Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil, which is derived from the palm fruit of the Elaeis guineensis palm tree. Palm oil is readily found in a vast majority of cosmetic formulations, and is relatively tricky to spot in the ingredient list due to a variety of different INCIs: cetyl palmitate, butyloctyl palmitate, ethyl palmate, hydrogenated palm oil etc. Keep an eye out for ingredients containing the words palmate or palmitate, and palm oil.
Palm oil plantations are considered non-sustainable, and many conscious consumers avoid this vegetable oil in both food and cosmetics as an eco-act. Linked to deforestation, the palm oil industry occupies space, which would typically be rain forest or natural habitat for animal species. Sadly these habitats are cleared for development of the palm oil plantations. The fast deforestation pushes many species to extinction, and also affects the earth’s ability to balance climate change.
Rainforests are often called the lungs of the earth, as they occupy an important role in filtering and reprocessing the harmful carbon dioxide output, while also positively contributing to the amount of oxygen we breathe. Keep our planet sustainable, by selecting formulations derived from alternative sources. You can easily use the palm oil filter in the Cosmethics app, and receive palm-oil free recommendations.
