We believe that what you put onto your body is just as important as what you put into it and so the ingredients in every Lucy Bee product focuses on using natural, effective ingredients throughout all of our skincare formulations.

This isn’t always easy to achieve but, as with everything that we do, we’ve stuck to our principles and are really happy with the results and hope that you are too!

Our skincare range is formulated without:

• Palm oil, including any derivatives of palm oil
• Petroleum
• Silicones
• Formaldehyde
• PEGs
• Sulphates
• Artificial dyes
• Soy
• Gluten

Additionally, we’ve also formulated our products with no added fragrance because we understand how sensitive some skin types can be.

 

Why We Don’t Use Palm Oil

Palm oil is a vegetable oil that comes from the oil palm and is used in many everyday products, including skincare and body care products. Each palm can produce a high yield and this, along with the fact that it’s cheap to produce, has led to a huge increase in its production. This has resulted in large areas of forests being destroyed so that oil palms can grow in their place.  By destroying the rainforest to grow these plantations, they are in turn destroying the natural habitat in which a diversity of wildlife and plants thrive and grow.

One of the most recognised things to have been impacted by this deforestation is the destruction of land in which orangutans, elephants, rhinos and Sumatran tigers live. The forests in which these animals live are destroyed and their homes are lost.

Most of the animals which are displaced from their homes are injured or killed during the process and animals which are of medicinal interest are also more easily accessible to be sold.

Additionally, those people indigenous to the forests have also lost their homes and alternative livelihoods.

At Lucy Bee, we choose not to use palm oil or any of its derivatives in our products because of the impact that it has on the environment, habitat, animals and eco-systems. 

Why We Don’t Use Petroleum

Petroleum in skincare is mainly used to seal in moisture.

The ingredient is generally considered safe to use, however, during the refining process, some components are removed which can be carcinogenic. The chemistry based on petroleum is used to make synthetic oils (mineral oil, paraffin oil), synthetic waxes (petrolatum, ozocerite), preservative system (phenoxyethanol).

Instead of oils from petroleum, we use a combination of natural oils from vegetable source (coconut oil, Coco Caprylate/Caprate, Coconut Alkanes, apricot oil, calendula oil, grapeseed oil, etc.).

Instead of waxes from petroleum, we use tribehein from rapeseed oil and candelilla).

Why We Don’t Use Silicones

Silicones are used in skincare because they make the skin feel and look smoother. However, this is a temporary fix and doesn’t help long-term. They are a cheap filler so lots of companies use them.

Similar to petroleum, silicones are used to trap moisture in the skin. However, as well as trapping in moisture, it can also trap dirt, sweat and dead skin cells.

We opt to use natural alternatives that help the skin and allow the other beneficial ingredients to be absorbed and utilised by the skin.

Why We Don’t Use Formaldehyde

Formaldehydes are used as a preservative system (ie. to avoid growth of bacteria in water base products). It is restricted on the EU market as per the cosmetic regulation and banned in some countries. It is a strong ingredient and one that can cause skin irritation and is also known as a carcinogenic if exposed to high amounts of it.

Instead, in our formulas, we use benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate.

Why We Don’t Use PEGs

Otherwise known as polyethylene glycol, PEGs are used in skincare to thicken a formulation or as a softener in a cream base. They aren’t the worst things to be found in a product, but they should not be used on damaged skin due to some of the compounds found in it penetrating the skin. If exposed to the sun, it can cause allergic reactions. 

Most of the time, they take part of raw materials which are surfactants (solubiliser: to solubilise fragrance) because it might be complicated to incorporate it or fragrance can make the formula non-stable.

We use non-PEG surfactants Heptyl Glucoside (from sugar cane), Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glyceryl Stearate from vegetable sources such as olive oil, coconut oil.

Why We Don’t Use Sulphates

These are cleansing agents that help to remove dirt and oil. They also help to create a bubbly lather in products such as shampoo, cleansers and body washes. The main issue with sulphates is that they can cause skin irritation as it is a very drying ingredient – that’s why it’s so good in shampoo because it strips the dirt out.

We use a non-ionic surfactant sourced from sugar cane (heptyl glucoside).

Why We Don’t Use Artificial Dyes

These are colours used to make a product look more appealing to the human eye. However, up to 50 synthetic chemicals can be mixed together to make just one colour – these can be drying for the skin and in some cases have been found to be carcinogenic.

We choose to use natural alternatives and rely on natural ingredients around us like turmeric.

Why We Don’t Use Soy

Soy is a popular ingredient in skincare due to its ability to help brighten skin and reduce redness. However, due to negative press around its sustainability, environmental and social impacts, and numerous GMO sources, we have decided to eliminate soy from our range. 

It is not the soya itself, it is the amount of soya grown, driving environmental damage (it’s the most popular oil used in the world, mostly to feed animals). Its popularity means lands are cleared to grow it and then cause serious issues of deforestation.

Why We Don’t Use Gluten

The use of gluten in skincare isn’t very common. However, when it is used, it has been known to affect people who suffer with gluten allergies.

We have decided to make our formulations without gluten because Lucy herself is a coeliac.

 

Lucy Bee is a lifestyle brand selling food, skincare and soap products all completely free from palm oil and with minimal use of plastic. Lucy Bee is concerned with Fair Trade, organic, ethical and sustainable living, recycling and empowering people to make informed choices and select quality, natural products for their food and their skin.