Welcome to the new and improved “Sustainability Spotlight” series, now called “Farm Fresh”. Just like our Spotlight column, we’ll explore the eco-conscious ingredients used in our Reserve and Avant Garden fragrances, but with a greater focus on the sustainability story surrounding our farmers and how we give back. Our promise stays the same. We’re committed to crafting products with the safest ingredients, avoiding anything that may be potentially linked to health or environmental issues (see our No-To List).
First, it’s important to truly understand what “sustainable” means.
Here’s how we define it:
- Responsibly sourced and doesn’t deplete the planet’s natural resources.
- Gives back to the farmers and their communities.
- Maintains an eco-conscious life cycle, from green manufacturing to recyclable packaging.
Meet Ambrette Seeds
These aromatic seeds come from the Abelmoschus moschatus plant, also known as the ambrette or musk mallow plant. Found in Asia and Australia, it’s a type of hibiscus plant with medicinal properties. Ambrette seeds are a beautiful and complex raw material and create the natural musky note in Radiant Nectar’s palette. They bring a sensual feel that lingers throughout the fragrance.
We work with a fragrance house that formed a long-term partnership in 2013 with farmers in El Salvador, to begin producing premium quality Ambrette. In collaboration with these local farmers, the fragrance house helped open up new plantations dedicated to producing this prized ingredient and secured crucial distillation equipment. The fragrance house continues to help educate farmers on the best harvesting and production practices, while our partnership also helps support other education programs. Ambrette has become an important crop to the local community and provides a stable source of income for the farmers. Overtime, this economic growth can contribute to a better quality of life, too.
5 Fun Facts
- Ambrette seed oil has long been used to relieve aches and pains, and may even help with stomach or intestinal issues.
- The musk mallow plant grows to about 3 feet tall and sprouts yellow hibiscus flowers with a dark purple center.
- Even though these plants are tropical by nature, they can survive winter frosts.
- Ambrette seed oil is the perfect vegan substitute for animal musk in fragrances.
- Ambrette seeds are encased in hairy pods that look so much like okras, sometimes the plant is often known as the “musk okra”.
