The dirt on natural ingredients
The dirt on natural ingredients

The dirt on natural ingredients

1 March 2023 /
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The skincare and beauty market relies heavily on natural ingredients sourced from plants. However, farming these ingredients can have a significant resource intensity that can impact the environment and raise sustainability concerns.

Here’s our reasons why:

The skincare and beauty market relies heavily on natural ingredients sourced from plants. However, farming these ingredients can have a significant resource intensity that can impact the environment and raise sustainability concerns.
 
Farming natural ingredients requires large areas of land and water resources. For example, cultivating plants such as aloe vera, lavender, and chamomile for their extracts requires extensive irrigation, fertilizers, and pesticides.

 

Farming natural ingredients can also have a significant impact on biodiversity. Many natural ingredients are sourced from wild plant populations, which can result in over-harvesting and loss of biodiversity. For example, sandalwood, a popular ingredient in skincare products, is extracted from a tree species that is endangered due to over-harvesting.
The extraction process of natural ingredients can also have a resource-intensive impact. Many natural ingredients require energy-intensive extraction methods such as steam distillation and solvent extraction, which can have a significant carbon footprint. Additionally, the waste generated from the extraction process can have a negative impact on the environment if not disposed of properly.
 
Lastly, transporting natural ingredients can also have a significant carbon footprint. Many natural ingredients are sourced from afar, transporting these ingredients over long distances, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
 
While natural ingredients are a popular choice for skincare and beauty products, the resource intensity of farming these ingredients is a significant concern. To ensure sustainability, companies must consider the environmental impact of their ingredient sourcing and extraction methods and work towards more sustainable alternatives. We can’t wait to share more with you very very soon.

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