Our name says it all: the concept of "edible beauty" is at the core of the Edible Beauty Australia skincare philosophy. 

In fact, I feel so strongly about our products being so pure that they are literally “edible,” that I pledge that “if you would not put in your mouth we would not put it in our products.” This is our "edible standard" when it comes to beauty and we are proud to set the bar high on toxin-free, botanical skincare.

The  Edible Beauty story begins when I was practising as a naturopath whilst working at a fertility clinic and this is where I was inspired to create the range. I was recommending that in addition to changes to their food and lifestyle routines, my patients make changes to their personal care products. Given we absorb a large percentage of what we put on our skin (a staggering 60-80%), and the fact that what we put on our skin bypasses our digestive and detoxification systems, what we are using topically becomes just as important as what we are eating. I was shocked to find that there were very few options available for skincare products that matched the "edible standard" and that were also luxurious and therapeutic. As a result, I embarked on creating a result-driven, wildcrafted, botanical and truly "edible" skincare line.

This means that not only are our products free of the usual nasties – sulfates, parabens, phthalates etc., they are also free of benzyl alcohol, propylene glycol, all preservatives, colours, synthetics and any ingredient that you would not recognise or find in your food. Every ingredient in our products is pure and botanical, and good enough to eat!

So what is the difference between being "edible" vs. "organic"?

One of the common traps we may fall into when considering natural products is that they are organic. However organic does not make a product pure enough to be edible. In fact, many organic products may contain synthetic chemicals and preservatives along with organic botanical extracts. Our products are made with organic ingredients which are also always pure enough that they are edible (although we don't actually suggest eating them - however you literally could!).

Being edible does not mean that we compromise on the therapeutic actions of our skincare range. It's actually quite the opposite! The regenerating, healing and ant-ageing benefits of our skincare is enhanced through the inclusion of hydrating, antioxidant, nutrient and mineral-rich botanical extracts, which we find are more effective than conventional skincare chemical ingredients at achieving results. Plus, it looks after your health long term too.

Why is it so important that our skincare is edible?

The skin, being the largest organ of the body, absorbs close to 60% of the products that we place on it. Whilst you may think ‘well it is only a small amount of chemicals that end up in the body', using three or four products with phthalates or parabens in it will add up. What also could be happening is the "cocktail effect" of different synthetic chemicals mixing, and that combination has led researchers to say that the effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals “may be significantly underestimated” (UNEP State of Science Endocrine disrupting Chemicals report)

This begs the next question of what happens why you want to avoid the absorption of sulfates, parabens or other chemicals through the skin?

A few of the key health issues emerging from the use environmental toxins include autoimmune disease, endocrine disruption, fertility and cancer.

Auto-immune disease – Environmental toxins including the chemicals from our personal use items have been one of the reasons proposed for the increased incidence of autoimmune disease. Contracting an autoimmune disease is not considered uncommon. One in twelve Americans—and one in nine women—will develop an autoimmune disorder. There is agreement among scientists and physicians that the environmental toxins and chemicals to which we are increasingly exposed to are interfering with the immune system’s ability to distinguish self from non-self.

Our environmental exposure to toxins has definitely increased over time. In a 2005 study, researchers found 287 industrial chemicals, including pesticides, phthalates, dioxins, flame-retardants, and the breakdown chemicals of Teflon, in the fetal cord blood of ten newborn infants from around the country—transmitted to the infants by their mothers’ exposures before and during pregnancy. This is astounding given the babies had yet to enter the world.

Endocrine disruption – Close to 800 chemicals found in common skincare products are known or thought to be capable of interfering with hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or hormone conversion, however, only a small fraction of these chemicals have been investigated in tests for safety. Endocrine disruption affects fertility, metabolism, tumour growth and adrenal health.

Fertility - Perfluorinated chemicals (PFC), just one of the common chemicals used in skincare products have been shown to affect fertility. A study conducted by UCLA researcher Chunyuan Fei, and published online in Human Reproduction, states that women with higher-than-normal levels of PFC’s have exhibited a 60-154% higher risk of infertility than those who do not.

Our unborn babies - It's scary to know that our unborn babies are absorbing what we are putting on our skin whilst in the womb. Studies show toxic chemicals are found in the umbilical cords of babies. Two specific studies screening for more than 400 chemicals, showed 287 toxins detected within the umbilical cord blood of newborns. Of these 287 toxins, 217 were neurotoxins, and 208 are known to damage growth development or cause birth defects.The toxins included BPAs and synthetic fragrances found in skincare, cosmetics and personal care products.

We hope you share our desire to spread edible and toxin-free beauty regimes. There is no need to compromise on therapeutic action or luxury by using truly natural, edible beauty. So, if you are having difficulty pronouncing an ingredient within your skincare or would not consider eating it, then do not risk it!

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