With summer events and Christmas parties just around the corner, we all want to look and feel our radiant best. After a long winter, our skin can often feel a little dull or lackluster, and it’s the perfect time for a revitalising boost.
As a formulator with a background in health science, I know the secret to a real, lasting glow isn’t one single “magic” product. It’s about a simple, consistent ritual that smooths your skin’s texture, deeply hydrates, and nourishes from head to toe.
Forget complicated routines. Here is my simple, 3-step formulator’s guide to achieving a beautiful holiday glow.
Step 1: Create the Perfect Canvas (Exfoliate)
The first and most important step to radiant skin is exfoliation. You cannot hydrate or nourish a complexion that is covered in a layer of dull, built-up skin cells.
True radiance comes from skin that is smooth. A smooth surface reflects light, giving you that “lit-from-within” look.
My Formulator’s Tip: Use a gentle, natural exfoliator 1-2 times per week. Our award-winning Coffee Scrubs use invigorating, finely ground, organic Fairtrade coffee beans to gently buff away dullness without stripping your skin’s natural moisture barrier.
For Her: Our Espresso Coffee Face Scrub uses fine coffee grounds and sugar to promote a brighter, silky-smooth complexion.
For Him: Our Men’s Charcoal Coffee Face Scrub combines Fairtrade coffee with activated charcoal to deeply cleanse and promote a clear-looking complexion.
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Step 2: Add a High-Performance Power-Pack (Serum & Oil)
Now that your canvas is smooth and prepped, it’s ready to absorb high-performance, active ingredients. This is where you can make the biggest change in your skin’s appearance and feel.
My Formulator’s Tip: Choose a product based on your skin’s needs. A serum is a potent, targeted treatment that delivers concentrated ingredients, while a face oil is a luxurious, nourishing blend that is perfect for drier skin types.
The Serum: Our Super Boost Bakuchiol Serum is our ‘Liquid Gold.’ This potent, plant-based serum is your secret weapon for a radiant complexion. It works to smooth the look of fine lines and promotes a visibly brighter, more even-toned glow.
The Oil: Our Revitalising Face Oilis a rich, nourishing blend that deeply hydrates dry skin. It’s perfect for locking in moisture and leaving you with a soft, dewy glow.
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Step 3: Don’t Forget Your Body (Radiate Head-to-Toe)
A true holiday glow doesn’t stop at your neckline. So many people focus on their face but forget that their arms, legs, and décolletage will be on show at summer parties and events.
My Formulator’s Tip: The most effective way to get a luminous, all-over sheen is to apply a body oil to damp skin just after a shower. This traps the moisture on the skin’s surface, locking in hydration for hours.
For a Luminous Sheen: Massage our Luxury Body Oil onto damp skin to lock in moisture and get a beautiful, subtle glow.
For Daily Hydration: Our rich, non-greasy Ultimate Hydrating Hand and Body Cream is a multi-award-winner for a reason. It’s perfect for hands, elbows, and anywhere that needs lasting, non-greasy hydration.
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A Simple Ritual, A Conscious Choice
This simple, 3-step ritual will get your skin glowing just in time for the festive season. And because every Scenturie product is 100% plant-derived, vegan, and handcrafted with aroha in New Zealand, you can feel good about your choice.
Our commitment to sustainability is at the heart of everything I formulate—from our upcycled and Fair Trade ingredients to our plastic-free amber glass jars and aluminium refill lids.
You don’t just get a holiday glow; you get peace of mind.
You’re standing in the aisle, holding a moisturiser in a pretty green box.
The label is covered in words that are supposed to make you feel good: “Clean.” “Green.” “Eco-Friendly.” “Pure & Natural.”
But a little voice in your head asks, “…Is it, though?”
You want to make a good choice. A choice that’s better for your skin, for your health, and for the planet. But you’re tired of the confusing jargon, the vague promises, and the nagging suspicion that you’re just being sold a story by a clever marketing team.
You’re right to be skeptical.
Let’s Be Honest: Most “Green” Claims Are Just Marketing Fluff.
This feeling of being misled has a name: greenwashing. It’s the practice of making a brand appear more sustainable and natural than it actually is.
