Today, I want to talk to you about my choices... Reasoned ones !
The stages of my creative process
1. Demand and intuition.
When I see a market demand, I always ask myself how I can "Cadelliaser" the product, that is to say, make it conform to our values .
I am asked for a cream? I formulate the best possible version of the product by integrating local, natural and active materials (useful for the skin).
2. Conservation.
Like all natural materials, from food to drinking water, "living" ingredients will degrade over time. The solution? Adding preservatives. Although most of the ingredients in this category are "synthetic", did you know that some are approved by organic labels (Ecocert)? Like Geogard ECT (INCI: Benzyl Alcohol & Salicylic Acid & Glycerin & Sorbic Acid) that I recommend for almost all of my formulations. When the pH or temperature of certain products do not allow us to use this product, we opt for Liquid germal plus which is paraben-free. It's that simple to "Cadelliaser" the conservation! In addition, did you know that all of our products are tested in the laboratory by chemists after their manufacture to carry out tests on their conservation, their stability and even their formulation?
3. Manufacturing of products.
We manufacture as many basic products as possible ourselves, such as aloe gel, cream and whipped butter. Our macerates are made with plants that we pick ourselves and we distill pure water from the region. This way, we avoid unnecessary transport and packaging of materials that we can manufacture and we select the ingredients that are the most sustainable.
4. Losses.
Because we manufacture in small batches and choose the best preservatives for each product, we avoid waste. We reuse the scraps of our soaps to give them a second life in the manufacture of new soaps. We decorate our bombs and bath salts with the plants and berries that were used in the manufacture of our other products, in order to maximize the use of each ingredient.
5. The circular economy and partnerships.
We are proud to participate greatly in the circular economy movement by integrating as often as possible residual materials that can be recovered and that would be thrown away if we did not give them a second life. I am thinking here of coffee grounds, coffee left on the stove a few minutes too long, residual berries from gin production, organic carrot peelings... to name just a few. For example, for our coffee supply, we have placed particular importance on the idea of recovering residues that are still usable, the result of the hard work of producers around the world. In this way, we contribute to minimizing the environmental impact linked to the import of a coffee of the same quality but which no one would have had the chance to taste at least once.
6. Packaging.
Whenever possible, we do not package our products. We simply label them with recyclable or recycled paper to comply with Health Canada labeling standards. Only products that require packaging are put in jars. Reducing packaging is our first instinct.
7. Plastic.
When I choose containers for my products, I often choose plastic. I'll stop you right there in your little panic, it is indeed a reasoned choice ! Did you know that glass containers produce more greenhouse gases? How can that be, you ask? Glass bottles are reusable, everyone knows that, but it takes more gas to bring these bottles back to the refilling points than to recycle plastic containers. Their greater weight requires the use of a greater number of trucks. Finally, to be reused, they must be washed... with water! Ultimately, the resource expenditure is therefore higher for glass containers. The next time you hold your little plastic jar, you can let go of your old guilt and give yourself a pat on the back for your reasoned choice, too!
8. Green-washing.
It's so easy to fall into greenwashing when we try to make greener choices. So we're constantly reading up on the subject. We've sometimes made mistakes ''hello, the biodegradable plastic I used to wrap my soaps in turned out to be just as bad as regular plastic but more expensive...'' but we learn, we adjust and we change our practices, in complete transparency. We're the same at Cadellia, we prefer to tell you about our mistakes and move things forward than to sell you lies.
9. Delivery.
Who says delivery, says purchase of bubble wrap... But never at Cadellia! We preferred to make a little space for all the filling material that I receive during my own orders of raw materials. I can then offer them a second life and you, a third... Another revaluation of waste!
10. The paper.
Doing office work often involves using paper... We reuse every sheet of paper as often as possible and when it is no longer usable, we make... More paper! Yes Yes! We will even make our own paper that will serve as a little note in each of your postal orders! Psst! We even embellished it with wildflower seeds so you can plant it in your garden! We can't wait to show you the final result!
In conclusion.
I hope you learned more about sustainable cosmetics. Several small choices, based on our values, which lead to a unique way of making cosmetics! To learn more, you can also watch this interview given on the subject in 2023!
Follow our next articles to learn more about our rational facial care routine!
