Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands We Love

Care about the rain forests and orangutans? Make sure you’re using palm oil free beauty brands like these!

By Lora O’Brien

It seems like everyone is talking about palm oil right now. But…why? I mean, it seems to be so innocent: it’s just vegetable oil extracted from the fruit of oil palms. It’s all natural, and it’s used in everything from chocolate and cookies to beauty products and household cleaners. So what’s the big deal?

Well, if you’re in the UK, you’d know from Iceland’s Christmas ad campaign, which actually went viral after being banned due to it being too ‘political.’ If you haven’t seen it yet, do so, below – it will break your heart because it outlines how palm oil is basically evil on a tree. It’s a monoculture crop that’s responsible for deforesting the Amazon and other lush areas of the Earth that are protecting our planet from global warming. It’s also responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of animals, and is pushing the orangutan to the brink of extinction.

That’s why we here at Eluxe do NOT regard palm oil as vegan friendly, though it’s a plant based material.

Sad Truths About Palm Oil

Most consumers aren’t aware of the evils of palm oil, and chances are your bathroom and kitchen shelves are harbouring palm oil products. But the campaign against palm oil growing, and thank heavens. Just look at how damaging this stuff is:

  • it is responsible for 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions
  • it has killed at least 100,00 critically endangered Bornean orangutans and countless other animals

Humans are consuming a staggering 50 million tonnes of palm oil each year. Not sure what that means? Well, basically every hour, an area of rainforest that is the equivalent size of 300 football fields is cleared to make room for palm oil production. And with it, the habitat for many orangutans that call the forests home is destroyed in the process.

The Greenwashing Begins

Global beauty brands are taking note. For example, L’Oréal has pledged to achieve 100% traceability on the palm oil it buys and Estée Lauder has adopted a no deforestation policy where palm oil suppliers must prove no trees were felled in their processes.

But savvy consumers don’t really trust these huge beauty conglomerates, who have broken promises about not testing on animals in international markets, and who generally use loads of nasty chemicals in their products.

The only way to really protect the planet and its animals is to avoid palm oil at all costs. Luckily, it’s easier than you’d think! But be careful – a lot of online publications (yeah, Bustle, we mean you!) are touting products that don’t contain palm oil. But guess what? By buying those, you’re actually contributing to the profits of unscrupulous companies who use the stuff in their other products. Can you say ‘greenwashing’?

Palm Oil By Any Other Name?

You might think that all you need to do is search for Palm Oil on a beauty brand’s packaging. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

Palm oil comes in many forms, and several typical ingredients in beauty products are derived from palm oil, but have a different name. Below is a small sample of such ingredients:

  • HYDROGENATED PALM GLYCERIDES
  • ISOPROPYL ISOSTEARATE
  • ISOPROPYL PALMITATE
  • PALM FRUIT OIL
  • PALM KERNEL OIL
  • PALM OLEIN
  • PALM STEARINE
  • PALMATE

But there are many, many more. You can check this list to be sure, or even better, look for Palm Oil Free certifications on the label. There are quite a few of those, too. Let’s explore them below.

Certifications To Know

You would think that Cruelty Free and Vegan certified beauty products wouldn’t use palm oil. But that’s not the case.

‘Cruelty Free’ simply means the products were not tested on animals. Vegan certified products generally relate to brands that don’t use animal parts in their creations.

As mentioned, there are some Palm Oil Free certifications, too, but the criteria for these vary. For example, the Orangutan Alliance allows for certification of palm-oil free products – not full brands, though, necessarily.

The Rainforest Alliance works with companies to trace their palm oil supply chains back to mills, as an essential step in implementing a deforestation-free policy. Still, they support palm oil – just ‘more sustainable’ palm oil. However, currently only four percent of palm oil smallholders are certified, meaning the vast majority of palm oil is not at all sustainable.

They claim palm oil isn’t all bad. It requires less land, fertiliser, and pesticide than other vegetable-oil crops, and they claim oil palms store more carbon than other oil crops. However, it’s vital to also note that the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations has fueled deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and the displacement of indigenous forest communities and wild animals.

Our favourite palm oil free certification is a wordy one: The International Palm Oil Free Certification. This is one of the most stringent labels. They are an independent, not for profit Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark approved to certify products and brands in 20 countries.

With the help of these labels, I’ve found some beauty brands that are 100% palm oil free. They don’t use that crap in ANY of their products, meaning you can buy anything you like from them with a totally clear conscience.

I hope these labels set a good example for all others. Given all the damage it does, there really is no excuse for using palm oil, ever.

100% Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands We Love

1. Axiology

Think your go-to lipstick is safe from palm oil? You may want to double check that, as many unethical brands sneak this cheap oil into makeup, because palm oil holds colour well and doesn’t melt at high temperatures. But guess what? There are plenty of other equally effective ingredients to use in natural lipsticks, and Axiology doesn’t use products that damage the environment in the name of vanity.

Their lipsticks will nourish your lips and provide a long-lasting pop of colour. But here’s what we love best: the brand donates a percentage of profits to the Orangutan Foundation International, a charity that helps to save orangutans who are under threat due to palm oil production.

We love: Their total dedication to saving the orangutan

Based: USA, worldwide

Price range: $14 – $48

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands

2. Pangea Organics

Oh, but we love this organic skincare brand! It’s ethical, transparent, and of course, fully vegan, cruelty free, and organic. There’s zero palm oil in any of their products, and they’ve been certified by the Rainforest Alliance for their dedication to conserving the most important jungles on our planet.

We love: Whether you choose a serum, toner, cream, soap or cleanser, it’s guaranteed to smell amazing! Pangea Organics works hard on blending their unique, natural scents. Canadian Pine and White Sage (hand soap) is one of our favourite combos, as is Italian Green Mandarin and Sweet Lime (toner).

We love:

Based: USA, worldwide

Price range: $10 – $50

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands

3. Chantecaille

When it comes to both the planet and animal conservation, French brand Chantecaille is leading the masses towards both ethical and clean beauty.

Not only are their products free of phthalates, sulphates, detergents, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic colours, synthetic fragrances and GMOs, but they’re using their platform for the greater good by working alongside a number of environmental charities, one of them being The Rainforest Alliance, a charity dedicated to protecting wildlife and tropical rainforests.

We love: The Parisian quality of this stuff, and their dedication to the Rainforest Alliance

Based: France, worldwide

Price range: $18 – $420

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands

 

4. PHB Ethical Beauty

PHB believes that the earth provides us with everything we need to have happy healthy skin, and with this ethos behind them, they’ve created a range that is not only certified vegan and cruelty-free, but also 100% palm oil-free, too!

From skincare to make-up, the brand provides us with the purest and effective products that are 100% naturally derived and ethical while also using their brand as a platform to raise awareness to the destructive use of palm oil in the cosmetics industry. What I love most about PHB is that they sell ALL your beauty needs, from skincare to makeup and even hair care.

We love: The huge selection this brand offers. Is there anything they don’t make?

Based: UK

Price range: £7.95 – £108

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands We Love

 

5. Odylique

Odylique Skincare want to ensure that they do everything as ethically as possible, so they not only source the very best plant-based skincare ingredients for our health and planet (and have done for over 25 years), but they discourage the use of palm oil in beauty.

They’re proud to state that they never use it in any of their products, and encourage their consumers to say NO to using it, too. Another great thing they do is contribute to charities such as Rainforest Action Network, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

We love: The fact that these products are great for eczema, psoriasis and super sensitive skin

Based: UK, USA

Price range: $3 – $220

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands We Love

6. Fat and the Moon

If you rely on drugstore products for convenience, you’re more than likely funding the palm oil industry in some form – big time! But you can easily swap over to a palm oil-free brand instead, and one that covers pretty much every beauty item you’ll need is Fat and the Moon.

Founder Rachel Budde creates handcrafted and herbal products are all 100% vegan, natural and quirky. The best part? They sell everything from makeup and body cream to mama and baby products.

We love: The kinda cute, recyclable, hippie-ish packaging

Based: USA

Price range: $8 – $44

fat and the moon

 

7. Atomic Makeup

Atomic Makeup is a vegan brand that is slaying when it comes to popping shades of lipstick! Zero palm oil is used! In fact, the vitamin E in their lippies is not only gluten-free but is formulated with the maximum amount of pigment, providing full coverage that is both weightless and matte and won’t leave your lips dry and cracked.

In fact, the lipsticks are super comfortable and will hydrate your lips are you wear them. And with a multitude of shades available, there’ll be one suitable for all skin types.

We love: The stunning range of colours! Especially those metallics…

Based: USA

Price range: $8 – $16

atomic makeup

 

8. Earth Tu Face

One question Earth Tu Face find they’re always asked is whether it’s difficult to create an entirely palm oil-free line of organic skincare products. Their answer? Heck, no! In fact, Earth Tu Face is proud to focus on one thing: skincare solutions. And one way to cut the demand for palm oil is to find healthy alternatives that are as good for our body as they are our planet.

The label has chosen to use sustainable ingredients that are easy to propagate such as lavender, chamomile, geranium and coconut oil, and their ethos is to create skincare products that are as supportive to the people using them as they are the planet creating them.

