With any number of commercial brands making misleading claims that their product are all ‘natural’ (learn more about Greenwashing marketing practices), it has become increasingly more important to understand and differentiate terminology and practices within the “clean beauty” industry.
If you’re already familiar with frequently used terms like Natural, Organic, Eco-friendly, Clean, etc., let us introduce you to a possibly unfamiliar new term – ‘Wild Harvesting’ in Organic Skin & Hair Care.
What Are Wild Harvested Ingredients?
The traditional practice of sustainably ‘Wild Harvesting’ natural ingredients is gaining popularity in the skin care world. This means that the raw materials that form the basis of certain botanical ingredients have been collected by hand from a wild, native or undisturbed ecosystem.
Wildcrafted products are made from wildflowers, leaves, roots, berries and other foraged botanicals. Some of the most popular ones you’re already probably familiar with are – Sandalwood, Ylang ylang, Sea Buckthorn, Chamomile, etc.
What’s Special About Wildcrafted Beauty Products?
Oversaturation of the use of popular but frequently misleading “eco-lingo” in the beauty industry is due to the current lack of regulation of exactly what the terminology actually means, as this can differ quite a bit, depending on manufacturer. Remember, “Natural is not always wild, but wild is always natural”. Plants grown in their natural habitat have the potential to deliver a more potent product. Unlike commercially farmed ingredients, these botanicals have occurred spontaneously in the wild, and thus are more naturally adapted, strong and resilient.
Wild gathered ingredients are the best version of themselves only when they are harvested in their natural environment. The property and power of resilience in these botanicals is a big part of what we are trying to harness to help transform skin and hair. Combined with science-backed validation and clinical testing, these wildcrafted products provide 100% promising results.
Most beauty products are subject to processing and dilution, and hat the drop in the concentration of antioxidants and phytoactives decreases the full potential and efficacy to the degree of dilution and/or adulteration. On the other hand, our PVO naturally wildcrafted products contain unadulterated ingredients and are nutrient dense, and rich in the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that directly benefit the skin, scalp and the hair.
Sustainability & Fair Trade Concerns
It’s important for growers to be mindful of harvest times and frequency. Harvesting multiple times a year, or using chemical pesticides and nutrient deficient chemical fertilizer affects crop productivity as well as the fertility of the soil in the long run.
Wild harvesting also means sustainable harvesting, that is, ensuring that the plants are not damaged and can grow back in their natural habitats.
Many of the wild ingredients used in Puraveda Organics (such as Shea Butter, Black Soap, St. John’s Wort from East Africa; Ylang ylang, Jasmine and Coconut Oil from India and South Eastern Countries; Sea Buckthorn Oil from the Himalayas, Sandalwood from India, etc.), naturally grow in faraway places, often harvested and minimally processed by indigenous people of the region as they have been traditionally for many years. Supporting the social movement of ‘Fair Trade’ we help small communities, marginalized traders and farmers in developing countries achieve better conditions and a fair value for their labor.
Choosing products with wild harvested ingredients and brands that practice both sustainability and the policy of fair trade for communities is one of the most beneficial actions you can take for yourself, humankind, and Mother Earth.
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