What is it made from?
100% Cold Pressed Kalahari Watermelon Seed Oil (Citrullus vulgaris)
Where does it come from?
Akamuti is based in Wales. Only ‘100% natural botanical ingredients’ are used in Akamuti’s products.
Is it sustainable?
Kalahari Watermelon – A different variety to the large sweet fruit we are used to, the Kalahari melon is smaller and bitter to eat. The oil from the seeds of the Kalahari watermelon is more suited to cosmetic products as it contains more vitamin E and essential fatty acids (also apparently up to five times more of these components than there is in Argan oil!) The Kalahari watermelon has evolved to thrive in desert conditions, it is a tough, drought-resistant plant that is a good source of food and, more importantly, water, for the people in this area. The oil is pressed from the seeds, so the use of this oil does not negatively affect the livelihoods of the locals who rely on this fruit. This melon is an annual crop, so production can grow to meet demand quite easily, unlike oils like argan or baobab which grow on trees and therefore take a long time to mature before producing their crop. This melon also grows in arid conditions where other crops would fail to grow and need hardly any water to maintain the crop, making it a sustainable farming choice.
Akamuti tells us about where this watermelon oil is sourced from - ‘Cold-pressed from community traded Kalahari watermelon seeds, this oil is extracted by pounding the seeds by hand in wooden bowls. Our African oils are produced through a community trade programme, which focuses on co-operatives & women’s associations producing goods that prove viable to benefit their community. These small co-operatives operate in very dry, rural parts of Africa, where there is often no other way of making a living. This special oil is cold-pressed from the seeds of the watermelon & community traded with African villagers to provide them with a sustainable income. Our watermelon oil is from a wildcrafted source and is not farmed with chemicals.’
How about ethical?
Akamuti’s Ethical Policy – ‘We are passionate about trading ethically and fairly. This means we try to think holistically about our ingredients, i.e. where they come from, where they are grown and harvested and the environmental impact that this may have on their immediate surroundings. Whether it be argan oil from Morocco or shea butter from Ghana – we believe in promoting sustainability from start to finish, so that everyone benefits!
We believe that by paying fair prices to small businesses for their produce, it will provide growers with a sustainable income. This enables them to build a better, more sustainable life for themselves and their communities. Fair prices contribute toward protecting vulnerable livelihoods and environments. Poor prices paid for high quality, labour-intensive products result in undermining the value of a product and the people who produce it. Unfair trade feeds the oppressive cycle of poverty and we believe that we can break that chain by supporting fair trade practices and principles.’
Extra good stuff:
Environmental Policy – Sustainability is really important to Akamuti – ‘We don’t use any unsustainable ingredients from endangered plants or tree species such as sandalwood and rosewood. If we’re aware that using a certain plant contributes to habitat destruction, we’ll choose something else!’ (…This is a very refreshing pledge, as all too often brands choose ingredients without thinking back through their supply chain, this is true even of a lot of ‘eco-friendly’ companies sadly. We all need to be more holistic like this, everything comes from somewhere after all, who knows what knock-on effects we are having if we are ignorant in this way? As you know, ABP does it’s best to combat this with the research we do on the ingredients and materials in the products we sell.)
Akamuti have an eco-friendly office, using recycled paper and environmentally friendly packaging. They have a zero-waste policy in their office, they recycle or compost all of their waste to try and make sure nothing ends up in a landfill.
Akamuti uses organic ingredients, but for those wondering how this is checked: ‘All of our organic ingredients come from an accredited source, usually the Soil Association or Ecocert. We are not certified or licensed by the Soil Association due to administrative and membership costs.’ (…Sadly, being independently audited/verified by certification schemes is usually very expensive, making it out of reach for lots of otherwise very compliant, passionate small businesses. ☹)
Cruelty-free - ‘At Akamuti, we are totally against all forms of animal testing and ensure that all our raw ingredients are sourced from animal-friendly suppliers. Our fixed cut-off date is the same as our company formation, i.e. July 1st 2003. We have never tested any of our products on animals and it has been our priority to source ingredients from suppliers who uphold the same policy. This means that none of our ingredients or end products have ever been or ever will be tested on animals. Our preparations are tested by willing people and assessed for safety by our laboratory.’
Conclusion –
I’m sure I don’t need to grease this transaction; this watermelon seed oil speaks for itself when it comes to tip-top skin hydration for those with oily prone skin!