We love: The fact that herbalists work hard to create skincare here that works, thanks to the power of plants.

Based: USA

Price range: $15 – $78.00

 

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands

 

9. Bloomtown

Bloomtown founders Preyanka Clark Prakash and her husband Medwin Culmer actually spent two years in Indonesia seeing the damage palm oil production was doing. What they witnessed caused them to launch the first ever certified palm-oil-free cosmetics company in the UK.

Today, Bloomtown uses tons of organic ingredients to create its masks, body oils, soaps and many other grooming products, as well as gorgeous, naturally scented candles!

We love: How the founders actually witnessed palm oil damage themselves, and decided the just had to do something about it!

Based: UK

Price range: £3.75 – £87.50

 

Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands

 

10. Amaranthine

Handmade in bonnie Scotland, Amaranthine is a range of luxury skincare products that are 100% natural, preservative and palm oil free. Their range has products to suit all skin types and is particularly beneficial for acne and rosacea prone skin.

The brand believes that skincare should never be a chore, but more of a ritual to look forward to – “time-out’ from your busy schedule to indulge in some self-care. Their products are formulated with essential oil blends that are chosen not only for their skin benefits, but because they smell incredible and can positively affect your mood, too.

Of all the palm oil free beauty brands here, Amaranthine was the first skincare company in the world to receive a Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark, and they’re proud of it! A Certification Trademark enables consumers to see at a glance if a product is palm oil free.

We love: The packaging! Gorgeous cobalt blue glass and overall modern, clean look.

Based: UK

Price range: £3.50 – £17.05

amaranthine

 

11. The Perfect V

We all want to look and feel our best from top to toe, right? Well, now it’s easier than ever to groom your ‘intimate’ areas, thanks to NYC based brand The Perfect V!

The Perfect V is a luxury skincare line designed especially for the bikini area. It treats that area like any skincare brand cares for the rest of your body, by moisturising, nurturing and cleansing the skin. All of their products are pH-balanced, dermatologist and gynaecologist tested, and paraben and palm oil-free. Finally, the natural ingredients that are packed into the Perfect V’s products come directly from Scandinavia.

We love: Everything about this brand and its products! Now our V area can look as beautiful as the rest of us!

Based: USA

Price range: $25 – $54.00

 

12. Queenie Organics

Sustainable packaging? Check. Vegan? Check? Organic? Check. Palm oil free? Check! There’s basically a lot to love about Queenie Organics.

The British based brand is effective, clean, and super ethical. Plus, it offers everything your skin needs to stay healthy, from cleansers and toners to balms and creams.

We love: Their sample set, which allows you to try 4 sample sized products in recyclable packaging for a small fee.

Based: UK

Price: £7.50 – £75.00

 

queenie organics

 

For more information on palm oil free beauty brands, please click here.

Lora O'Brien
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9 thoughts on “Palm Oil Free Beauty Brands We Love”

  1. Cruelty free doesn’t just mean not testing on animals. Another major issue of the palm oil industry is the horrible treatment of women, including rape, trafficking, exposure to toxic pesticides and little to no pay. In addition, mica mining involves the same human rights abuses. It’s almost impossible to find products that are both palm oil and natural mica free because both ingredients are so ubiquitous. Lastly, it’s not enough to just not use palm oil or mica. If those industries ever shut down, the workers would be forced into even worse poverty, which happened when Lush stopped using natural mica. Without that income, women are forced into prostitution, children are married off for bride money and/or families lose the ability to feed and house themselves. These are multifaceted issues that need to be considered as a whole.
    P.S. Fragrant essential oils are not good for the skin. Although not everyone will react to them, the benefits are negligible, especially when compared to the high risk of irritation. I see so many products marketed for sensitive skin that contain citrus, lavender, jasmine or sandalwood oil, none of which does anything other than make these products smell good. Just because something is found outside doesn’t mean it belongs on the skin, the same goes for food grade ingredients; just because it can be eaten, doesn’t mean it’s safe for the skin.

    1. Hi Cara, you are well informed regarding this. I want to help the women and children, but I don’t know how. Do you have any suggestions?
      Thanks!

  2. A biotech beauty company delivering the first zero deforestation palm oil biosimilar made sustainably from yeast fermentation (like beer and bread) just launched. They are partnering with leadership brands to roll out the first zero deforestation beauty oils. This changes the game completely. WOW!!!
    Goodbye #palmoil Hello #cleantechforbeauty

      1. I might! I’m allergic to palm oil, coconut oil, and sunflower oil. So a synthetic or natural non-allergenic oil brand would be welcomed!
        Actually, I’d be over the moon!

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