Written with Suki Reid

Clean beauty has taken the world by storm, although with labels mentioning ingredients of Retinols, Niacinamide and seemingly hundreds of vitamins it’s difficult to decipher what is actually safe, important and functional. The further rise of vegan, hormone safe and sustainable earth-friendly formulations is also proving increasingly relevant yet challenging to monitor even though it’s critical to our future and the future of our planet. 

VATÉA is a natural and organic skin, hair and baby care range suitable for sensitive skin and rich in tropical plant oils that are hormone safe, gentle on our body and our planet.

Vegan, sustainable skincare focuses on clean, natural ingredients that work harmoniously with our skin. Recently, we have seen piquing interest surrounding cruelty-free beauty treatments. It has become progressively prevalent that testing skincare on animals is obsolete. Animal experimentation aims to research the effects of certain chemical compounds comprised in our skin care. Despite humans sharing entirely different biology from that of the animals, we have continuously seen major brands conducting animal testing. It is undeniable that this research method is cruel, antiquated and unnecessary.

VATÉA’s range of skincare is entirely cruelty-free, focusing on natural ingredients that are comprised of botanical actives and free of harmful chemicals and synthetic fragrances to foster therapeutic, nourishing results. 

We are in the age of well-being where there is a daily supplement for every organ, illness or injury, yet we have failed to focus enough attention on our biggest organ, our skin. Essentially a sponge, we absorb everything we put on our skin without realising the possible harm we could be causing ourselves. We wouldn’t knowingly digest harmful chemicals for fear we would damage our bodies, similarly, we need to take care of what we put on our skin.

Nurturing our daily skincare routine is a significant investment to remain healthy and with nourished skin. Natural ingredients that promote soothing, rejuvenating results are the foundation of clean skincare. Here at VATÉA, we are focused on steering clear of nasty chemicals and using toxic-free, paraben and phthalate-free, natural ingredients that don’t harm our skin and disrupt hormonal regulation.

Our hormone system is one of the most delicate of our body. Hormones fluctuate in very small amounts at certain times regulating our reproduction, immunity, metabolism and even our behaviour which is why it’s so alarming to find hormone disruptive chemicals infiltrating many of our household products including packaging, detergents, cosmetics and pesticides. 

Chemicals found in mainstream skincare packaging can have more harm than we think. This silent issue of hormone-disrupting chemicals has been thoroughly researched by Dr Shanna Swan, professor of environmental medicine at Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York. Dr Swann explains how chemicals and plastics are having detrimental impact on our fertility. “Phthalates, used to make plastic and found in our skin and everyday personal care products, soft and flexible, are of paramount concern, they lower testosterone shown to decrease libido and increase the risk of early puberty, premature ovarian failure, miscarriage and premature birth.”  This might sound far-fetched and difficult to grasp, yet it’s information every one of us should be aware of which is why at VATÉA, our products are phthalate, paraben-free and sustainable and Certified with Safe Cosmetics Australia.

Dr Swann further discusses how common plastics are found in our everyday skincare, most prominently, microplastics that are used in exfoliating products. Due to the porous nature of our skin, these microplastics are breaking down our natural barrier against infection and burrowing their way into our bodies. Though alarming, these experiences are entirely avoidable and unnecessary when care is taken in formulating skincare. For example, VATÉA uses pumice and ground nuts in our exfoliative skincare as it’s our belief, microplastics are useless and archaic.

At VATÉA we do our best to provide traceable sources of our raw materials, for example, our Coconut, Tamanu and Nangai oil are mostly sourced from farms of Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa. 

Whilst researching suppliers for VATÉA raw materials, I was incredibly fortunate to visit Fiji and the remote island of Rotuma, an island 646km North East of the Fijian capital of Suva.  Rotuma is unique as it’s possibly the only island that is completely free of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides which tick all the boxes for being the worlds first Certified Organic Island.  This island was looking at Certification although there are challenges to overcome being so remote, so for the time being this island is happily Organic, yet without the Certification.  The decision to be free from toxins was to ensure the purity of the islands natural water source and pure soil.  A challenge of being so remote, is there are no alternate options for water supply or farming areas, so the decision was essentially one for survival. 

Further sources of our tamanu oil and gorgeous soaps are from Samoa provided by Women in Business and Development of Samoa, a fantastic organisation that encourages women to be financially independent realising the greater benefits in the areas of healthcare and education investments.

The future of skincare is bright, with more consumers taking an interest in sustainable, cruelty-free skincare. There is a growing market for brands like VATÉA, with the sustainable skincare industry set to increase by an average of 6.6% a year through 2030

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/natural-skin-care-products-market

We hope to see more brands taking care for the planet and their customers, ditching unethical cultivation and sourcing of ingredients, animal testing and unsustainable production. Conscious consumption is becoming increasingly relevant and critical to making sure we take care of our planet.

While the cost of natural and organic products are usually higher than their un natural competitors, it’s necessary to consider the opportunity cost, or the long term cost to your health, skin and planet as a whole.

Overall, we take care of our bodies, eating well and indulging in moderation all with the goal of longevity and prosperity and our skincare should help us do so. Investing in skincare that is cruelty-free and doesn’t endanger innocent animals is something we should all aim to accomplish. In 2022 there is no place for animal experimentation in our products and VATÉA will continue to be cruelty-free. As we look to the future, and the state of our planet, we must all consciously make efforts to lighten our footstep on our earth.

Our oceans and climate need action and care. We will continue to ensure our packaging formulations are free of harmful hormone disruptors and cover all bases. We will continue to improve our sustainability and be at the forefront of ethical, gentle skincare. We want to look after you and your skin here at VATÉA.