LUSH Palm Oil-Free Body Products

Over the past few months, the bath and body company LUSH has been on a mission to "wash their hands of palm". LUSH has traditionally been concerned with the environment and has always strived to reduce the company's impact on the environment. Also, along with the concern for the environment, LUSH extends their concern to the social aspects of the product of this ingredient. I received both an email and a LUSH Times focusing on this environmental and social issue.

During a recent trip to Indonesia to explore tha palm oil industry, the people from LUSH were able to witness first hand the effects of the oil's production on the world. They witnessed massive deforestation, indigenous people being pushed further and further from their homes, and the native orangutans being pushed from their natural habitat and growing closer to extinction. I had learned about the deforestation issues in Indonesia while in college but had no idea that many items that I purchase from the beauty industry actually added to this problem. I was mostly under the impression that logging was to blame but I understand how the palm oil industry can greatly add to the problem.

According to this issue of LUSH Times, the cosmetic industry currently consumes about 6 - 7% of the world's total palm oil and it is a main active ingredient in many soaps from traditional beauty companies. After reviewing the horror that the palm oil industry has racked on the lands of Indonesia, LUSH decided to review their soap recipes and devise products that are free of palm oil and are much more ethically formulated. LUSH has now introduced the world's first commercially available palm oil-free soap base.

LUSH North America has now switched all of its soap production over to this new formula and they are also using palm-free glycerin. The end goal of this company is to remove palm oil from every single item offered from the LUSH collection and they are currently running an investigation on all surfactants which may contain palm oil dervatives.

I am already a big fan of LUSH soaps and today we are going to look at one that is unisex and a great product for both genders of all ages. I have only sniffed and played with this product at the LUSH store on Broadway but even after a brief encounter, I was quite happy with it and will be purchasing it very soon. This product is the Sea Vegetable soap and one that reminds me of the summer and the ocean.

LUSH USA describes the product as follows, "Fun, relaxing days at the beach don't need to be a thing of the past. With Sea Vegetable soap, you end up right at the ocean shore. Atlanic sea salt crystals and arame seaweed make you feel like a mermaid as you wash yourself clean with this fabulous soap. Seaweed absolute nourishes the skin and gives it a seaside scent while lavender and lime oils refresh and revive dull skin".

LUSH will continue to be tops in my book for soap and I am very happy to see that this company (who has a history of being responsible) is still continuing to update and improve their products to benefit the environment. The soap that I talk about in this entry is great starter scent for everyone and one that will hook everyone to LUSH soaps.

photo courtesy of LUSH USA