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 ever-improving 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
What is ambrette? We’re delighted to tell you about this nuanced and natural ingredient. 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. But what does ambrette smell like? As a beautiful and complex raw material, ambrette seed creates the natural musky notes in Radiant Nectar’s palette. Herbal and woodsy aromas give depth to the scent and give it a home in our floral, musky blends. These seeds bring a sensual feel that lingers throughout the clean nectar fragrance.
We work with a fragrance house that formed a long-term partnership in 2013 with farmers in El Salvador, producing premium quality Ambrette together. Ingredients like these have helped define our aromas like the clean Radiant Nectar. 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. Having the latest technology keeps these plantations going and creates new jobs in the community as workers cultivate this vegan plant musk.
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. Over time, this economic growth can contribute to a better quality of life, too.
With sustainable fragrances like our Radiant Nectar ambrette seed fragrance, clean formulas can find a place in your daily self-care routines. The other aromatic notes in this formula enhance the rich and sweet profile of these seeds. Tobacco flower complements the earthy, somewhat floral tones of ambrette seed smell while pear nectar and white cedarwood bring warmth to the blend for a truly succulent fragrance.
5 Fun Facts
- Ambrette seed oil has long been used to relieve aches and pains, and it 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 fragrance is the perfect vegan substitute for animal musk in aromatic blends.
- Ambrette seeds are encased in hairy pods that look so much like okras, sometimes the plant is often known as the “musk okra.”