Brands use earthy colours, leafy logos, and buzzy words to create an eco-friendly illusion, while still using questionable ingredients or unsustainable packaging. It makes it almost impossible for you to tell the good guys from the bad.
But you don’t need a science degree to spot a genuinely conscious brand. You just need to know which questions to ask.
The No-Fluff Checklist: How to Spot a Truly “Clean & Green” Brand
Instead of a long list of research tasks, here are the three non-negotiable questions that cut through the marketing noise. If a brand can’t give you a clear, confident “yes” to all three, you should probably walk away.
1. Do they show you what’s IN the bottle (and what’s NOT)?
A truly clean brand is transparent. They don’t hide behind confusing terms. They proudly tell you what they use and, just as importantly, what they leave out. You should be able to easily find a clear, full ingredient list and a strong “free-from” promise (like being 100% paraben-free, sulfate-free, and free from synthetic fragrances).
2. What happens to the bottle when you’re done?
This is the question that separates the truly sustainable from the pretenders. A “recyclable” plastic bottle is not enough, as most plastic is not infinitely recyclable. Look for brands that are actively solving the packaging problem with plastic-free materials (like glass and aluminium), refill options, and return programmes that create a circular system.
3. Who are the people behind the product?
Is the brand run by a massive, faceless corporation, or by real people who are passionate about what they do? A truly ethical brand is transparent about where its ingredients come from. Look for stories about Fair Trade partnerships that support communities and ethically sourced botanicals.
Our Promise to You: An Open Book
At Scenturie, we started our brand to be the answer to these questions. We wanted to create skincare you never have to feel suspicious about.
Here’s how we measure up against the checklist:
Uncompromising Purity & Transparency
Every product page on our site has a complete, easy-to-read ingredient list. We are, and always will be, 100% free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, silicones, and synthetic fragrances.
A Circular, Plastic-Free Promise
We use infinitely recyclable glass and aluminium for our primary packaging. We offer plastic-reducing refill options for our pumps. And we take full responsibility for our packaging’s lifecycle with The Scenturie Loop, our return-and-reward programme.
Ethically Sourced Ingredients
We are built on a foundation of respect for people and the planet. From our Fair Trade Shea Butter sourced from a women’s cooperative in Ghana to our sustainably harvested NZ botanicals, we ensure our ethically sourced ingredients do good from the very beginning.
Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Glowing?
You shouldn’t have to do hours of research just to feel good about your skincare.
When you choose Scenturie, you’re choosing a brand that has already done the work for you. You’re choosing proven, science-backed formulas that are as kind to the planet as they are to your skin.
Worldwide plastic pollution is creating an environmental crisis that is believed will be as serious as climate change. One of the biggest contributors to plastic waste is the beauty and personal care industry. With endless plastic bottles and containers dominating every retail space imaginable worldwide, more than 70% of this plastic will end up in landfill or our oceans.
However, WE are the ones who decide whether to buy these plastic packaged products or whether to choose non-plastic options. We are responsible for choosing the waste we purchase, it starts with us and it ends with us.
Read on to learn why plastic-free packaging in beauty and personal care products matters.
Plastic In The Beauty & Personal Care Industry
Life Before Plastic Packaging
In the not-so-distant past personal care items did not involve plastic packaging. Soaps came in bar form. Perfumes, a symbol of luxury, were packaged in elaborate glass containers. Hair-care products were powders or pomades packaged in tins or jars. The personal care industry was established during the 1920’s and exploded with the rise of Hollywood movies and the invention of American glamour and beauty standards. During the mid-20th century the plastic industry took off and the personal care industry jumped on board. Plastic was popular as it was cheap, light, flexible, easily moulded and easily transported.
Plastic Packaging Today
Today, plastic packaged beauty and personal care products fill entire aisles of supermarkets and beauty stores worldwide with more than 70% of that waste ending up in landfills or our oceans. According to a 2017 Science Advances paper 8.3 billion tonnes of virgin plastic has been produced worldwide to date and of this only 9% has been recycled, with 12% being incinerated, and 79% ending up in landfill or the natural environment. Plastic can often only be recycled once or twice into a new plastic product due to the break-down of its polymers during the recycling process, and many plastics are not recycled because the process is expensive, complicated and the resulting product is of lower quality than what you put in.
If current production and waste management trends continue, roughly 12 billion tonnes of plastic waste will be in landfills or in the natural environment by 2050.
