Nature is richly diverse in bioactive compounds—complexity most abundant in the plant world. Displaying an inexhaustible variety of colour, aroma and medicinal qualities from the ground up—nature expresses her beauty.
Cultivating then crafting consumer products from botanical origin is a skill encompassing a gardeners wisdom and an entrepreneurs vision. Introducing People for Plants, a skincare brand based on botanical science and design.
Botanical entrepreneurs, Andrew Brown and Anna Addicoat embraced their love of nature with ambitions of producing a range of skincare that celebrates the unique qualities of plants. A garden designed to grow a business that benefits people and the planet. From a little patch of green to a flourishing farmscape designed by the renowned horticulturist Jamie Durie—People for Plants have defined themselves as a quality brand of ethical and organic standards. In fact, of their 22 products, 19 are made with over 90% certified organic ingredients and the other three are just below this, however all are 100% natural.
Chic packaging reflecting the brands simple and natural ethos also strengthens their appeal with high-end outlets like David Jones. But at the heart of this story are the people who love plants—a family of cultivators who craft beautiful things from nature.
Curious about the origins and inspiration of the botanical benefactor, we dig a little deeper to explore the story, science and few signature favourites.
At People for Plants much store is put on the wisdom of the prophet and this particular piece of Kahlil Gibran’s wisdom has a special place in the dynamic young company’s guiding philosophy.
Beauty begins on the inside and radiates outwards through the goodness of the heart, through the curiosity of the mind, through the brightness of a smile, through the grace of body language, and through a joy for life. Ultimately, with these essential attributes, and the radiance of a healthy, lovingly nurtured skin, People for Plants believes our complexions can truly shine with that ‘light in the heart’ of which Gibran speaks.
It is the special kind of beauty the founder, Anna Addicoat, is passionate to promote with her natural, organic skincare range, now five years young and growing stronger by the day as more and more women (and men) discover Mother Nature’s way of cleansing and caring for their skin.
Take for example, People for Plants’ Rose Otto, Burdock, and Kakadu Plum toner mist and their Kakadu Plum, Calendula, and Chamomile eye cream. The purity and efficaciousness of Australia’s own kakadu plum is a vital ingredient in these skincare products. This Australian native fruit, a wonderful and well-kept secret until now, is consider the Queen of Vitamin C. The amazing fruit contains 300 mg of vitamin C per 100g of fruit. That is more than 50 times the amount found in an orange, the fruit normally associated with being rich in vitamin C.
“If you really care about a healthy and clear complexion, then the kakadu plum should be your best friend,” says Anna, explaining that it is also known as gurumal, gubinge, or murunga. “Or even more colloquially as Billygoat plum. The kakadu plum contains huge amounts of antioxidants and bioactives. And all of these benefits are preserved via our Australian Certified Organic processing—a method that we insist on using,” she notes.
Fortunately for something this great, the kakadu plum grows in wild profusion in the Northern Territory. Even better, the wild harvesting of the fruit by the Indigenous people of the Top End means those communities are provided with a sustainable and long-term economic opportunity. For thousands of years before the modern consumer discovered the benefits of the fruit, Aboriginal Australians were aware of its incredible characteristics, valuing it as both medicine and a nutritious food source.
Vitamin C, among its other values—such as affording protection from ultra violet radiation and the effects of sunlight—also helps the body produce collagen, the elasticity that strengthens skin tissue and irons out wrinkles. Regular application of high levels of Vitamin C is most important in guaranteeing a healthy, age-resilient complexion. Pollutants in the air, chemicals in food and water, as well as cigarette smoke and weather conditions are all taxing elements that degrade unprotected skin. Vitamin C replenishes the body’s ability to combat these hazards and in the process, helps the complexion to flourish.
“Let’s get technical for a moment,” says Anna as she squirts a generous amount of the eye cream onto her hand, sniffs it, smiles and holds it up for inspection. “The sensational kakadu plum contains phytochemicals such as gallic and egallic acids, and it’s rich in phenolics. These are strange words but what they mean is that the fruit contains extremely strong antioxidant properties. Antioxidants scavenge the free radicals in our body’s system that lead to premature aging of the skin over time.” In fact, research suggests that the phenolic content of a fruit or vegetable may be the best indicator of its antioxidant capacity. As well, the gallic acid in the kakadu plum, the fruit has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal, as well as anti-inflammatory qualities. “A lot of antis,” says Anna as she sprays the mist across her already beautifully hydrated complexion. “I’m a chronic sprayer. I keep one of these babies beside me, all the time. Can’t afford not too,” she says with a grin that speaks of self-assurance, a woman happy to be manufacturing and supplying natural organically certified skincare products to the world.
Vanilla and cocoa butter organic lip balm is another gem in the People for Plants skincare range. Many commercial lip balms are petroleum-based, using petro jellies and mineral oils in the production of the balms. People for Plants uses all natural, organic ingredients in their lip balms. “Plump up your lips the natural way. Smooth them and protect them from drying without feeling bad every time you lick them,” says Anna who explains that the skin softening and antioxidant qualities of cocoa butter will give benefits without the risk of toxicity.
“It’s not enough to just be reactive and avoid putting the ‘bad stuff’ on skin, either. A good skincare regime needs to be proactive as well, demanding that we consider the skin’s necessary nutrient requirements. Those health conscious women who tote up the antioxidants, vitamins, and good fats with their diets similarly know that the skin will eat up whatever they put on it—and so they nourish their skin as well.”
The Bourbon Vanilla and Cocoa Butter lip balm produced by People for Plants is 96% organic and 100% natural, certified as such by Australia’s most rigorous standards. The vanilla assures that it is deliciously spicy but with delicate aromas. And it is a highly effective balm, thanks to the calming, moisturizing and barrier qualities of the cocoa butter. The cocoa butter has a high stability rate compared to the petroleum jelly used in other lip balms, assuring it of a long life, up to five years. It is made up of a high concentration of antioxidants such as oleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acids, all fatty acids important in neutralizing free radicals, so destructive to skin tissue. They are each valuable nourishing agents in the anti-aging process.
‘Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror, but you are eternity and you are the mirror.’ – Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet.
Love Nature, Love your Skin, Love People for Plants…
People for Plants set a precedent for others to follow. Today, Australia’s organic skincare market is flush with choices for conscious consumers who care about nature and their health. Many brands encompass ethical and environmental practises which support philantropic profit sharing. Safe Cosmetics Australia is an online resource where you can learn more about the brands you buy, how safe and sustainable they are.
