June 2022
Homegrown Harvests
An argument for homegrown harvest
When we talk about ‘homegrown’ – skincare isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind. First and foremost, we start thinking about fresh fruit and vegetables, all of which centres around our local agricultural industry. However, over the last few years the consumer economy and ethical minded brands alike, have been making a case for homegrown ingredients and local manufacturing – and skincare is just the tip of the iceberg.
But why are homegrown ingredients in skincare so important? As we move toward a cosmetics industry that we can be proud of, one that is environmentally conscious and places people over profit, an important question to ask yourself is where are the ingredients coming from? And who is growing them? Are they locally sourced? Or are they imported? To some, these questions are common practice when it comes to buying skincare, or anything for that matter, for others, this is a reflex that you’re actively learning to engage. But what are the benefits of buying skincare that is locally made and contain homegrown ingredients?
Well, the first thing is this shortens the supply chain. By purchasing from brands that support homegrown harvest, you’re significantly cutting down the time and resources like water, energy, and human labour that are required for manufacturing offshore. Not only this, but a shortened and localised supply chain means that the ingredients themselves are travelling a lot less between factories and labs – allowing more transparency which is paramount within any production bounds. It’s also important to note that when you support local farmers and makers, you’re essentially injecting confidence into our local suppliers and cosmetics industry, which in turn, creates demand for these natural, homegrown ingredients.
Finally, when it comes to nourishing your skin with ingredients like Hemp Seed Oil and jojoba Oil, both of which have moisturising, ait-inflammatory, and restorative properties and rich in vitamins, are very low maintenance ingredients to grow and harvest. Furthermore, since these ingredients are so powerful, there isn’t much need for additives during the production process; therefore, skincare containing these ingredients is virtually nature’s own.