Plastic is so firmly embedded in the modern supply chain that reducing or eliminating plastic packaging is a monumentous challenge that will take a concerted effort across companies of all sizes to make a change.
Key Reasons Why Plastic-Free Packaging Matters:
1.Environmental Impact
Plastic packaging is a major contributor to environmental pollution with more than 12.7 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans every year. Plastics take hundreds of years to decompose, and when they do, they release harmful chemicals into the soil and water. Plastic waste also poses a significant threat to wildlife, as animals can mistake it for food or become entangled in it.
Plastic gradually breaks down into tiny particles that remain in the ocean as microscopic pollutants to be ingested by sea birds, fish, and other organisms. Experts warn that some of it is already finding its way into the human food chain and we have no idea of the scale of health implications this will cause.
By avoiding plastic packaging wherever possible and choosing instead to purchase products packaged in glass, aluminium, cardboard, or other environmentally friendly materials, you are doing your bit to help reduce the plastic pollution crisis.
2. Waste Reduction
Plastic packaging generates enormous amounts of waste. By opting for plastic-free alternatives, we can reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills or incinerators. Plastic-free packaging options are often made from biodegradable or compostable materials, which can break down more easily and have a lower environmental impact.
3. Resource Conservation
Producing plastic requires significant amounts of fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. By choosing plastic-free packaging, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and preserve natural resources.
4. Consumer Health and Safety
Some plastics contain harmful chemicals, such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), which can leach into food or beverages stored in plastic packaging. These chemicals have been linked to various health issues, including hormonal disruptions and developmental problems. Plastic-free packaging eliminates these risks and ensures safer products for consumers.
5. Brand Reputation and Consumer Preference
As environmental awareness grows, many consumers are actively seeking out products with sustainable packaging. By adopting plastic-free packaging, businesses can enhance their brand reputation, attract eco-conscious customers, and differentiate themselves in the market.
6. Regulatory Compliance
Governments worldwide are implementing stricter regulations and policies to address plastic pollution. By embracing plastic-free packaging, companies can stay ahead of these regulations and avoid potential penalties or legal issues in the future.
What Can You Do To Help?
Many consumers today are becoming more conscious of the environmental and social impact of the products they use. Choosing beauty and personal care products with minimal or plastic-free packaging aligns with values of sustainability, conservation, and ethical consumption.
Overall, plastic-free packaging is crucial for mitigating environmental damage, reducing waste, protecting human health, and aligning with sustainability goals. It promotes a more responsible and eco-friendly approach to packaging, benefiting both businesses and consumers in the long run.
By supporting brands that prioritise environmentally friendly packaging and recycling options, you can encourage others to do the same and drive positive change in the industry.
Our Scenturie Natural Skincare Range is packaged in glass bottles and jars with aluminium lids, which are recyclable and reusable. As part of our committment to ongoing sustainability we offer a Returnable Product Packaging Service. Our service allows you to return your empty Scenturie glass jars and bottles to us where they will be sterilised and either refilled and reused, and/or repurposed. This is our way of helping to lessen worldwide plastic pollution. Please support companies like ours who are doing their best to help protect our environment and ultimately our planet for future generations to enjoy.
You check the label. You choose the glass jar over the plastic tube. You look for “natural” and “ethically sourced.” You’re doing all the right things to reduce your footprint.
But have you ever wondered about the story before the ingredient even gets to the lab? About the hidden waste in the food and drink industry, where tonnes of nutrient-rich seeds, skins, and pulp are thrown away every single day?
You have a feeling that “sustainable” could mean something more. That there has to be a smarter, more resourceful way.
You’re right. There is.
So, What if “Waste” Wasn’t Waste at All? (Introducing Upcycled Beauty)
This is the simple but revolutionary idea behind upcycling—the next major green wave in beauty.
Upcycling is the process of taking the high-quality byproducts from other industries (usually the food and drink industry) and transforming them into potent, luxurious skincare ingredients.
Think of it like this: when grapes are pressed to make Port wine, the nutrient-rich seeds are often discarded. But instead of letting them go to waste, we can cold-press those seeds to create an incredibly powerful, antioxidant-rich Grape Seed Oil.
