I don’t know if you’ve heard, but nowadays using palm oil is a bad word in the skin care world.
Why?
Because entire forests and the habitats of orangutans are being destroyed to farm miles of palm oil trees.
Palm oil is inexpensive to produce, which is why it’s used so widely, including in your favorite food products. You know that label of “vegetable oil” in the ingredients list on stuff you buy from the store?
That’s usually palm oil.
Major companies know what they’re doing is bad in terms of the way they acquire palm oil, so they try to hide what they’re doing under the vague label of vegetable oil.
But a CaLoveCo., I do things a little different.
I still use palm oil in my products because it’s amazing at softening rough skin and helping to remoisturize and repair skin that is dry or has been damaged. Plus, for a lot of people overseas, palm oil farms are the lifeblood of their communities. The cultivation of palm oil is a source of income for many households.
So, I don’t think boycotting palm oil is the answer.
Big companies will always find a way to overexploit to make a buck.
Instead, here are some ways you can fight back against the devastating effects of deforestation for palm oil.
1. Write to or call your favorite grocery brands.
Find out if they’re using palm oil under the guise of “vegetable oil” and demand transparency. And demand that they find sustainable sources of palm oil or sustainable sources of vegetable oil.
2. Look for the seal
If you purchase palm oil, look for the seal on the container (or on the company’s website before you buy) that says that the palm oil was sourced under sustainable conditions. There are organizations that exist to make sure that palm oil is farmed in a sustainable manner to ensure the protection of forests and wildlife.
3. Talk to your vendors
If you’re buying small or local, talk to your vendors about the ingredients they use and where they source them from. Oils and butters from South America, Asia and Africa are incredibly popular right now. But not all ingredients are created equal. If those ingredients aren’t sourced fair trade and in a sustainable manner, it might be worthwhile to consider other options if you’re in the mindset of protecting the environments, the native population of those environments, and the wildlife that the need those environments for their own livelihood.
Rest assured
CaLoveCo. sources organic ingredients where possible and purchases from suppliers that are committed to fair trade and sustainable sourcing policies.
At least with CaLoveCo., you’re good to go 🙂