In what way do you think you make the biggest difference to a greener and more environmentally friendly world? What is unique about you compared to others?
We have become very selective with our selection. The fact that we also make everything edible from scratch and focus on organic and local produce is quite unique. Likewise, the fact that we only accept one group at a time gives us a luxurious feeling of having an entire spa to ourselves. Our garden, which is a small oasis in the forest, is very special. Our barbecue hut where you then sit and eat is a little touch of Norrbotten, which I (Maria) also come from.
We make a difference by clearly indicating what we want in our products and what we choose to say no to. As new chemicals are being allowed all the time in a steady stream and the long-term effects are something we know far too little about, we think it is important to share our view of products in the industry.
What is your best advice for someone who wants to make good choices?
Don't feel guilty about what you have bought, used and provided your family with up until now. We can't do anything about what we have used without knowing that it is bad, but make sure to make conscious decisions one at a time. Start with what you use the most as it has the greatest effect and I think what the children use is incredibly important. They will be exposed to a constant stream of chemicals even if you choose the right ones at home, so spare them the accumulated cocktail effect if you can.
I usually advise you to really check out the brand you are interested in to see if the brand has your full trust, then you don't need to read everything afterwards. You can see the thinking behind it pretty quickly and then you can most likely trust that the brand will make good decisions. c/o Gerd has our full trust here. If there is anything else you are wondering about, don't be afraid to ask someone who knows. Depending on the answer, you can see pretty quickly whether you get a GOOD answer or not.
I also think it's important to reduce transportation. That's why we're enthusiastic about Swedish organic skincare instead of products from the other side of the world. "Harvest where you stand" is the expression for a reason and is wise in many ways. It creates work nearby, is good for the economy, and contains things our bodies and nature recognize. Other good green choices are multi-products. Products you can use for many things. It's smart.
Other tips are not to be too naive. In the industry we are in, producers know that organic sells. This means that there are a lot of pictures with flowers, green circular texts that look like strict certifications and other fancy campaigns in flashy magazines. Learning to read INCIs/content declarations is interesting but can be scary reading at the same time. Our industry contains an enormous amount of garbage. Personally, I think that the biggest "dragons" seem to be the most unscrupulous and they are the ones who profit the most from cheap raw materials. Small-scale organic production often puts quality at the top of the priority list.
What ingredients are big no no's for you that you then avoid?
Synthetic silicones/siloxanes and petroleum oils will never be found in our products. They add nothing of value, can lead to unnecessary lubricant dependency and are a burden on the environment. I want renewable raw materials. You will never find methylisothiazolinone in our products, but it is starting to be phased out on the market, thank goodness, as it has previously been used in organic products. We reject zinc pyrithione, which is toxic to aquatic organisms. It is considered too toxic to use in boat paint but is allowed in shampoo, which is actually scary. I also tend to reject propylene glycol, as it shows that solvents (from the petroleum industry) are used to extract vegetable oils. We do not want phenoxyethanol, a preservative that is admittedly allowed in organic products, which seems to be able to cause allergies (a bit like zolinone), although it is not as dangerous for the environment. We do not want synthetic sunscreens, as they are harmful to aquatic organisms and quite cheesy if you read up on them. Of course, microplastics should not be present either, but these are also now being phased out, thank goodness.
Furthermore, Triclosan should be removed. It destroys photosynthesis in plants and then we are in a bad situation if it spreads and it is also harmful to aquatic organisms. I have many more no-nos but generally I trust more in well-used plants and vegetable oils with fatty acids and vitamins than I trust synthetic "new" chemicals.
What is your and your customers' favorite product/s from c/o Gerd?
Oh there are many. I love everything with blueberries and there are many products. The hand cream is awesome 24/7 Skin Balm is so good for so many things B2 Hair Serum is the best and not to mention the Unisex Deodorant. The facial scrub is also lovely and has a great price considering how big it is. Muscle liniment is the best on the market. The facial series makes my face happy. And how good does Sauna Cool Scrub smell? I could go on for a long time. We usually make short films on social media and YouTube where we highlight and talk about our favorites, which you can see are many.
Thank you Maria for your words and for a great collaboration. If you are passing through Jönköping or Falköping – make sure to visit Skogsro Spa next time. It will be well worth the extra miles.
Instagram: @forestrose
Youtube: Skogsro Spa
Website: https://www.skogsrospa.se
Stina Akerlund
Psst... Don't forget that you can order aluminum-free deodorant , organic bath salts , organic body lotion and more from Care Of Gerd!
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