It’s not just recycling. It’s a creative act of elevation—turning something that was overlooked into something precious.
This Isn’t Just About Being “Less Bad.” It’s About Being Smarter.
Choosing upcycled ingredients is one of the most impactful decisions a brand can make. Here’s why it’s a game-changer:
It Drastically Reduces Waste: It gives a new purpose to valuable materials that would otherwise end up in landfill, reducing the environmental burden.
It Conserves Natural Resources: It lessens the demand for virgin raw materials, which saves water, energy, and land.
It Lowers Environmental Impact: The production process for upcycled ingredients requires far less energy and resources than creating a new ingredient from scratch, leading to a lower carbon footprint.
How We Put This into Practice (Proof, Not Just Promises)
At Scenturie, we are passionate about pioneering the use of these intelligent, circular ingredients. Here is an example of an upcycled wonder you’ll find in your favourite products.
The Secret in Your Creams: Upcycled Grape Seed Oil
As a customer, you deserve to know that the brands you support are making the smartest, most resourceful choices at every step.
Upcycling is more than just a trend; it’s a commitment to ingenuity and a deeper respect for our planet’s resources. It’s about turning nature’s overlooked treasures into beautiful, effective skincare.
Our journey with upcycled ingredients is just starting. We are constantly exploring innovative new ways to turn nature’s overlooked treasures into beautiful, effective skincare, and we can’t wait to share what’s next.
By choosing products with upcycled ingredients, you are supporting a truly circular approach—skincare you can feel good about, in every sense of the word.
Ready to try skincare that’s as resourceful as it is radiant?
The truth is that most people have no clue what goes into the products that they use daily. The ugly truth is that if they knew, they would probably never want to use them again. In the beauty and skincare industry, one such pariah is Palm Oil. The devastation caused by this one ingredient to people, wildlife, and the planet, is so complicated and far-reaching that it deserves our immediate attention.
What is Palm Oil?
Palm Oil is a type of vegetable oil that is derived from oil palms. Oil palms are an ancient staple crop in West Africa and the tree bears giant bunches of red fruit beneath its fronds. For millennia, humans have harvested the fruit, boiled, and pounded it to extract cooking oil, burned the kernel shells for heat, and used woven palm fronds to make rooves and baskets.
Palm Oil fruit (Elaeis guineensis).
Why is Palm Oil so Popular?
Owing to its versatility and the efficiency with which it can be produced (requiring only half as much land as other crops, such as soybeans, to generate a given amount of oil), the use of Palm Oil within the past few decades has skyrocketed. In fact, palm oil is the most efficient oilseed crop in the world. A hectare of palm oil plantation can produce almost ten times the amount of oil than the next closest type of oilseed such as rapeseed.
Palm Oil has been successfully transplanted to other tropical regions and it is now mainly supplied by Indonesia and Malaysia. It is now the most popular vegetable oil in the world, accounting for one-third of global consumption, and it is almost unavoidable, being found in many consumer and industrial products, such as food and beverages, personal care and beauty products, bioenergy and fuel, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, industrial activities, and the food service industry. Biscuits, spreads, chocolate, bread, personal care products, detergents, soap, lipstick… these are just a few of the multitude of items containing Palm Oil that you are more than likely to have in your home right now.
Palm oil is used extensively in the cosmetic and food industries and the global demand for it continues to rise with consumption exceeding 70 million metric tonnes annually.
With its use in so many everyday applications, it begs the question, how can this ‘tree of plenty’ be so bad? What is the real issue with palm oil?
The Dark Side of Palm Oil
The real issue with Palm Oil is its unsustainable production rather than the product itself. There is little regulation in the destruction of rainforest areas, and it is currently very difficult to trace whether the palm oil in products was really produced sustainably.
Unsustainable palm oil has a devastating effect on the environment. Palm oil has been, and continues to be, a major driver of deforestation of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests, causing mass destruction to the habitats of already endangered species, and contributing to climate change by releasing millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The aggressive burning and clearing of forests in Indonesia alone contribute to 12% of all global carbon emissions.
Aerial drone view of rainforest being burnt and cleared to make way for palm plantations in Indonesia.
The haze from Indonesian forest fires, many deliberately set to clear land for oil palms, caused at least 12,000 premature deaths in 2015 alone.
