plant based skincare
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What is plant-based skin care?

What is plant-based skin care? Is it the same as vegan skin care? Is it organic? Here we reveal everything you need to know about plant-based beauty products.

By Alexandra Julian

7 Minute read

Welcome to a huge range of plant-based skin care from Green People!

What is plant-based skin care? Is it the same as vegan skin care? Is it organic? Here we reveal everything you need to know about plant-based beauty products and introduce our range.

What is plant-based skin care?

Plant-based beauty products are made using plant extracts and plant oils.  The botanical ingredients that we use in our products are chosen for their reputation for helping to calm, balance and replenish.

However not all skin care and make-up products are plant-based and some cosmetics, such as soap and lipstick, have been traditionally made using animal content such as tallow or cochineal beetles. Their fragrances can also be synthetically produced instead of plant derived.

Instead of using these animal-derived ingredients, we choose to offer organic, plant-based skin care, hair care and wellbeing products that are made with botanical actives such as essential oils, plant waxes and by-product plant ingredients.

plant based skin care

Explore our plant-based products now

Plant-based hair care products:

Some of our packaging is plant-based too! The cardboard boxes used for our Nordic Roots range are made with 25% grass pulp, our squeezy tubes are made from Sugar Cane plastic and our biodegradable One Balm pot is made with a mix of plant polymers and by-product sawdust. Please note that One Balm contains Beeswax so is not vegan. 


Is plant-based skin care vegan?

Almost all our plant-based beauty products are vegan, except for a few which contains Beeswax or Propolis.

To help you be sure the product you have picked is vegan-friendly our website features a helpful vegan-friendly product filter, and all our vegan beauty products feature The Vegan Society’s logo.

Is plant-based skin care organic?

We use organic plant ingredients wherever they are available and most of our plant-based products are certified organic.

Our certifications guarantee that the organic plant extracts that we use to make our natural skin care products are sustainably sourced and are not exposed to synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers used in traditional farming. They also guarantee that no endangered plants or flora are used to create our products.

We are certified by the Organic Food Federation and the Soil Association and their logos feature on many of our products.

 Soil association logo OFF logo

It is not compulsory for brands to secure organic certification; this is something that we choose to do so that you can be sure that the plants used in our skin care are organically farmed.

If it is important to you that your plant-based products are also organic, we suggest that you also check the label for an indication that the product contains a high percentage of ingredients derived from organic farming.

We mark this percentage on many of our certified organic products and we are proud to say that some of our plant-based products are made with 100% organic ingredients.


Here are some of our bestsellers:

Animal or plant-based ingredients? 

Could you spot a plant-based pretender in your beauty regime? Here we look at some common cosmetic ingredients in the UK and reveal how to tell if they are plant based or animal derived.

HYALURONIC ACID: PLANT

Hyaluronic is naturally produced by the skin and this makes it an ingredient that’s extremely compatible with most skin types, but is it plant-based? The Hyaluronic acid used in Green People products is 100% plant-based, quickly absorbed by the skin and is derived from vegan-friendly Sodium Hyaluronate.

CARMINE: ANIMAL

Carmine is a red dye that’s used to make cosmetics like nail varnish and lipstick red. Whilst this ingredient might sound like a plant, it is made from crushed cochineal beetles. Carmine can be listed on ingredients list by its Colour Index Number CI 75470.

For a plant-based alternative to carmine, opt for make-up made with natural earth mineral pigments like Iron Oxide and Titanium Dioxide instead. 

CARNAUBA WAX: PLANT

Carnauba is a plant wax that is naturally nourishing and helps to make cosmetic products like lip balms non-drying and long-wearing. Another popular plant-based wax that is used in cosmetics is Berry Wax.

JOJOBA: PLANT

Jojoba Oil is derived from the Jojoba bushes commonly found in central America. This plant-based skin care ingredient contains a liquid wax which is rich in Omega-7 & 9 which complements the fatty acid profile found in human sebum. When used in skin care, this moisture-retaining ingredient increases skin hydration, helps to balance sebum levels and unclogs pores.

ASTAXANTHIN: PLANT

Astaxanthin is the world’s strongest known natural antioxidant and to make it even better, it’s plant-based! It’s a form of algae and is 550 times stronger than vitamin E. It can be taken as part of a supplement to protect skin against damage from pollution and ultraviolet light..

LECITHIN: PLANT

Lecithin is added to our creams and lotions and gives them a silky soft feel. Packed with Phospholipids, it helps the skin to maintain hydration and comes from plants. The Lecithin used in our plant-based skin care is extracted from vegetable sources.

SQUALANE: PLANT

Squalane is often added to plant-based moisturisers. It comes from olives and when applied to the skin it helps to keep it moisturised and healthy.

Be careful not to confuse plant-based Squalane with another cosmetic ingredient called Squalene. This is occasionally found in moisturisers and other skin care products and can be derived from an endangered species of shark.

KERATIN: ANIMAL

Keratin is a protein that helps to make hair and nails strong. Often used in hair care it is extracted from ground-up horns, hooves, feathers, quills and hair of various animals. Green People does not use keratin. 

For a plant-based alternative to keratin shampoos, opt for hair care made with Quinoa. This protein-packed grain is added to our Protein-Boost Shampoo and has been proven to increase shine by over 50% and reduce frizz.

 


Do you need help making the switch to plant-based skin care? Our UK customer care team is ready and waiting to help you pick you perfect botanical beauty products and can be contacted on 01403 740350.


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