Why is palm oil so bad?
D’Avoire is Palm Free both for an environmentally conscious reason and because it can be excessively drying on your skin.
Palm Oil is made from the fruit of the African Oil Palm which originally came from west Africa and then was introduced to Malaysia and Indonesia. Both Malaysia and Indonesia now represent about 85% of global supply although there are other countries that produce palm oil as well.
Although the African Oil Palm tree grows naturally in tropical rainforests they are also farmed specifically to produce palm oil and it is this deforestation (the cutting down of trees and forests so the land can be used for other purposes) which is harmful for our planet.
Studies have shown because of palm oil use animals have been harmed and species like oragutans, rhinos and elephants are at risk. According to the WWF Palm oil is a responsible for 8% of deforestation between 1990 and 2008. In order to grow oil palms, many forests are burned to clear areas even if this is illegal and in doing so, it burns the places wildlife live. Many of our loved species such as elephants, tigers, and orangutans can sadly be affected because their homes are destroyed.
One doesn’t necessarily have to give up using any products using palm oil as some companies are working to ensure the palm oil is sustainable and not damaging to the environment. A non profit organisation called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has been founded to look at sustainability. The RSPO is working to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil and can help to minimize the negative impacts of palm oil on our environment.
Palm oil can be bad for your skin if you are prone to acne and blocked pores as it is high in fatty acids and is best avoided. The D’Avoire Cleansing Bar is Palm free and environmentally friendly, buy it here.