Frequently Asked Questions

Preservatives
Palm Oil
What is Palm Oil?
So what do we do next?
About our manufacturer

Preservatives:

Q. Do your products contain preservatives?

A. Our products do contain some preservative because-Creams, lotions and gel formulations can be bug heaven as many contain nutrients in the form of oils, have a high concentration of water and sit at a very bug-friendly pH of between  5-8.  In addition many products are stored in the hot and steamy bathroom and endure being poked and prodded time and time again by contaminated fingers!   Being a cream, lotion or gel is a tough job and being a natural cream, lotion or gel can be even more challenging and most people would like their product to last more than a month or two.

All creams, lotions and gels in products need to be safe, and effective preservation can help you achieve that. The seventh amendment of the 1976 Cosmetic Directive in the European Union (76/768/EEC) made it a requirement that all products sold in the EU include results of preservative challenge tests in their product dossiers to ensure that it can withstand the rigours of 'real life'.  A challenge test (also known as a Preservative Efficacy test) involves adding a known range and concentration of micro organisms to the product under test conditions and measuring changes in their numbers over time.   For example, a cream may have a set number and type of microbes added on day one before being put into a temperature and light controlled storage facility. The product would then be evaluated after 24 hours, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days to measure the microbe count.   If the formulation stands up to this, the mix can be re-challenged at one of the test windows to see how it goes. Each re-contamination of test bugs is classed as a 'cycle' and this cycle can be completed a number of times. Results of these tests give the product owner a good idea of how tolerant their product is to repeat exposure to microbes as it mimics the situation that occurs when fingers are dipped into a jar time and time again. Although it is not a legal requirement in Australia to have this data on file for a formulation it is still illegal and dangerous to sell a product that’s unsafe for use.

So with all the above in mind we are obligated to sell a SAFE product and the only real way to do that is to add preservatives.

Palm Oil

Q. Why do you use palm oil in some of your products?

A.  Mention palm oil and most people will talk about Orang-Utans being killed, land being torched and greedy chemical companies. While there is some truth behind that sentiment, looking at the bigger picture shows that it makes no sense to boycott palm in favour of soy or canola.  While it is true and devastatingly sad to see rainforests ploughed out in favour of cash crops we risk shifting rather than solving the problem by ignoring the bigger picture surrounding this issue and that means doing the calculations on feedstock, looking at our relationship with consumer products, our purchasing habits and our personal choices.  It does seem perfectly reasonable to want to boycott palm oil and its derivatives as it is palm plantations that are eating into what is left of Indonesia's rain forests and devastating Orang-Utan populations. The picture is grim and the thought of being a part of all that in the name of vanity feels downright wrong. We need to act, but is boycotting palm at a consumer level or banning it from our formulations at a manufacturing level going to solve this environmental crisis? Probably not.
The issue is complex and the solution a little difficult but together we can make a difference. Now, where do we start...

What is Palm Oil?
Palm oil originates from the seeds of the Elaesis Guineensis (oil palm) tree, a crop that is native to West Africa but has since been cultivated across much of South East Asia and South America.  The global growth in palm oil farming is no coincidence as the crop is hardy, fast growing and offers a high yield of nutritionally rich oil.
The first press of the palm yields oil that is deep red in colour due to the high concentration of carotene, lycopene and vitamins. This is used across Asia and Africa for cooking where it provides the surrounding regions with their main source of calories.  Little of this crude oil is sold outside of these markets as the deep colour is hard to work around and so it goes on for further processing. 
The secondary refined process includes splitting out the vitamin E (tocopherol) which is sold separately and then fractionating (or splitting) the oily part into its many different fatty acids and Stearin - a natural triglyceride ester that is used in the manufacture of soap  or further processed into the common cosmetic ingredient, glycerine.   One of the reasons that palm oil has become such a main-stay of the 'natural' chemical industry is the fact that it provides such a wealth of ingredients within a single oil. In a nutshell, palm oil for cosmetics currently accounts for 1/5th of production and with every fifth share of the pie growing as we seek to end our oil dependent relationship the future is looking anything but green and natural. The simple answer is that the problem is one of sustainability.

So what do we do next?
Well, we need to work on both a private and a professional level to help turn the palm oil problem into a green solution.  The concern surrounding the growth in palm oil plantations has not fallen on deaf ears and many of the biggest oil users including Unilever, Nestle  Haribo and Europastry have joined the Malaysian Government in establishing a round table for sustainable palm oil plantations.  In fact the group now has over 400 members spanning all industry segments and geographies - a big thumbs-up for sustainability and environmentally responsible oil production.
While it is possible to purchase 'sustainable' palm oil it is very difficult due to the fact that palm is consolidated at the wholesale merchants making it hard to separate out one farmers crop from another.  However, as the demand for documentation grows so does the understanding of the marketplace and little by little, step by step progress is being made.  It may take several years before many of the bi-products from palm oil distillation can be certified in marketable quantities with any confidence. 
Many brands are opting out of palm as a feedstock and making marketing claims about being 'palm free'.   While this action may make the companies involved and the public feel good about the environment, reality is less positive.  The coconut, a common palm replacement yields only half the oil of palm meaning that we will need double the land in the long run!
On a personal level we can all help to heighten the awareness of the benefits of using this oil over many other vegetable oils due to its higher yield and flexibility. We can also help by supporting the actions of the round table by paying that little bit extra at the counter for certified oil.  However, it is in our product usage and habits that we can have the greatest traction and make the biggest difference.  Unless we start to value our natural resources morem, the palm oil issue is likely to repeat time and time again as the world population continues to rise along with life style aspirations.  We should be prepared not only to buy smart but to think smart.  Using less stuff may be the answer...

About our manufacturer.
Our manufacturer takes a pro-active approach in addressing and responding to a wide range of consumer issues, including ecological and environmental concerns.
One such pro-active measure is that their supplier of the raw material has membership and involvement in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil - a not-for-profit global association formally established under Article 60 of the Swiss Civil Code. By taking a multi-stakeholder approach, the Roundtable provides a unique forum for the pragmatic co-operation, consideration and promotion of sustainable production and use of Palm oil.
Our manufacturer sources and procures Palm Oil from well-established plantations, many of which would have been converted from existing rubber plantations over two decades ago. As such, there are no implications of present or planned rainforest destruction in these areas.
Our manufacturer has no contracts with plantations in Borneo or Sumatra for the supply of Palm Oil.

We recognise that there is still a long way to go with the sustainable sourcing of palm and its derivatives and we encourage you to join with us in our support of sustainable palm oil production.