Why is it important to use biodegradable products?

Why is it important to use biodegradable products?

Biodegradable cosmetic ingredients are substances that breakdown naturally over time into simpler, harmless compounds. Here are some common biodegradable cosmetic ingredients, along with their typical chemical breakdown

Chemical breakdown products: These oils are mainly composed of triglycerides, which are broken down by lipase enzymes into glycerol and free fatty acids. These breakdown products can further degrade into carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) through microbial action.

Botanical Extracts (e.g., aloe vera, green tea extract):

Chemical breakdown products: The breakdown products of botanical extracts can vary depending on their specific chemical composition.Generally, organic compounds present in these extracts degrade into simpler organic molecules, such as sugars, amino acids, and organic acids. These breakdown products are further metabolized by microorganisms in the environment.

Natural Butters (e.g., shea butter, cocoa butter):

Chemical breakdown products: Similar to plant-derived oils, natural butters primarily consist of triglycerides. Upon biodegradation, they break down into glycerol and free fatty acids, which can then be further metabolized by microorganisms into CO₂ and H₂O.

Biodegradable Surfactants (e.g., coconut-derived surfactants):

Chemical breakdown products: Biodegradable surfactants, such as those derived from coconut oil, are typically composed of fatty acid chains and a polar head group. Under biodegradation conditions, these molecules can be cleaved by microbial enzymes, resulting in the breakdown of the fatty acid chains into shorter-chain fatty acids and the polar head group into simpler organic molecules. These breakdown products are eventually mineralized into CO₂, H₂O, and other simple compounds.

Essential Oils (e.g., lavender oil, tea tree oil):

Chemical breakdown products: Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds. When exposed to environmental conditions, the constituents of essential oils can undergo oxidation, hydrolysis, and microbial degradation, resulting in the formation of simpler organic molecules, such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and acids. Eventually, these breakdown products are metabolized by microorganisms into CO₂ and H₂O.

At Micellar Haircare, using biodegradable ingredients is an important component of our core values. Synthetic, complex, and non-biodegradable cosmetic products have a negative impact on the environment and should be avoided.

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