We choose to work with suppliers whose values and processes align with our own – wild harvesting, future sustainability and a natural, pure finished products. Here we take a look at Kakadu Plum, the main ingredient in our Gummy Facial Cleanser, which is wild harvested in the Kimberley region in Australia.
WHY IS KAKADU PLUM GREAT FOR THE SKIN?
Used by the Australian Aborigines and in traditional medicine for many years, the Kakadu Plum is ripe with skincare benefits. It’s the world’s richest natural source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. Kakadu Plum is kind to skin, working as a gentle exfoliator to buff away dead skin cell and impurities, and deeply hydrate for a smoother texture, brighter skin tone and youthful vitality. You can read more about the skincare benefits of Kakadu Plum Extract here.
From the Oilixia Community aspect, we are proud that our key ingredients – in this case the Kakadu Plum – are different from anything else out there. This is not just because they have a high potency and a pure form. It is because they have a real human story behind them, offering traceability and transparency all the way back to its humble beginnings. The story of our ingredients tells the story of our products, and our brand – one of eco-consciousness and the New Natural.
WILD HARVESTING
Wild harvesting is a type of ethical harvesting practice inherited from our ancestors. The focus is on harvesting safely and sustainably; gathering plants in their natural environment and growth conditions thereby not harming the natural world order or ecosystem. Plants must always be harvested at a time and in a way that allows them to reproduce in optimum conditions. With wild harvesting, there are limits on the amount of plants harvested in a particular area and it is a golden rule to never harvest any more than you need.
It is also an important aspect that the plants grow uncultivated with no human interference. This means that, when they are gathered, they are totally pure with no damage from chemical substances or pollution. That these plants have managed to survive the centuries without human interference proves their resilience, strength and natural qualities.
In line with wild harvesting standards, the community will only gather our fruit at the appropriate stage in its nutrition and biological cycle. This ensures there is no damage inflicted on nature’s natural reserves and the plants continue to grow in optimum conditions as they have done for many years.
THE FUTURE
The fact that wild harvesting is such a complex and elaborate practice means that only people of the land are knowledgeable enough to complete it. Our Kakadu Plum extract is sourced from a local company in Australia, who are dedicated to protecting the environment through wild harvesting and fair trade practices. We love to work with companies like this because they look after their people and the land. It’s a full giving circle where the process gives back to local communities and promotes environmental protection and respect. There’s more to the socio-political aspect, too, whereby the method ensures that indigenous people in lesser-populated areas are in gainful employment.
This helps to preserve the art of wild harvesting and ensure that those who are knowledgeable protect the plants and land for future sustainability. It’s wonderful to source the star ingredient of our Gummy Cleanser in this way and to contribute to a process we really believe in. We care so deeply and feel so strongly about this because we want to be eco-conscious. We also want to do our bit to protect the planet that we have been so lucky to experience travelling through and living in for future generations.
