palm-oil

Palm oil is a form of vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree (Elaeis Guineensis). It has recently become one of the world’s most widely-produced oils and is a key ingredient in many cosmetic products. Having been asked recently if Odylique uses palm oil we thought we’d explain why we don’t use it.

We have never used palm oil as an ingredient in any Odylique products. We do use a couple of ingredients that may use palm oil as an input material, for example, the emulsifiers cetearyl glucoside or cetearyl alcohol, which are largely derived from corn sugar and or coconut. We have sought assurance from our suppliers that if they are at certain times obliged to use palm oil as a feeder material, it is from a certified sustainable (RSPO) source. This is also a requirement of our organic certification along with a guarantee of no genetically modified ingredients.


Why We Don’t Use Palm Oil 

environmental-concequences To make room for palm tree plantations, tropical rainforests have been cleared on a massive scale. Some sources quote that areas of rainforest the size of 5 football pitches disappear every minute due to palm oil cultivation. Deforestation of course has terrible consequences – increases in greenhouse gas production and habitat destruction. The situation is worst in Indonesia and Malaysia, who between them produce 83% of the world’s palm oil, where peat bogs which store huge amounts of carbon are drained to make way for plantations. It is estimated that in 15 years, 98% of Indonesia and Malaysia’s rainforests will disappear because of deforestation.

Inevitably along with the destruction of expansive rainforests comes the destruction of natural habitats. Orangutans have suffered the most, with their population in the wild declining hugely in recent years. Sumatran tigers have also suffered the consequences, as deforestation allows easy access for poachers. It’s thought that within a few years, these tigers will be extinct if there is no intervention.


What’s happening about it?

Numerous campaigns have been launched in order to combat deforestation and the devastating effects of palm oil production – from Rainforest Action Network to Greenpeace. Friends of the Earth launched an award-winning campaign in 2005 and have helped to prevent the creation of a mega-plantation in Borneo.

At Odylique, we like to contribute to these very charities and be a part a positive change.


Palm Oil In Skincare

coconut-oilIn skincare, even if palm oil doesn’t appear on the label’s INCI list – as “Elaeis Guineensis Oil” or “sodium palmate” – the form used in soap bars – it might still be hidden in the product. Palm oil is commonly used to make emulsifiers (like stearic acid) and detergents (like sodium laureth sulphate).  – We don’t use either of these and make sure none of our other ingredients are derived from palm oil either.

Some may ask, ‘why not use organic palm oil?’ Although it is available, much of the organic oil is grown on plantations that are the result of devastating deforestation. It must make more long-term sense to re-plant the rainforest species which provided more benefit for the local economy, even if the short-term economic losses are hard. And in cosmetics, there is no real excuse for using palm oil. Good (and in fact better) alternatives are numerous and include olive oil and coconut oil which produce fantastic, high-quality soaps and cosmetic products.

With Odylique skincare, we want to make sure we do everything as ethically as possible and only include the best ingredients, not just for the sake of your health, but also for the sake of our environment. One of the best ways you can say ‘no’ to palm oil in skincare products, is to avoid it completely – only buy ethical, organic skincare like the skincare at Odylique.


Want To Try Our Products?

We only source the kindest ingredients from trusted suppliers who don’t practice unethical or cruel methods of farming, which is why we are able to label every single one of our products cruelty free!

Use code: palmoil20 at the checkout for 20% off your order! – *Limited to one use per customer*

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3 thoughts on “Why we don’t use palm oil”

  1. Glad to see other bath and body product makers who feel the same way. And don’t forget… “sustainable palm oil” is basically just green washing.

  2. I'm so glad to see this, i've had a helluva time finding products that don't use palm oil, and am still trying to find shampoo/conditioner . so any suggestions are greatly appreciated. i've just recently found out about this issue, and am doing all i can to get my family Free From Palm OIl

  3. Going palm oil free is the way ahead. It takes time and effort to formulate without palm oil, but yes it is entirely possible to make beautiful creams and lotions that are totally guilt free. I’m always pleased to discover new brands that are following their heart on this. You rock! I think together we can all work to help our planet and still have beautiful glowing skin!

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