For several years Lush has been looking into the environmental and social concerns surrounding the use of palm oil in cosmetics. In order to know the actual situation, representatives of Lush travelled to Indonesia to meet with groups such as the Sumatran Orangutan Society, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Friends of the Earth (FoE) and Greenpeace. They also met with the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to discuss this important issue with other manufacturers and retailers.
From this research it became apparent that immediate and drastic action was required to make any difference to the destruction in Indonesia. Global demand for the oil is causing the clearing of ancient rainforests, forcing indigenous people off their land and pushing orangutans to the brink of extinction to make room for more palm oil plantations.
As a company, Lush feels the best way to preserve these precious rainforests is to no longer use palm oil, which is why they worked with another soap maker to come up with an industry first – a palm-free soap base that can be used to make large quantities of soap. A blend of sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and coconut oil is now the base used in all Lush soaps.
Lush is also urging other retailers and manufacturers to cut their palm use by at least half. To do this, the brand is working with environmental organizations and Industry by forming a collaborative working group called Actively Seeking Alternatives to Palm (ASAP).
NEW SOAPS
Jungle Soap (Php295)
Jungle Soap is a bright green tree-shaped soap made with our palm-free soap base with a grassy scent. Proceeds from the sales of this product will be donated to the Friends of The
Earth Foundation who work to ensure the long-term protection of rainforests by securing the rights of indigenous communities to land, life and livelihood.
Porridge (Php245 for 100g) … the very best way to start the day: a helping of porridge oats with the delicious scent of molasses. Oats are exceptionally soothing and softening, ideal for sensitive skin. They’re very calming for irritations and can be used medically to help
eczema. Porridge also contains a blend of fresh organic orange juice and sweet orange oil, to help rid congested skin of toxins. A great exfoliator that leaves you feeling soft, smooth and smelling scrumptious!
Summer Pudding (Php275 for 100g) … for the hand and body all year long
Probably our most spectacular soap to date, this fruity, cherry and almond scented wonder is like a typical English summer all squished together. We use whole cherries, scrubby ground almonds, and refreshing lemons to make our version of a summer pudding.
Since establishing 11 years ago, Lush Cosmetics has been driven by innovation and its ethics. Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath ballistic, shower jellies and butter creams and solid shampoo bars, Lush places emphasis on fresh ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables. Lush operates a strict policy against animal testing and supports Fair Trade and Community Trade initiatives. Lush leads the cosmetics industry in combating over-packaging by running public awareness campaigns and developing products that can be sold ‘naked’ to the consumer without any packaging. Lush has been awarded the RSPCA Good Business Award for 2006 and 2007 and the PETA Trailblazer Award for Animal Welfare.
To pick up these and many more ethical, cruelty free cosmetics visit Lush shops nationwide.
In the Philippines, Lush is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Glorietta 4, Power Plant Mall, Shangri-La Mall, Greenbelt 3, Mall of Asia, and Bonifacio High Street, Trinoma and Alabang Town Center. You may also visit us online at www.lush.com.ph
ROWENA BIRD – Lush CO-FOUNDER & product inventor
Drawn to the beauty industry from an early age, Rowena trained and qualified as a beauty therapist before fortuitously joining the creators of Lush Cosmetics in their small manufacturing company of the time, Constantine and Weir (C&W). Here, her passion for beauty and colours was fed by cosmetic scientist Stan Krysztal and soon, Rowena was let loose on a makeup range of her very own in the American brand Bodkins. As C&W developed into the successful mail order brand Cosmetics to Go (CTG), the Gigaku range Rowena developed combined many adventurous colours and best sellers, proving her eye for commercial success.
Another of her roles within CTG was coordinating the intricate mail order systems, using her highly efficient practical skills. Rowena has a keen eye for style, evident in her designs for the weird and wonderful packaging unique to CTG. As CTG fell by the wayside, Rowena’s infectious energy was a vital component of the new company to rise in its place. Rowena worked closely with designers and her co-creators, to establish the very first Lush Cosmetics stores. Her sheer determination, know how and love of ‘getting things done’ meant that soon Lush was well on the road to success.
Due to her extraordinary skill set, Rowena’s remit within the organisation has a habit of changing dramatically and within Lush she has really spread her wings. Soon Rowena was responsible for building working relationships with our smaller foreign partners who span the globe and has appeared in numerous TV shows promoting Lush’s innovative products – most recently BBC1’s Countryfile (2010). Now, over 25 years from her early days in Constantine and Weir, Ro is still instrumental in the success of Lush Cosmetics innovative style – developing products such as the Colour Supplements and Ultrabalm.
Rowena is also currently overseeing the development of Lush’s new Spa Rooms, the first of which opened on London’s Kings Road in April 2009 – there are now 4 in the UK, with others to open in Tokyo and Paris by the end of 2010. She still manages Lush’s Rest of World team, finding foreign partners to take Lush into new markets.
Her lust for life means she’s constantly on the go and to date has travelled to 90 Countries and counting!
ABOUT LUSH
Since establishing in 1995, Lush has been driven by innovation and strong ethics. We don’t believe in using animals to test our products for safety, nor do we buy any ingredients from any supplier/manufacturer that tests anything they product on animals; we believe in using only minimal amounts of synthetics, the safest we know; and we keep packaging to a minimum, out of respect for the environment.
Creators of pioneering beauty products such as the fizzing bath ballistic, shower jellies and butter creams and solid shampoo bars – all of which are made with fresh fruits and vegetables, organic where possible, and plant-based ingredients, herbs and clays that we know are better for the skin and hair, and which allow us to make the best products we possibly can.
Lush has 89 stores in the UK, with over 650 worldwide. We have manufacturing sites in several other countries, including Japan and Canada. We prefer to use sea freight to ship goods internationally and support Fair Trade, Community Trade and organic initiatives.
