Have you ever bought a moisturiser or cream only for your skin to break out red and itchy the next day? This was the bane of Joy Ajala’s life until she discovered Tropics at a friend’s pamper party. Now she’s an ambassador for the brand and sells its freshly made cosmetics at the Harpenden Sustainability Market, which is back on the 15th of March.
At Joy’s stand, you’ll find Lip Fudge, a plumping lip conditioner, Tamanu Balm, a skin saviour for broken skin and Superfood Hand Therapy, which, Joy tells us, is a real crowd pleaser. You’ll also find body oils, hair products, body butters and soaps.
A sensitive soul
Back in 2019, Joy was looking for products to soothe her sensitive skin which didn’t contain harmful chemicals. A friend invited her to a pamper party where she tried the cleansing milk, bamboo cloth and moisturiser. Bracing herself for a regretful morning with a stinging face, she instead woke to smooth, soft skin. Overjoyed, she immediately called her friend and bought all their products.
The company ethos immediately appealed to her, too. Tropics is guided by three principles: healthier, greener and more empowered than ever. Tropics’ natural plant extracts and flowers are sourced from – you guessed it – the tropics and are Cosmo-certified, vegan and cruelty-free. They also strive for zero waste, with recyclable, refillable and returnable packaging, with no virgin plastic. All their carbon emissions are accounted for and double offset, and they are a certified carbon neutral company.
Giving back to people and planet is also important to Tropics – 10% of profits go to support good causes, including restoring coral reefs and growing trees. In Cambodia, they’ve built schools and empowered women to earn their own money.
Fresh to order
You won’t find Tropics’ products in retail stores – they’re only available through ambassadors like Joy. This business model, says Joy, is more sustainable than traditional ones, ‘every product is made fresh to order, rather than left hanging around in a warehouse. When you place an order, I’ll put it into the system that day. They’ll make it freshly the next day or two and then ship it straight out to you.’ This means no waste.
It also means less preservatives. Traditional products need at least a year and half of shelf life which is achieved through harsh preservatives. These can cause skin irritations and hormone imbalances.
Joy’s favourite customers
Joy likes customers who are specifically on the lookout for natural products. The ones on her wavelength who ask why the products are better than the alternatives, who are conscious of what they put in their body and who don’t buy just for the sake of it. She also appreciates her fellow stallholders, and signed up to the Wildlife Trust on her first market!
Want to make more sustainable skincare choices? Joy’s advice is to prioritise products with packaging that is recyclable, reusable or returnable so less goes to landfill.
If you can’t make the next market, you can browse Joy’s webshop and follow her on Instagram. She also holds pamper parties where you can try the products before you buy and pops up at markets in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
Join us at the next Sustainability Market on Sunday the 15th of March to discover Tropics by Joy and other local eco and food stalls that promote a more sustainable lifestyle. Visit our markets page for the full schedule of dates.