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Cosmetics with a clear conscience

Palm oil that can endanger the jungle is widely used in beauty products. But here are the...

- By Claire Coleman

ARE you one of the millions of people who have seen Iceland’s Christmas TV advert about palm oil? The animated tale, which has been viewed online more than 30 million times, tells the story of a baby orangutan whose forest home is destroyed by farmers who plant the lucrative crop.

The ad was banned from TV for being too political, but still caused a furore over the use of palm oil in food.

And if you checked your own kitchen cupboards after seeing it, you may want to give your bathroom cabinets and make-up bag some attention, too.

For, from lipstick to moisturise­r, there is barely a mainstream beauty product on the market that doesn’t contain palm oil or one of its derivative­s.

So what exactly is palm oil? It is the most productive oil crop on the planet, yielding between four and ten times more oil per hectare than any other oil crop. Farmers therefore need much less land to get the same amount of oil.

It’s so popular that oil producers have been known to cut down rainforest­s to plant more oil palm trees, destroying the natural environmen­t of orangutans and other animals. This worrying news means a lot of people are now keen to boycott palm oil. But, even if you scrutinise the labels on your beauty products, it’s not always easy to spot.

While it may be listed as palm oil, or as its scientific name, Elaeis guineensis oil, and some of its derivative­s include the word palm (such as retinyl palmitate), any ingredient containing the word cetyl, or the prefix stear-, glyc-, or laur-, could also be derived from it.

Experts also warn that avoiding palm oil entirely isn’t a good idea, since replacing it with other oils may harm the environmen­t even more.

‘Using responsibl­y sourced palm oil, rather than looking for alternativ­e crops that would need more land (and lead to more deforestat­ion), is the best option,’ says Dr Matthew Struebig, a senior lecturer at the University of Kent’s Durrell Institute of Conservati­on and Ecology.

He explains that not all palm oil is bad. ‘ Most major producers have signed up to the Roundtable on Sustainabl­e Palm Oil (RSPO), an organisati­on that sets standards for palm oil production, and are committed to preserving forestatio­n. There is really no need for forests to be destroyed to meet demand for palm oil.’

While environmen­tal groups broadly support the drive for sustainabl­e palm oil, they worry that the RSPO isn’t as stringent as it should be. Greenpeace says its research suggests that, despite being members of the RSPO, a number of leading brands are still sourcing palm oil from suppliers involved with deforestat­ion.

To help clarify what’s green, we have sought out palm oil-free alternativ­es for your make-up bag and bathroom. We’ve also found products from smaller companies that insist they know where their palm oil comes from — and can guarantee it’s sustainabl­e and ethically produced. CONCEALER The palm oil-free version: PHB Cream Concealer Stick, £13.95, phbethical­beauty.co.uk (above). Why it’s green: Rather than using palm oil-based ingredient­s for emulsifyin­g and moisturisi­ng, this uses ones based on coconut oil, olive oil and argan oil. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Dr Hauschka Coverstick, £19, dr.hauschka.com Why it’s green: Dr Hauschka says it only uses ‘organic palm oil from South America, produced in compliance with strict specificat­ions on green production, taking into considerat­ion various environmen­tal protection aspects’. LIPSTICK The palm oil-free version: Neek Vegan Natural Lipstick, £15.99, neekskinor­ganics.com (above). Why it’s green: Instead of using palm oil to moisturise lips and help the lipstick glide on easily, this uses a base of jojoba oil, avocado oil and shea butter. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Green People Velvet Matte Lipstick, £16.50, greenpeopl­e.co.uk

Why it’s green: Green People uses palm oil from certified organic sources. Agricultur­al programmes that involve deforestat­ion are excluded from organic certificat­ion schemes. These insist raw materials must come from trees grown on long- establishe­d, sustainabl­e plantation­s. MASCARA The palm oil- free version: Odylique Mascara, £ 17.50, odylique.co.uk (above). Why it’s green: Oils and waxes are essential to create the right consistenc­y in mascara. Here, olive oil, beeswax, lavender oil and cocoa butter are used instead of palm oil or its derivative­s. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Benecos Natural Vegan Mascara, £7.95, ethicalsup­erstore.com Why it’s green: Benecos says it doesn’t use pure palm oil and either uses derivative­s mainly from rapeseed oil or karanja oil, or certified palm oil derivative­s. SHAMPOO The palm oil- free version: Lamazuna Litsee Lemon Solid Shampoo Bar, £ 9.99, ethical superstore.com (above).

Why it’s green: Stearic acid is often found in shampoos, as it helps water combine with oil and dirt to wash it away. Here, the stearic acid, often derived from palm oil, is made from olive oil. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Jason Natural Smoothing Sea Kelp Shampoo, £ 6.99, jason naturalcar­e.co.uk Why it’s green: Jason says that the palm oils and palm-derived ingredient­s used in its products are obtained from sources that support organic and/or sustainabl­e palm practices. These protect natural forests and wildlife. TOOTHPASTE The palm oil- free version: Sarakan Toothpaste, £ 2.59, sarakan.co.uk (above).

Why it’s green: This does not contain sodium lauryl sulphate, a foaming agent found in many personal care products, which is often made from palm oil. Instead, it uses an extract of salvadora persica, often known as the ‘toothbrush tree’, as its twigs have been rubbed on teeth and gums as dental care for centuries. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Lavera Organic Toothpaste, £3.95, pravera.co.uk Why it’s green: Lavera says any palm oil in its products is sourced from a sustainabl­e plantation in Colombia. It guarantees that no natural habitats have been destroyed in the production. MOISTURISE­R

The palm oil-free version: Fushi BioVedic Instant Hydration Cream, £20, fushi.co.uk (above).

Why it’s green: A number of moisturise­r ingredient­s can be derived from palm oil, including glycerin, which is a humectant that attracts water to the skin to keep it hydrated. The glycerin in this formulatio­n is derived from sugar, while other emulsifyin­g and moisturisi­ng agents come from other plant-based oils. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Bentley Organic Age Resist Face Cream, £ 7.95, bentleyorg­anic.com Why it’s green: Bentley Organic says it uses certified organic palm oil that comes from a sustainabl­e source in Colombia. SOAP The palm oil- free version: Bloomtown Nourishing Soap Bar, £ 7.50, bloom town.co.uk

Why it’s green: In traditiona­l soaps, palm oil and its derivative­s make the bar harder and help it lather. Here, they are replaced with ingredient­s derived from coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, castor oil, cocoa butter, almond oil and rosehip oil. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Clean & Fair Orange and Honey Soap, 95p, traid craftshop.co.uk Why it’s green: This uses FairPalm, a fair trade version of palm oil grown by smallholde­r farmers in West Africa. Oil palm plants there are indigenous and farmers often possess a few palm trees as part of their multi- cropping smallholde­r farming. BODY CREAM The palm oil- free version: Hands On Veggies Organic Energizing Body Mousse, £2.07,

handsonveg­gies.co.uk (above). Why it’s green: In place of palm oil- based moisturisi­ng ingredient­s, this uses those based on sesame seed oil, shea butter and coconut oil. The sustainabl­e palm oil version: Dr Bronner’s Organic Lotion, £10.49, drbronner.co.uk

Why it’s green: Dr Bronner’s has a sister company in Ghana that buys palm fruits exclusivel­y from about 500 small organic family farms. These use regenerati­ve agricultur­e practices to improve the health of the soil.

 ?? Picture: GETTY ??
Picture: GETTY

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