In recent years, the beauty industry has undergone a transformation, with an increasing number of eco-conscious consumers on the lookout for ingredient listings that include sustainable credentials for their bath and body products. Our formulations at Bath House embrace this ethos. We are proud to include, amongst our many natural vegan skincare ingredients, some which started life as wasted by-products of the food industry.

Gareth Marshall, production director at Bath House, has many years of experience sourcing and using natural ingredients, innovating on many of the bath and bodycare products we have made. As he explains -

"Upcycling ingredients turns waste materials that would normally be thrown away into beneficial bodycare ingredients. It's a really great resource for the skincare industry, because it also addresses the food industry's ongoing waste problem, it's a win-win solution for all."

We use many upcycled waste food ingredients, from apple and tomato seeds to orange peel. This is an important part of our commitment to sustainability and helping to make a positive impact with our vegan skincare.

We have always believed creating natural beauty is not only about focusing on the wellbeing, health, and lifestyle of our customers but also about our own ecological footprint. We are committed to using safe, natural, plastic-free, vegan skincare ingredients that offer significant benefits to the skin with the least impact on the environment. As Gareth puts it -

“By using ingredients derived from food waste, we are taking an important step towards creating a more circular economy and a more sustainable skincare industry.”

Discover just some of our products which include beneficial ingredients sourced as by-products.

Orange Peel
Used in our Bergamot & Amber Face Wash, our particular peels are sourced from the fruit juice industry in Italy, where peels aren’t needed. This peel is still rich in vitamin C and has mild exfoliating properties, which is suitable for sensitive skin types. We dry it out before milling it into a fine powder.

Tomato Seed Oil
The hand care products in our Greenhouse collection use upcycled tomato seed oil, where the seeds are commonly discarded by the food industry when making sauces and pastes. This sustainable skincare ingredient is a nutrient-rich oil full of benefit, including antioxidants, vitamin E, and fatty acids. These help protect the skin and skin’s barrier.

Apple Seed Oil
Apple seeds aren’t consumable, so they are constantly thrown away by the food industry. The oil produced from these seeds isn’t poisonous, and is rich in antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins, making it an excellent ingredient for our Climbing Trees body wash and body lotion.

The oils are obtained by drying the seed, which are then cold pressed to extract the oil. Heat is not introduced during this process, which helps to preserve the ingredient’s potency. The apples we use are collected from orchards in the UK.

Glycerine
This amazingly versatile ingredient that we use in many of our skincare, bath and body products at Bath House. Glycerine is a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture from the air to your skin to deeply and continually hydrate your skin after application.

Glycerine can be created from entirely synthetic ingredients but our Glycerine is naturally derived and is a by-product of rapeseed oil from India. 

Grapeseed Oil
This plant oil is used in our Patchouli & Black Pepper Shower Oil. This originates from Italy and is a by-product of grape pulp from the wine industry. The grape pulp which is left over from the wine making process is also cold pressed. The resulting oil is ultra-light and contains many skin benefits, and it is rich in antioxidants (up to 20 times more than vitamin E). Amongst its many benefits, Grapeseed oil helps to protect the skin from environmental stressors and helps promote skin elasticity.

Fruit AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids)
These are natural acids found in certain fruits that can provide various skincare benefits. In the case of the Cedar & Lime body wash, the fruit AHAs helps exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, promoting a smooth and even complexion. Our fruit AHAs are upcycled from the maple syrup trade, the citrus juice industry, and fruit pulp maple syrup industry.

A commitment to sustainable skincare.
While food items naturally decompose over time, this still contributes significantly to global warming. The most frequent waste is created from vegetables and salad crops so repurposing this waste into natural active ingredients as mentioned earlier is a win-win situation. We believe the advantages of substituting synthetic chemicals with beneficial natural alternatives in personal care products is undeniable.

At Bath House, we will continue to expand our sourcing of natural ingredients, derived from food waste and other sustainable sources. We believe that by doing so, we can make a positive impact on the world, providing vegan skincare that goes beyond a commitment against animal derived ingredients. We will continue to expand the use of upcycled ingredients in our formulations, making sure that ingredients from by-products of the food industry are maximised and making the most of these undervalued resources.