The skincare industry has been rife with overt and opaque practices that harm the environment with pollutants for quite some time. Glittering, attractive packaging, hiding microbeads, micro plastics, and toxic ingredients stock store shelves, blissfully purchased by eager consumers. Companies' energy use is also contributes to environmental harm by way of fossil fuels. In honor of this Earth Day, we are refocusing the lens on consumer and brand priorities for health on all levels.

Earth Day, celebrated annually on April 22nd, is an event dedicated to environmental protection and awareness. It originated in the US in 1970, sparked by growing concern over pollution and environmental degradation. The idea for Earth Day was conceived by Senator Gaylord Nelson, who wanted to channel the energy of the student anti-war movement towards environmental issues. On April 22, 1970, millions of Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment.

Since then, Earth Day has evolved into a global event, with over 190 countries participating each year. Its significance lies in its ability to mobilize people worldwide to take action on environmental issues, such as climate change, deforestation, pollution, and species extinction. Earth Day serves as a reminder of the importance of environmental stewardship and encourages individuals, communities, and governments to commit to sustainable practices and policies for the well-being of the planet and future generations.

Shining a light on current harmful practices:

🐠 Plastic waste

About 14 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. By far, the biggest impact on the environment is that of plastic packaging. Microplastics are found in the majority of beauty products caused by plastic degradation. Most plastic containers are made from combinations of plastic that are not recyclable.  Microbeads were banned in the US in 2015 and in the UK in 2018 but companies find their way around the holes of the legislation.

🐠 Wildlife impact

Waste coming from packaging and ingredients pollute rivers and oceans, disrupting marine life. Over half of the earth’s oxygen comes from our ocean, produced by plankton.  Phytoplankton absorb about half of the world’s carbon levels. Plastics disrupt phytoplankton and plankton growth reducing their essential roles in marine life and beyond.

🐠 Water waste

The beauty industry accounts for one of the largest contributors to ocean pollution and water waste affecting marine life and even leaching into drinking water.

🐠 Climate change impact

Carbon emissions from the cycle of production and delivery of beauty products amounts to a chasm of a carbon footprint. Companies use fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution.  Greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere and are naturally occurring. However, the emissions from industries and human activity unnaturally increase levels and have been shown to affect global temperature, extreme weather, and ecosystem disturbance.

🐠 Animal testing

The majority of beauty companies still test on animals and find loopholes in laws aimed at prohibition.

More and more, we are seeing brands rising to the occasion, to address these areas of concern. Consumer choices are improving with education to nurture brands that are striving toward sustainability.  As the skincare and beauty markets expand, competition for market share increases, and brands cut corners to meet the pressure to thrive.  This also means that environmental pollution is still increasing despite growing awareness.

On a personal level, as well as community, brand, and industry levels, we have our work cut out for us as we strive to model more sustainable behavior. We put in the time to research products and brands that are eco-friendly, solar-powered and use clean, and natural ingredients. This Earth Day and all the others, we’re reaffirming the power of educated choice and putting our purses toward betterment, creating safely, with intention, with an eased conscience, toes in the grass. 

🌎

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At Ellovi we believe skin health is deeply connected to overall health and well-being. Our mission is to offer wellness using pure ingredients with safe and transparent methods. Self care is not just a luxury and it cannot wait. We’re here to remind you to invest in your health from head to toe, inside and out. 

Team Ellovi 🌺

We’ve all heard that we are what we eat, been in discussions about which food lifestyle is the best, what to eat, what not to eat, dizzied about in stores searching through labels and unfamiliar ingredients, and let’s just say it’s a gauntlet out there.

When it comes to feeling and looking good while doing right by animals and our environment, it’s easy to overlook some key aspects for wellness. Just as with skincare, how and what we eat affects our internal and external wellness directly.

Whether you’re subscribing to a lifestyle that is keto, vegan, vegetarian, or none of those, each choice can be rife with pitfalls. For example, the compassionate goal of vegan or vegetarian eating does not, unfortunately, guarantee a well-nourished, well-balanced body.

What to watch out for:

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

🌱 Because this nutrient is found in animal products, vegetarian, and, even more so, vegan diets are at higher risk for deficiency especially when combined with the factor of aging which affects the body’s absorption ability. 

🌱 What does B12 do?  DNA synthesis to replace old cells with new ones, forms red blood cells to bring oxygen throughout the body, supports nervous system functioning, and supports energy metabolism

🌱 Body symptoms: headaches, fatigue, bloating, gastrointestinal issues, nausea, mood fluctuation, and anemia

🌱 Skin symptoms: Pale or discolored skin, darkening of elbows, knees, knuckles, and dry or wrinkled skin

🌱 A few good alternative sources for B12: Nutritional yeast and dried shiitake mushrooms. Consider well-researched supplements to support your diet.

We know that plant-based does not always mean safe and healthy. Often vegan foods are ultra processed using dangerous chemicals and food coloring that work around FDA exposure limitations and are flat out banned in other countries around the world.  Chemical additives that are used in paint, varnish, cosmetics, byproducts of gasoline refining cause a list of harm that is lengthy and horrific, to say the least. Steer very clear of these common harmful ingredients (among others) in vegan meat.

🔎 Tertiary butyl-hydroquinone (E319) - immune system depressant, exacerbates asthma symptoms and allergic skin dermatitis in some individuals. Studies have suggested carcinogenic effects. 

