Our Philosophy
Scenturies’ philosophy is simple and based on respect.
Respect for ourselves, respect for others, respect for nature, and respect for our planet.
Respect for ourselves
Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies and it absorbs much of what we put on it. Choosing skin care products that are natural, safe, and free from harmful chemicals is one of the most respectful things we can do for our bodies to enhance and maintain good health inside and out.
The overall performance of a skin care product is dependent on the quality and proven effectiveness of its ingredients. We research and select the highest quality botanical ingredients in their pure raw state for our products thus preserving the rich vitamins, minerals, and active properties within. We carefully balance the pH of each formulation so that the skins protective acid mantle is respected and maintained. This results in a range of highly effective natural skin care products that deliver and support optimal skin nourishment and health. We do this out of our deep care and respect for everyone who uses our products: our customers, our families, our friends, and ourselves.
Respect for others
We respect and support local businesses, especially those who produce or supply quality raw materials or services, and protect the environment in which they live and work. All aspects of our business from raw ingredients to product design, testing, manufacturing, and packaging are sourced locally. We believe that by supporting local businesses we add social and economic value to our local communities.
For ingredients that we are unable to source locally we support companies that support the communities they work with, especially those that support initiatives like Fairtrade. Fairtrade advocates for better working conditions and improved terms of trade to empower farmers and workers in developing countries. By ensuring fair prices, fair wages, and humane working conditions people are empowered and the whole community benefits. This results in better education, health care and environmental sustainability. We proudly use Fairtrade products in our Cinnamon Spice Soap and Cocoa, Coffee, & Vanilla Soap.
Respect for nature
We support ‘cruelty-free’ & ‘mindful consumerism’.
All Scenturie products are ‘Cruelty-free’. We test our products on ourselves, family, friends, and willing volunteers. We NEVER test on animals and we do not use animal products. Scenturie is a proud supported of NZAVS, an amazing non-profit organisation, that defends animals used in science, and is against animal testing. We are proud to feature in their ‘Cruelty-Free Guide’.
Mindful consumerism is an important part of sustainability and is the awareness of how every purchase that we make has an impact on the environment.
Palm oil is a good example of how important mindful consumerism is. 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. 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 haze from Indonesian forest fires, many deliberately set to clear land for oil palms, caused at least 12,000 premature deaths in 2015 alone.
Human rights abuses, such as child labour and forced evictions, have been well documented. On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, palm oil companies have sometimes bulldozed entire indigenous villages, leaving their residents homeless and reliant on government handouts.
We have chosen to avoid using palm oil in our products however cetearyl alcohol, a necessary ingredient in some of our formulations, is currently only available as a palm oil derivative. We only source this product from suppliers who hold Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certification and are constantly on the look-out for a palm-free alternative.
The popularity of aromatherapy and natural beauty products in recent years has led to increased supply and demand for natural crops that have not been able to meet the needs of consumers. This has led to the over-exploitation of resources affecting the biodiversity of many species including essential and carrier oil-bearing plants. Examples include the Indian Sandalwood tree, native to Southern India and Southeast Asia, the oil of which has been used for centuries for its fragrant and medicinal qualities. In recent years, over-exploitation has led to it being listed as a critically endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Similarly, the essential oil from the Atlas Cedarwood tree has been used extensively for its therapeutic and fragrance qualities. The tree is slow growing, taking decades or centuries to regrow, and is now also listed as an endangered species.
When a species is in imminent decline buyers look for substitutions, thus placing pressure on the new species. It is of vital importance that brands create natural products with proven sustainability in mind to preserve plant species that would otherwise be driven to extinction. We need to consume more mindfully and find a balance with what is appropriate and when to use it.
At Scenturie we thoroughly research all our ingredients to ensure they are safe, sustainable, and produced from renewable raw materials. We believe that being transparent about the ingredients we use and where they are from empowers our customers to make informed decisions about their skin care, their health, and the preservation of our environment.
Respect for our planet
