EP105. Are tropical ingredients sustainable?

The destruction of rainforests - the world's most bio-diverse ecosystems - and the impact this has on the indigenous peoples living in and depending on them, and on global climate change is imprinted vividly in our minds. As a community of indie, organic beauty formulators and entrepreneurs, we are highly aware of the value of tropical habitats. None of us would wish to add to a greater loss of biodiversity nor cause more environmental and societal harm simply by going about our daily business as indie beauty formulators. Knowing where, how and by whom our natural cosmetic ingredients are grown and harvested and how they travel to us is one of the biggest challenges facing the indie formulator. Today's beauty consumers too are asking hard questions about the sourcing of cosmetics' ingredients. Yet, as we discussed before on this podcast, simply boycotting ingredients won't help sustainability. In this episode, Formula Botanica CEO and podcast host Lorraine Dallmeier and colleague Ana Green, the School's Education Manager, discuss some of the many complex arguments underlying the sourcing of natural cosmetics ingredients from at-risk tropical forests and regions. Should we be using those gorgeous rainforest ingredients in our formulations even if we don't know how sustainable they are from their source to our skincare pots? Listen in to the nuanced debate to make your own mind up.   FREE FORMULATION RESOURCES Free formulation course | Green Beauty Conversations Podcast | Blog | YouTube Socials: Formula Botanica on Instagram | Lorraine Dallmeier on Instagram