There are few cuter faces than those of a baby orangutan. Just picture it now.

This might seem like an odd subject to cover, but over in the UK, an advert by a large supermarket, intended to be shown over the Christmas period, has been banned, because it was deemed ‘too dark’ to talk about at this time of year. The problem? It actually covers a subject which we need to hear more about. The subject? How deforestation due to the palm oil industry is putting the already endangered orangutan in grave danger.

What has this got to do with beauty? Palm oil is found in many beauty products.

The number one way you can help those endangered species is by cutting out the products you use which contain palm oil, and using something less troublesome instead.

What is Palm Oil, And Why The Issue?

Palm oil is derived from the African oil palm tree. Despite the name, many of these trees are found in  Indonesia and Malaysia, and this is where most of the production of palm oil comes from too. These trees are found in dense forests, which is home to the endangered orangutan.

The increased production of palm oil has meant destruction of these natural habitats, to make way for palm oil plantations. The orangutans who aren’t killed in this process of deforestation are left with nowhere else left to go. Many baby orangutans are left orphaned, and with no chance of survival without their parents by their side. It is thought that in around 10 or 20 years, these beautiful creatures will be no more.

It’s tragic.

The problem? Palm oil is in so many different products, even foods. It’s also labelled as different names, to make life even harder. If you’re keen to save those beautiful orangutans however, there are some ways you can figure out what to avoid.

Avoiding Palm Oil

• Look on the label – if it doesn’t say ‘palm oil’, it might say ‘vegetable oil’ – same thing
• Avoid snack foods which are pre-packed, these are big palm oil disguisers
• If it says the word ‘palm’ on the label, avoid it. This means the ingredient comes from the tree or the fruit
• Look for the words ‘sunflower oil’, ‘corn oil’, olive oil’, ‘coconut oil’, and ‘canola oil’ instead – these are safe
• Remember, it’s not just beauty products, it’s foods too, so be on the lookout very carefully indeed

Regardless of a banned advertisement, saving the planet is our responsibility. When it comes to our beauty products, we can certainly do a lot, by avoiding anything which contains this very troublesome oil.