According to Greenpeace, land equivalent to the size of a football field is lost every 25 seconds in Indonesia alone. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that worldwide, around 300 football fields of forest are cleared every hour to make way for palm oil plantations.
Landcover, forest clearance and plantation development in PT Megakarya Jaya Raya (PT MJR) palm oil concession. Source: Greenpeace.
In Borneo, the island shared by Malaysia and Indonesia, since 1973, almost 42,000 square kilometers of rain forest has been burned and bulldozed to create space for oil palms. Since 2000, oil palms have accounted for 47% of the world’s total deforestation. All this deforestation has wreaked havoc on local wildlife. Nearly 150,000 endangered Bornean orangutans have perished from 1999-2015. According to a report from the World Wildlife Fund, elephants, Sumatran tigers, and rhinos are also on the brink of extinction.
Orangutans in Borneo where rainforest has been cleared for palm oil plantations. ULET IFANSASTI/GETTY IMAGES
Human rights abuses in and around these plantations run rampant. On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, palm oil companies have bulldozed entire villages of indigenous peoples, leaving their residents homeless and reliant on government aid.
In 2020, the Associated Press conducted a comprehensive investigation that focused on the brutal treatment of women employed on these plantations. The report highlighted the hidden scourge of sexual abuse (with many reporting repeatedly being raped by their employers), threats and verbal harassment along with human trafficking, child labour (as young as 5 years old), and what can only be considered as modern-day slavery. Women are burdened with some of the most dangerous jobs in the industry, forced to spend hours carrying such heavy loads that can cause their wombs to collapse. Chemically contaminated water can add to the burden by causing terrible sickness. Most workers are hired as subcontractors, without any benefits, and sometimes making only $2 per day.
Female worker carrying a heavy load at a palm oil plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara).
It seems painfully ironic that palm oil, harvested in such ugly and inhumane ways, is used in products to make one ‘beautiful’.
Palm Oil and the Beauty Industry
The derivatives of palm oil (glycerol, fatty acids, or fatty alcohols) are used in many products because of their emollient or foaming properties.
The two main types of oil from the oil palm are palm oil and palm kernel oil. To make palm oil, the fruit is pressed to extract crude palm oil [CPO] which is refined to become edible. The CPO is then processed to become refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palm oil. Alternatively, the oil can be extracted straight from the kernel as palm kernel oil. Palm kernel oil is what is used in the manufacture of foods and cosmetics because it can maintain its structure under high temperatures, it is creamy and smooth in texture, and it is odourless.
Although the beauty industry reportedly only accounts for 2% of global palm oil production, it can be found in as many as 70% of all beauty products. The fact that it is cheap and versatile makes it an attractive addition. In lipsticks, the addition of palm oil allows them to remain tasteless, prevents them from melting, and allows their colours to last much longer.
The problem with palm oil is ultimately one of production greed. Efficiency and low-cost equals good profit for companies that use palm oil in their products. This relentless drive for short term profit and growth always comes at the expense of something or someone. Sadly, this case is no different.
What has been done so far to manage sustainable Palm Oil?
In response to the urgent and pressing global call for sustainably produced palm oil, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was formed in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders. RSPO-certified palm growers are audited by an independent, accredited certification body that supposedly ensures that strict social and environmental guidelines are followed during production.
Although this represents progress, unfortunately the certifications are far from perfect and there are many loopholes. According to two separate reports from campaigning groups WWF and Rainforest Action Network, some of the world’s biggest brands are failing in their commitments to banish deforestation from their supply chains through their use of palm oil, despite making public claims to environmental sustainability.
Landcover, forest clearance and plantation development in PT Megakarya Jaya Raya (PT MJR) palm oil concession. Source: Greenpeace.
Is Palm Oil sustainable at present?
In the short term, NO. In the long term – truly sustainable palm oil, YES.
In September 2018, a comprehensive investigation by Greenpeace exposed how the world’s biggest brands are still linked to rainforest destruction in Indonesia. Palm oil suppliers to the world’s largest brands, including Unilever, Nestlé, Colgate-Palmolive and Mondelez, have destroyed an area of rainforest almost twice the size of Singapore in less than three years, according to the report.
