to produce histamine to prevent allergic reactions. And they can be powerful anti-oxidants - they are about 20 times more powerful than Vitamin C and 50 times more powerful than Vitamin ...