EP108. Let's celebrate and conserve botanicals

In this short Green Beauty Opinion, Lorraine celebrates the bounty of botanicals, but urges us to think about how to conserve the very plants that provide us with endless inspiration and incredible ingredients. There wouldn’t be a single natural formulator in the Formula Botanica community who wouldn’t agree that plants are changing the beauty industry for the good and must be cherished. The groundswell of natural formulators and indie beauty founders is unstoppable. Lorraine points out that while Formula Botanica has enrolled some 15,000 students worldwide, you might not know that our community comprises some 300,000 people who have taken our free courses as well. Our Free Organic Skincare Entrepreneur Masterclass is open for enrolment now as we air this episode. Botanical bounty for formulators comes from leaves, roots, seeds, bark, flowers, stems, twigs, marine plants and more. Different parts of the same plant provide us with incredible phytoactive extracts to let our creativity as formulators run wild. Botanical formulation has the power to ground us in our busy, stressful lives. The term "earthing" refers to our ability to connect deeply with nature around us. Lorraine quotes a report which spoke of improved mental health and overall wellness in female participants of a survey into the effect of living in or near green spaces. Plants have made a presence throughout mankind’s history, sharing in rites and rituals, and providing us with the stillness we crave. Little wonder then that we love them as natural formulators. Lorraine challenges us as natural formulators, indie beauty brands and beauty consumers to make sure our use of precious botanicals does not deplete nor harm them. We must exploit plant power sustainably ensuring the bounty of botanicals thrives and not just survives for future generations. This is a responsibility that faces both the natural and mainstream beauty industry.