The report highlighted how some of the largest members of the RSPO, who supposedly produce and sell ‘sustainable’ palm oil, routinely flout the laws and rules which they are supposed to abide by. The outcome of the report was that large companies who claim to only use sustainable palm oil in their products are in fact selling the public a lie and that production of sustainable palm oil under the RSPO is fiction.
There is now a realisation that RSPO-certification is currently “inadequate” as a guarantee that the palm oil in use is not leading to deforestation. In other words, just because a company or product is RSPO-certified there is NO guarantee that the palm oil they have used has not caused deforestation.
As a result of these collective failures, brands and traders who still source palm oil from non-sustainable producer groups are not just complicit in rainforest destruction and exploitation, but – through their palm oil purchases – actively funding those responsible for it. These factors represent the greatest known threats to Indonesia’s rainforests and local communities.
Read the Palm Oil Investigation by Greenpeace here
What can you do to support the sustainable production of palm oil?
It has been proven that palm oil production is NOT sustainable at present, and that deforestation, and devastation to human life, wildlife, and the environment continues because of it.
Palm oil’s reach is not going away anytime soon. It is found in just about everything — from cookies, chips, and bread, to wide a range of personal care products. Palm oil is part of our lives, but rainforest destruction and the cascading human health effects from the burning and clearing of forests shouldn’t be. Nor should the welfare of workers and neighboring communities who are violated at the cost of producing this vegetable oil.
In our opinion, and many others, the best option to support the sustainable production of palm oil is to AVOID purchasing beauty products (or any products) containing non-RSPO certified palm oil.
The best way to do this is by reading and understanding ingredient labels! DO NOT buy products with palm oil, palm kernel oil, or palm oil derivatives in the ingredient list unless the company states their palm oil ingredients are RSPO certified. It is important to note that when reading labels, ‘Palm Oil’ may not be listed, but one of its 200+ derivatives may be. Orangutan Alliance have compiled a list of alternative names for palm oil which you can read at the end of this article. Familiarizing yourself with some of them may seem a big task but a helpful tip is to avoid ingredients with the root word being ‘palm’ or that have ‘palm’ in it (for e.g., palmitic acid, hydrated palm glycerides, palm kernel, palm kernel oil, palm fruit oil, palmate, palmitic acid, palm stearine, palmitoyle, etc) or other common ‘palm’ derivatives with the words ‘stear’ and ‘laur’ (for e.g., stearate, stearic acid, and sodium lauryl sulfate). In New Zealand it is not a requirement to label a specific oil, ‘vegetable oil’ is acceptable. If an ingredient label states ‘vegetable oil’ then it is more than likely palm oil.
By avoiding products made with palm oil, and supporting companies who choose not to use palm oil, or palm oil derivatives, unless they are RSPO certified, we are being ‘conscious consumers‘. Conscious consumerism is a vital part of sustainability. It is the awareness of how every purchase that we make has an impact on the environment. By being a ‘conscious consumer’, we can all contribute to a more sustainable world that respects basic human rights, protects the environment and the planet so it will be here for future generations to enjoy. We are also sending a strong message that we won’t accept unsustainable and unethical products, giving the rain forests a bit of respite and a chance to survive.
Palm oil sustainability is a very complex issue with many consequences, but we can make a difference by choosing to buy palm oil free products wherever possible. The more we talk about this issue, share information with each other, and make a collective stand against it, the sooner truly sustainable palm oil will be available without the catastrophic effects linked to it now.
Final Thoughts…
The devastation to human life, wildlife, and the environment is simply too high a price to pay when it comes to buying beauty and skincare products that contain palm oil. We should all do what we can to support basic human rights, protect critically endangered species, and preserve our planet. There are companies out there trying to play their part by avoiding the use of non-RSPO certified palm oil in their products and we should do our bit by supporting them.
