Growing agricultural demand from an ever-increasing population has put a strain on our natural resources, which has degraded soil, created a lack of biodiversity and turned many forested areas into barren land.

Agricultural methods are one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gases that are causing climate change, yet at the same time is one of the most powerful tools we have to potentially reverse climate change.

Susana Gago

Growing agricultural demand from an ever-increasing population has put a strain on our natural resources, which has degraded soil, created a lack of biodiversity and turned many forested areas into barren land.

Agricultural methods are one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gases that are causing climate change, yet at the same time is one of the most powerful tools we have to potentially reverse climate change. In conventional industrial farming practices like mono-cropping, deep tilling, and overuse of pesticides, the erosion of vital topsoil is sped up, killing off the microorganisms that help build soil carbon and allow the soil to serve as a natural 'carbon sink' by drawing carbon released into the atmosphere back into the Earth.

It's all about balance: carbon is the building block of life, but human activity has severely disrupted this balance, heating up our planet, and causing severe climate damage. Regenerative agriculture allows us to put this carbon back into the ground. More carbon in the ground is good for us it creates healthier soil that is full of diverse micro-organisms, creating a more bio diverse ecosystem around us, and is able to store more water creating plants that are most nutrient dense and more resistant to droughts.

Regenerative skincare defines a set of traditional farming and agroforestry methods that work with nature instead of against it. It seeks to reverse deforestation, restore degraded soil, increase biodiversity, improve water cycles and strengthen the health and vitality of an area, returning it back to its original, thriving state.

The truth is that plants, flowers, and herbs can nourish and heal from the inside and out. Skincare herbs contain natural antioxidants, vitamins, and emollients that make their way to your skin and your system, as 60% of everything we apply onto our skin travels through the bloodstream. Making clean skincare products with these powerful botanicals can offer different environmental and social health benefits.

Regenerative farming is more than just organic. While organic farming focus on doing “less bad”, regenerative practices go further, aiming for resilient landscapes and working with the land in a restorative way. One of the most important markers for a regenerative farm is diversity. Grown crops are diverse, not simply in number of species, but also in number of variations for the same plant. Variation within species ensures genetic diversity, which helps plants adapt to change and fight pests while building soil health, crop resilience, and nutrient density. These efforts translate into more stable and higher grade produce with lower input costs

With the integration of livestock, regenerative farming makes nutrient cycles robust and helps creating a closed loop system that facilitates the main goal: biologically active soil.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), half of the topsoil in the world has been damaged in the last 150 years. Decarbonisation, erosion, desertification, and chemical pollution have depleted our soils greatly.

The herbal industry has an important role to play in supporting biological diversity preservation and regenerative ecosystems. It’s important because when cultivating and harvesting high quality raw materials in a responsible way, the industry can be part of regenerating the ecological, economical, and cultural systems of communities, bringing wellness not just to the consumer of the finished product but to all of the communities—human and ecological—involved.

Regenerative farming also aims to return to the ancient practices by following the rhythms of nature, such as planting and harvesting according to the moon cycles. These practices help to revive the local ecosystems carbon sequestration and improve water and soil conditions, ultimately impacting the health of our global ecosystem.

Building ethical businesses that can grow ingredients with 100 percent transparency through regenerative farming becomes a pathway to revitalizing land and supporting communities far beyond the land that we own. We want these projects to be far reaching and demonstrate that this kind of long-term, regenerative view of running a business is the way forward; where we’re protecting the environment, paying fair prices to workers and still thriving, so people, communities and the earth all benefit.

illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.

Beyond Organic: Let's make choices that regenerate nature and ourselves

We are often unaware of the chemicals in personal care products, and many of us have used them without knowing any better. The truth is that not all ingredients are clean, and some can actually poison our bodies, speed up the aging process, and cause irreparable damage. These toxic products try to imitate Nature's gifts with inferior, synthetic, and potentially toxic substances that are masquerading as ‘natural’, ‘pure’, and ‘safe’, but that's nothing but greenwashing.

It is crucial that we learn about the detrimental and dangerous consequences of toxins in the products we use every day so that we can make more informed decisions about what we should and shouldn’t be applying to our skin.

There are chemicals and contaminants associated with cancer found in food, water, and many other commonplace items. However, cosmetics and other personal care products probably have the least amount of government oversight out of any consumer product. 595 cosmetics manufacturers in the US have reported using 88 cancer-linked, birth defect-linked, or reproductive harm-linked chemicals in more than 73,000 products since 2009.

Many of these chemicals should be banned from cosmetics, as proposed in AB 495, the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act. Some of the most dangerous, carcinogens, hormonal and nervous system disruptors:

● Isobutylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben, and propylparaben.

● Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Many of these products are applied directly to the skin, and 60% of them, directly be absorbed into the bloodstream. Some of these chemicals are dangerous even in low doses. They can interfere with the hormone system and disrupt normal development. Studies have shown that “endocrine-disrupting” chemicals, such as parabens and phthalates, may be the most harmful during prenatal and early postnatal development.

72% of products with artificial fragrances contain endocrine disruptors. These added scents and fragrances give us the misleading impression of being more effective & healthier, which is exactly what the manufacturers want you to think. The truth is very different though, as fragrances and chemical scents are highly toxic, and linked to a staggering number of health risks.

Across multiple research studies, chemicals used to make fragrances are classified as allergens, hormone disruptors, asthma triggers, neurotoxins & carcinogens.

Air-freshener-like spray deodorants and perfumes contain synthetic fragrances that are made up of hundreds of chemicals, many of which can be very harmful to the health of not only the person who is ‘wearing’ them but all those breathing the air around them, too.

Despite the alarming evidence, none of the large, mainstream cosmetics companies have pledged to remove carcinogens, parabens, or other poisonous contaminants from their products. They continue to use the same polluting technologies and dangerous formulas created decades ago.

These toxic poisons are very hard to avoid because manufacturers are not required to list them on ingredient labels

Be cautious of the ambiguous and inaccurate marketing terms on product packaging. ‘Natural’ might cause us to believe that a beauty product is clean and consequently healthy, but because label terms are not properly regulated, marketers are free to manipulate the packaging and convince consumers otherwise.

Beware of brands that claim to be ‘natural’, ‘pure’, ‘organic’, and ‘synthetic-free’ as they may still contain harmful chemicals. These companies use strategies to lure us into a false sense of security, so it is important to be mindful of them.

It’s important to do more than just read labels, you also have to consider which companies you can trust. We are complicit while we buy and use products that destroy our "natural capital" We must look for companies standing up for human and planetary health. In today's world, businesses need to become agents of change and take action to create a positive impact, environmental and biodiversity restoration, fair pay, high-quality clean ingredients, and become a force for good. We must support life-affirming brands that strive to not only sustain but regenerate resources that connect, unite and restore the whole ecological system, for the benefit of all forms of life. Products using commercial viability to deliver broader goals: human and ecological wellbeing.

New laws need to be in place, that hold the beauty industry accountable for the raw ingredients they use. As clearly our governments and corporates do not protect our interests, our well-being, or our health, it is a matter of personal responsibility to stay well-informed and minimize the use of toxins (air, food, drinks, pharma, cosmetics, personal care, and house cleaning products), to reclaim the full spectrum of our health.

If we cannot protect Nature, we cannot protect ourselves.

Illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.

The Dark Side Of The Beauty Industry: Toxic Chemicals In Your Favorite Products

, an environmental and social impact ecosystem into regenerative and clean skincare products.

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Susana Gago

Susana Gago

The Dark Side Of The Beauty Industry: Toxic Chemicals In Your Favorite Products

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