Only the good

CEBU, Philippines - Nourishing facial wash using the goodness of  tomato extract, natural feminine wash in  chamomile cool variant, and lush vanilla-scented shampoo and conditioner are just some  of the new product developments introduced during the relaunch of Human (Heart) Nature last July 27 on the occasion of the opening of its new concept store - a beautiful addition to the Cebu City retail landscape - at The Strip, Osmeña Boulevard.

Human Nature creative director and head of product research and development Camille Meloto pointed out that the natural moisturizing shampoo in lush vanilla scent is actually a way of rescuing dry, damaged hair.

From her it was learned that it's the only one with breakthrough CreamFoam (registered trademark) technology which "acts like a lotion to soften and nourish our hair." And it's got Philippine coco nectar, bursting with amino acids, vitamins and minerals. She also made sure that this shampoo is sulfate free, so it's definitely good for you and for the earth too.

For beautifully moisturized hair, this can be paired with Human Nature's Natural Moisturizing Conditioner also in lush vanilla scent. Mandarin Fresh scent is also available.

Foamy lather you get from chemical shampoos is usually from chemical surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. Sure, the lather feels nice but what happens after we rinse is off is that it goes back into our rivers and oceans where it is very toxic to the ecosystem. In fact, SLS/SLES has been reported by the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org) as a moderate hazard to human health for it has been linked to skin irritation, cancer, and organ toxicity.

Camille who was already experimenting with cosmetics as early as grade school was once exposed to these harmful chemicals. She eventually became a freelance make-up artist and joined a cosmetics company after college. Her longing to merge her passion for cosmetics and her conscience to help the country through a paradigm of social enterprise that's of low carbon footprint found fulfillment when the Human Nature brand was born.

Nourising Facial Toner, Wash

Because every day, we expose ourselves to oxidative stresses and free radicals, our skin becomes prone to damages. Human Nature urges us to preserve our healthy skin condition and give our skin the proper care to fight the dangers of everyday free radicals by nurturing it with the goodness of tomato extract. Tomato is one of the most powerful antioxidants that soothes and helps repair skin leaving it unbelievably smooth, soft and healthy inside out.

It doesn't just help prevent skin damage caused by free radicals, it preps also the skin for what should come next - moisturizing.

Natural Feminine Wash - Chamomile Cool

This pH balanced, clinically tested product was developed because every woman deserves the peace of mind that comes from knowing she uses only the safest and gentlest care for her most intimate area.

It has soothing aloe vera and chamomile, cleansing agents from coconut, as well as natural preservatives from rice and anise for a fresher, cleaner and more confident female.

Camille also pointed out that many chemical feminine washes contain SLS and SLES, and that according to the Danish Institute of Public Health, SLS damages the skin proteins and disrupts the skin barrier allowing ready penetration of carcinogens. So, she calls on women never to risk it and to just go for the natural clean.

Explanation for less than 100% natural components

If you come across products like the Natural Strengthening Shampoo which reads 96.4 percent natural, that means that based on standards set by the Natural Products Association of America, at least 3.6 percent synthetic component was allowed as long as it's safe for the health and the environment. This rule is applicable for components of the formulation that have no natural alternatives. On this, Camille assured that the Human Nature Natural Care Labs continuously does researches to give you better, natural alternatives. 

Advocacies

Camille, in a presentation, shared that we have to face it: the Philippines will be mostly agricultural for a long time to come and for as long as we only grow rice, our farmers will always be poor.

However, other countries have developed first-world economies from agriculture. France, for example, produces fine wine, champagne, the best cheeses, expensive natural fragrances - some of the most valuable natural products in the world come from France.

"If our farmers grow okra, they can often only get 50 centavos per piece or less. But by switching to, say, organic aloe vera, they can earn as much as P50 per leaf - a hundred times the value," the presentation went.

"This is how Human Nature aims to help the country - by sourcing locally at fair trade prices, producing world-class finished goods and exporting them around the world."

Camille stressed how Human Nature takes its responsibility of being nature's steward very seriously. She said that the organization carefully deliberates on the impact of all its business decisions on the environment. For example, all raw materials are thoroughly researched to ensure that they are naturally derived, are not processed using environmentally toxic processes and do not become toxic when released into the environment after the user has finished with the product.

Further, it uses recyclable bottles in its packaging to minimize its impact on the country's overburdened dumpsites (as there isn't really a 'real' landfill operating in the country).

After its launch in November 2008, Human Nature today has become the country's leading and trailblazing social enterprise hailed by Entrepreneur Magazine as "the game-changer of the decade," and studied as a successful working model for a social enterprise by students at the Berkeley University in California and Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore. Already it has sold almost three million products through its network of 16,000 dealers and its 19 branches nationwide.

This year, it started selling its mineral makeup line Love Minerals at Beauty Bar, the only Filipino cosmetics brand carried by the premiere personal care chain. A selection of its best-selling products is available at Rustan's Supermarket and Shopwise. It is also distributed in the US and Singapore, with more plans of expansion on the way.

"We hope that you will find a sense of peace and purpose knowing that your everyday choices have a positive impact on the poor, our country, and our planet," the presentation concluded.