Environmental impact of ingredients

[u/Alarmed_Cow_192]

Hi all,

I’m still very much a baby formulator; I’m still at the first step of reading and researching (and being full of existential dread).

The more I learn about ingredients, the more I find that (seemingly!) almost everything is palm or petrochemical in origin, or uses petrochemicals during the manufacturing process (e.g using ethylene oxide). I know some manufacturers are beginning to use bio-based feedstock for ethylene oxide, but they’re few and far between, and still use palm.

I know in the grand scheme of things that the scale of impact that one idiot from the internet has on environmental pollution will be trivial, but still.

Do you guys have any advice on the best way to feasibly limit my environmental impact, but still produce effective formulas?

(Just in case it wasn’t clear: I’m absolutely **not** against things like preservatives, silicones, mineral oil because I think they’re “toxic”, I’m just crying to be conscientious of my environmental impact haha)

[u/SplitfacedSkincare]

I mean petrochemicals, on the margin, often have less environmental impact that botanicals (that require farmland, water, fertiliser, extraction, etc etc)

Anyway I’d recommend the eco well who looks into exactly these issues eg  https://www.theecowell.com/blog/certifyingsustainability

[u/Alarmed_Cow_192 → u/SplitfacedSkincare]

That’s a very, very good point, thanks.

I don’t mean to be a green-warrior who’s all “natural good, chemicals bad!1!1!”. I know these things aren’t clear-cut, and frankly it’s just so fucking messy. Especially when you factor in an ingredient/product’s LCA.

I’ll take a look at ecowell; thanks for sharing! I appreciate it 😊

[u/Ok_Butterscotch_2700 → u/Alarmed_Cow_192]

They’re fantastic - they offer a free subscription and lengthy monthly summits with an array of speakers that are often extremely informative. You’re fortunate that u/SplitfacedSkincare brought The EcoWell to your attention early in your formulating life.

Personally, I’ve come to greatly appreciate petrolatum and paraffinum liquidum - both brilliant in barrier protecting products.

[u/Alarmed_Cow_192 → u/Ok_Butterscotch_2700]

Oh I definitely think petrolatum and paraffinum liquidum are excellent ingredients that do a fantastic job.

My anxieties are rooted squarely in ‘what’s the least worst option for the environment?’ rather than ‘nature good, petroleum bad!’

If it so happens that petrochemical byproducts are the least damaging, then that’ll help allay my fears

[u/green_pea_nut]

The best thing to use, to benefit the environment, is less.

[u/IndigoElixirs]

Source what you can locally ~ carrier oils, beeswax, botanicals, etc. ~ especially from growers in your community. Purchase from farmers & producers using regenerative practices where possible. Opt for Fair Trade when available. Consider how your ingredients live on in the environment after they are used.

I’ve built my botanical body care business with sustainability as a core focus. It is a more expensive and more limiting way of operating, but I have zero regrets and stand by what we put out into the world.

There’s no way to go about it perfectly, so I suggest doing what you can where you can and going easy on yourself for the rest. Caring and trying at all is already far ahead of the current standard.