Scenturie is a natural skincare brand based in New Zealand that lives by the ethos “Respect for our planet, its resources, and each other. Our products are cruelty-free, 100% vegan, ethically sourced, and free from harmful chemicals. We have chosen to avoid using palm oil and palm oil derivatives in our formulations, wherever possible. We use ‘Brassica alcohols’ as one of our chosen emulsifiers, which are naturally derived from waxes found in plants from the Cabbage (Brassica) family. They are a palm oil-free natural alternative for fatty alcohols used in skincare products. The other natural emulsifiers we use are cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate. These ingredients are developed from natural olive derivatives, however, the manufacturing process involves combining them with the ingredient cetearyl alcohol which is a RSPO-certified palm oil derivative. We are always on the lookout for an effective 100% palm oil-free emulsifier but to date we have not found one. This is the closest we can currently get to achieving palm oil-free status. We use NO parabens, sulfates, phthalates, glycols, silicones, phenoxyethanol, or mineral oils in our products. Our packaging is all recyclable, reusable, and compostable, and as part of our committment to ongoing sustainability we offer a returnable product packaging service.
Alternative Names for Palm Oil Derivatives
Below are some examples of how palm oil may be referred to on packaging. This doesn’t mean that all these ingredients are definitely palm oil, (for instance E471 may be palm oil, coconut oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil or canola oil), but they could be. This list is from The Orangutan Alliance.
Let’s be honest. You see the headlines. You watch the documentaries (thank you, Sir David Attenborough). You feel that pang of eco-anxiety when you see the sheer amount of plastic in the supermarket.
You want to do the right thing. You want to live more sustainably.
But it all feels so… big.
You’re told to reduce waste, eat less meat, conserve water, avoid palm oil, plant a tree, shop local, and call your local MP. The list is endless. It feels like you have to get a PhD in environmental science just to do your weekly shop.
It’s overwhelming. And it can make you feel like your small choices don’t even matter.
Here’s the truth: You don’t have to do everything. You just have to start somewhere.
Big, global change doesn’t happen with a few people doing sustainability perfectly. It happens with millions of us doing it imperfectly, but consistently. This is your simple, no-guilt guide to making a real difference, starting today.
The “Progress, Not Perfection” Plan: 3 Simple Places to Start
Instead of a giant, overwhelming to-do list, let’s focus on three key areas of your life where small changes have a huge impact.
1. Start in Your Kitchen: Conscious Consumption
What you eat and how you buy it is a powerful vote for the kind of world you want to live in.
Eat One More Plant-Based Meal a Week: The livestock industry is a massive consumer of our planet’s resources. You don’t have to go full vegan overnight. Just swapping one meat-based meal for a plant-based one is a significant, positive step.
Grow Something (Anything!): You don’t need a huge garden. A small pot of herbs on your windowsill is a perfect start. It reduces food miles to zero and connects you to your food.
Shop Local When You Can: Supporting your local farmers’ market or butcher reduces shipping emissions and invests money directly into your community.
2. Start in Your Home: The 10-Minute Waste Audit
New Zealanders throw away more rubbish per person than most other developed nations. But you can make a dent in that, starting this week.
Refuse Junk Mail: Put a “No Junk Mail” sticker on your letterbox. It’s a simple, one-time action that saves a surprising amount of paper waste.
Master Your Bins: Get really good at knowing what can and can’t be recycled in your area.
Embrace the Reusable Bag (and Cup!): You’re probably already doing this, but it’s the perfect example of a small, consistent habit that makes a huge difference.
3. Start in Your Bathroom: The Power of Your Purchase
This is where you have incredible power. The beauty industry is one of the world’s biggest producers of plastic waste. By choosing your products consciously, you can directly support the brands that are doing things the right way.
This is why, at Scenturie, we are obsessed with these details. It’s not just a marketing story; it’s our entire reason for being.
We Said No to unsustainable Palm Oil: Many “natural” ingredients are derived from unsustainable palm oil, a major driver of deforestation. Our entire range is free from unsustainablepalm oil.
We Chose Glass & Aluminium: Your Scenturie products come in infinitely recyclable glass and aluminium. It’s a conscious choice to be a plastic-free brand.
We Created The Scenturie Loop: We take responsibility for our packaging’s entire lifecycle. Our return-and-reward programme allows you to send back your empties to be reused, creating a truly circular system.
Your Choices Are Your Superpower
See? It’s not about doing everything. It’s about doing something.
Choose one thing from this list and start there. Master it. Then, when you’re ready, choose another.
Your small, consistent choices, when multiplied by thousands of other conscious consumers, are what will create the real, lasting change our beautiful Aotearoa and our planet needs.
Ready to support a brand that has already made these sustainable choices for you?
