INCI: Water & Butylene Glycol & Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
CAS: 85085-51-4
Raw materials: Blue Lotus Flower
Blue lotus extract- Blue Lotus extract, also known as Nymphaea caerulea extract, is used in cosmetics for its potential antioxidant properties. It’s a tropical water lily that primarily grows in Egypt and certain parts of Asia. The flower’s petals, seeds, and stamens extract can be applied topically to the skin. (1,2)
Source of Ingredients: Blue Lotus flowers can be grown and harvested, making it a natural and renewable resource. However, the sustainability of their cultivation can depend on various factors such as water use, land, and fertilizers. Blue Lotus plants, naturally found in shallow, stagnant waters, require specific conditions to thrive. It’s essential to mimic these natural conditions in a controlled environment as closely as possible.
These plants thrive in warm temperatures and require ideally at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for growth and blooming. The soil used for cultivation plays a significant role in their overall health and development. Blue Lotus plants prefer a rich, loamy, well-draining soil. They also require constant water and fertilizer and must be fed once or twice weekly. (3)
Sustainable harvesting practices are crucial to ensuring that the Blue Lotus population remains robust. This means not over-harvesting and ensuring enough plants are left to repopulate.
The production process of Blue Lotus extract involves several steps, including harvesting, extraction, purification, stabilization, processing, and formulation. These are a general overview of practices that can vary based on different manufacturers. (4,9)
Certain processes involved in production can hurt the environment and human health. This can be due to waste generation, emissions, or by-products. It's important to note that the extent and nature of the environmental impact can vary depending on a range of factors, such as the production processes, sourcing of ingredients, and management of waste and emissions. (5,6,7,8)
Petroleum-based methods often involve extracting and refining crude oil, a non-renewable resource. Production can have significant environmental impacts, including air and water pollution, habitat destruction, and greenhouse gas emissions. (10,11)
It’s generally true that plant-based ingredients like Blue Lotus Flower can be more sustainable than petroleum-based methods derived from crude oil because they are renewable, biodegradable, and have less environmental impact. This may vary based on specific methods used by growers or manufacturers. (12,13,14)
1 - https://sacredsmokeherbals.com/the-blue-lotus-a-history-of-beauty-euphoria-and-narcotics/
3 - https://shuncy.com/article/grow-blue-lotus
5 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00170-021-07980-w
6 - https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/sustainable-manufacturing
7 - https://greentumble.com/environmental-impacts-of-factories-and-how-they-can-improve
9 - https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-287-633-1_1
10 - https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/oil-and-the-environment.php
11 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_the_petroleum_industry
13 - https://cen.acs.org/business/specialty-chemicals/Switching-sustainable-surfactants/100/i15
14 - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-021-17567-3