🔎 Hexane - linked to neurological symptoms such as dizziness, headaches. Considered a neurotoxin.

🔎 Erythosine (Red #3, E127) - potential thyroid disruptor and preliminary evidence of hyperactivity effects in children

Once you’ve looked into labels and chosen your balanced meals there’s an important, easily overlooked step 2. Psychology.

These days it’s a common state of affairs to eat on the go, often times not even remembering what we ate or how it tasted. Mindless eating has led to poor eating behavior such as overeating, emotional eating, symptoms of a loss of awareness of giving the body what it needs.

The attention and intention given to the process of eating has been shown to directly affect well-being over centuries and across cultural practices. Mindful eating increases awareness of food choice, gratitude for the meal, and helps the body and mind process nourishment. This level of attention encourages chewing well, which in turn helps digestion, promotes proper portions, and builds healthier relationships with food and body image.

Other considerations:

Eating food in season

🍅 Seasonal fruit and vegetables are often harvested at their peak ripeness, which means they are more likely to be nutrient-dense and flavorful. When produce is allowed to ripen naturally on the vine or tree and is not subjected to long-distance transportation or extended storage, it retains more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

🍅 Buying food that is in season and locally grown supports local farmers and strengthens the local economy. It allows farmers to earn a fair price for their crops and encourages the preservation of farmland and agricultural traditions in the community. The need for long-distance transportation is minimized as well as the environmental impact associated with the production, packaging, and distribution of food. It also encourages sustainable farming practices and reduces the reliance on fossil fuels.

🍅 Cooking your own food allows control over ingredients, healthier cooking methods, and increased awareness and connection to the process. Sharing a meal is a great way to bond with loved ones and create lasting memories.

🍅 Bright colors in food often indicate the presence of various nutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that are beneficial for digestive, eye, and skin health. Plus, it’s art on a plate.

The ever-present grind makes mindfulness and research difficult to keep up with but the investment is an important one as we strive to look and feel our best. Access to knowledge and resources is the first step and as we learn, we share, paying it forward in community and love.

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At Ellovi we believe skin health is deeply connected to overall health and well-being. Our mission is to offer wellness using pure ingredients with safe and transparent methods. Self care is not just a luxury and it cannot wait. We’re here to remind you to invest in your health from head to toe, inside and out. 

Team Ellovi 🌺

Spring’s bloom is in full swing, bringing to mind growth, replenishment, and rejuvenation. Scenes of foraging animals, the scent of damp, green grass and droplets on rustling tree leaves float to the surface after a good rain. These associations remind us about the true interconnectedness of our experience with nature and nurtures a respect only possible with that awareness when it comes to our impact and the products we consume.  In the spirit of the season we renew our commitment to staying informed about all things cruelty-free and sharing that compassion with our beloved community. 

Cruelty-free progress today:

Although there’s been improvement in the prevalence of animal testing in the industry, there’s still a long way to go to end these harmful practices.  While a growing list of countries has banned animal testing, companies are using law loopholes to continue testing during some portion of their offshore product formulation process. A common practice is for companies in banned countries to pay for testing in places that actually still require it, like China, as long as other non-animal testing data is also included in their process. Big brands that have been confirmed to do this include Clinique, Maybelline, and Benefit, just to name a few.

How is animal testing justified today?

There are claims by governing and regulating bodies that animal testing is needed to show safety for workers handling products, however many studies have shown that often what’s deemed safe on tests with animals fails human tests, due to biological and environmental differences. In other words, animal testing is not reliable, and therefore not worth harm. 

Alternate testing methods:

Following the push to ban animal testing, there have been a number of alternate testing methods developed and reviewed. 

• Human volunteers
• Computer simulations by which advanced algorithms can be used to predict reactions to potential toxicity
• In vitro-testing where cells can be grown to allow scientists to test reactions. Tissues donated can also be used for testing.

Should any ingredient’s safety necessitate animal testing beyond the above alternatives, we should ask ourselves why we’re working with something so potentially harmful to a living being. 

Word to the wise:

As we know the cosmetic and skincare industry is rife with claims for the cleanest, the most natural, compassionate, vegan, eco-friendly, and so on. Consumers have a mountain of a task trying to understand what is truly what without any real agreement on legal definitions and requirements, made much more complicated by international law and “workarounds.”

We stand behind a clear cut definition of cruelty-free, where it applies to any part of the supply chain of products. Many companies strive toward this ideal falling short using animal products, however to truly embody the goal in full, ingredients and products must also be vegan. The bottom line is that many companies can call themselves cruelty-free and still test in other, more lax countries.  

Though cruelty-free products tend to contain less synthetics, and often are natural and organic, the shift in consumer informed investment is a slow climb. Movements shifting deeply-rooted, convenient, and cost saving practices have led to companies taking shortcuts, and strategies in bad conscience. Investment in the health of our planet and its creatures, human or otherwise, stays at the base of every choice we make as a brand, and as consumers. This springtime, our values are renewed together with those of our community. Stay healthy, friends.

Where to check your facts:

🐇To keep the noise low, check your brand for PETA and bunny logos. 

🐇 You can also check your brand on vetted databases here:

ethicalelephant.com

crueltyfree.peta.org/company

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At Ellovi we believe skin health is deeply connected to overall health and well-being. Our mission is to offer wellness using pure ingredients with safe and transparent methods. Self care is not just a luxury and it cannot wait. We’re here to remind you to invest in your health from head to toe, inside and out. 

Team Ellovi 🌺