The truth about Palm Oil
Our customers ask us many times why we use Palm Oil in our soaps and not coconut oil or other substitutes? The reason they ask is that Palm Oil got a bad name because of deforestation and animal cruelty. And all of that is true. But why is nobody asking that when they buy cookies and all kind of other foods? Because that is where the large volume of plantation Palm Oils go, the thing is that they just call it 'vegetable oils' so nobody is asking.
To give you an idea; simply removing Palm Oil from all cosmetics (including all the multinational Brands) would only mean about 5 - 10% of the total industrial demand!
There are many good reasons to use Palm Oil in our products and especially in our shower & face soapbars. But first of all we need to mention that ekoko soapbars are only made with sustainable Palm Oil that carries the Green Palm logo. You don't see that at others!!
When it comes to the benefits of Palm Oil versus Coconut oil in skincare products we can line up the following:
Palm Oil contains Vitamin E, Coconut oil does not; The common form of vitamin E, tocopherol, has long been used to treat many skin ailments and is found in many anti-aging products. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that helps the skin to fight free radicals that damage the skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles.
Palm Oil provides a longer lasting soapbar then Coconut oil; both oils produce a hard soapbar, however Palm Oil holds the other ingredients better together and keeps the moist inside for a long lasting bar. Uses up to 50% longer then a coconut oil soapbar! The better buy from an economic point of view as wel.
Palm Oil and Coconut Oil have good cleaning effects; they have the ability to remove oil and dirt from skin and contains a refatting agent that helps restore the skin natural oils that most soaps strip away letting moisture escape.
Palm Oil soapbars have a nice creamy lather; this explains why it is the better 'skin food' then Coconut oil soapbars. The last one has a more fluffy foam so the oil does not contact the skin as much. Also Coconut Oil may have drying effects on some skin types.
That makes a good WIN FOR PALM OIL we guess.
And now we have one more important question: Is coconut oil harvested CRUELTY FREE? You may be surprised but the answer is that especially for the high growing coconuts there are several places in South-East Asia where pig-tailed macaques (whose conservation status is vulnerable) are used for harvesting. Training takes several months and physical punishment is typically used to force the monkeys into submission. Monkeys who are well trained will be resold to coconut farmers for a high-price, making this aspect of the industry quite profitable for trainers. Are you sure your products contain the right sourced coconut oil?
We agree with every-one who wants to protect wildlife. That topic is an unbreakable part of our ingredients sourcing policy!
Finally we would like to qoute Dr. Betty Kamen, PhD about some benefits that are particular to the hair and skin.
Anti-aging
Palm oil contains the hard to find toctrienols, members of the vitamin E family. The common form of vitamin E, tocopherol, has long been used to treat many skin ailments and is found in many anti-aging products. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that helps the skin to fight free radicals that damage the skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles.
Cleansing & Moisturizing
Palm oil is found in soaps and shampoo’s for its ability to remove oil and dirt from hair and skin. It also contains a refatting agent that helps restore the hair and skin natural oils that most soaps and shampoos strip away letting moisture escape. Also palm oil provides deep moisturizing properties making the skin soft and supple.
Cancer Fighter
Lipids in our skin can be damaged or oxidized by ozone exposure, which can lead to free radicals being generated in our skin. It is established that palm oil can fight free radicals, but it can also prevent them from forming in the first place. The oxidation of lipids resulting in free radicals have been proven to be an underlying cause of many skin diseases, including cancer.