Palm oil free makeup is both a rarity and an important purchase for those wanting to help the planet. But why exactly should we choose palm oil free? Why is it to hard to find palm oil free products? And what can we do to make sure we look great, and keep up the great fight against palm oil too?
Why Choose Palm Oil Free Makeup?
Makeup, or any products, containing untraceable palm oil are contributing to one of the worst environmental disasters occurring today. Palm oil production is resulting in massive deforestation, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. This means less trees to capture carbon dioxide and help reverse the effects of climate change. This deforestation also leads to the decimation of animals, notably orangutans, most of which are now endangered species. You may ask: if my makeup is cruelty free or organic, does that mean it's free from palm oil? Unfortunately, no.
Being palm oil free is not a requirement to be certified cruelty free or organic, and anything with palm oil is not guaranteed to be cruelty free with the torture and killing that happens during deforestation. To read more on our fight against palm oil, click here. So the only way to make sure your makeup is palm oil free is to find products that explicitly say this.
Why is Palm Oil Free Makeup Hard to Find?
Palm oil is in a lot of products, and is used to make many synthetic ingredients. Palm oil is hidden under many different names, Palm Oil Investigations last counting over 200 alternatives. Manufacturers choose palm oil to make these synthetics because it's cheap, but they have no health benefits whatsoever. They can be listed as "vegetable oil" in food, be used to make Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in toothpaste. Palm is also used to make glycerin, which is an important ingredient in make up. Palm oil derived glycerin binds the waters and oils in liquid make up. This creates a smoother consistency and makes spreading onto the skin easier. What many people don't know is that glycerin is a natural byproduct of soap making, so you can not only make your own, but it can be made without palm oil. Popular alternative sources include coconut oil. However, palm oil derived glycerin in cheaper, so manufacturers of generic cosmetics opt for it and always will. While palm oil free makeup is a rarity, the good news is Biome has you covered.
Biome's Palm Oil Free Makeup
Powder Foundations
All of Biome's
natural makeup is palm oil free. For powder foundations, we love those from Eco Minerals and
Evohe. All our powder foundations are not only palm oil free, but free from synthetic preservative, fragrances, and nasty petrochemicals.
Liquid Foundations & Concealers
As palm oil synthetics are predominantly used in cream or liquid makeup to bind all the ingredients together, finding a palm oil free liquid foundation is tricky. However, did you know you can create your own liquid makeup using powder foundation? Put a small amount of natural powder foundation in your palm, and mix in your favourite (palm oil free) oil, moisturiser or sunscreen lotion. For under eye concealer, simply mix the powder with your eye cream or serum. We also have a few
tinted sunscreen options if that's easier. This not only saves you money by using what you already have, but it means your foundation will have all the natural, skin-loving goodness of your moisturiser or serum. And it means you don't need a primer, win-win!
Vegan Mascara
As well as being palm oil free, we also have great vegan mascara options. Our handmade
Dusk By Adele Mascara is 100% natural with 85% certified organic ingredients. It is also gluten free and great for sensitive eyes. And if you have a DIY thumb, you can make your own! Our Make-Your-Own pack features everything you'll need to glam up your lashes yourself.
Palm Oil Free Lipsticks & Lip Glosses
You'll never be in want of a certain shade again - Biome has an extensive range of lipsticks, glosses and tints, all palm oil free! Noyah (seen above), is an all natural range of lipsticks and glosses. They have nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, so your lips don't get dry and chapped in the name of beauty.
Neek is another range that is also vegan, cruelty free, petrochemical free, and packaged in a bamboo tube which can be composted. Cocokind, with the potent pigment of beetroot, has created the a tinted moisture stick,, which pops moisturising colour onto lips and cheeks, with only four ingredients!
And Everything in Between
Like using powder foundation with your moisturiser, you can also make use of our natural makeup to substitute other products. Lipstick can be used as a cream blush. Eyeshadow can double as brow powder, or mixed with some eye cream to make eyeliner. This means you save money and know exactly what's going on your face. Finding palm oil free makeup is one of the best things you can do - you're helping the planet, supporting natural product makers, and ensuring you're only exposed to the most natural, loving products.
Learn how palm oil is hidden in most cosmetics > Image thanks @noyahcosmetics
