On a beautiful afternoon we sat down with Batoul, a chemist and founder of Savvy Element, an environmentally friendly self and home care brand made in Lebanon, and learned treasures of wisdom.

When Batoul launched Savvy Element she had in mind to create a hands-on project with tangible results for a greener Lebanon. She has always been interested in the green branch of chemistry and when she started, in 2019, she was also embracing a lifestyle mindful of what she eats and products she uses for self-care. She had been working as a research consultant for the UNDP on renewable energies and other projects, when she decided to create her green Lebanese business. She quit her job and received a fellowship for research in Germany where she worked on her formulations, choosing ingredients, testing for quality, while taking courses in cosmetology. The passionate chemist tells us assembling ingredients ‘is like lego, they have to work together,’ she explains that a Vitamin C serum could have negligible effect if not in the right dosage or that some ingredients can cancel each other. She came back to Beirut and launched Savvy Element, with a line of self-care; cleanser, face cream, hair serum… and a line of homecare products; surface cleaner, air purifier, dish and laundry soaps. ‘We tend to believe something we don’t put on our skin doesn’t affect us, but we do inhale the products in our home that we use to clean dishes or surfaces.’ In 2020 after her laboratory was shattered because of the Beirut port explosion, she had to reset and start over. She thought about leaving everything behind and moving abroad, but despite all, she decided to keep this green venture going in our country that decidedly needs more eco-friendly minded businesses. She also chooses to support other Lebanese businesses through her model; 20% of the raw materials used are local, and she would definitely choose more, ‘Lebanon has so much potential for essential oils, our lavenders, our lemons, our pine trees, have an incredible smell, we have amazing plant resources,’ but to get her ISO certification every material selected must come with extensive data sheets and testing that are often too expensive for small Lebanese businesses who do not receive any support. She also fosters connection to make up for the lack of industry events; ‘we are contacting juice factories for example, for citruses essential oils, we only need the peel and they don’t need it, so there are ways to collaborate that we can explore.’

Batoul ensures that her business takes care of the body and environment in every possible way. She selects ingredients that are biodegradable, non-toxic, that do not create toxic biproducts, use little energy to make, and is careful about how the product is extracted from nature. She says that between natural and synthetic products each can have advantages and evaluates the wiser option for each ingredient. Oregano flower, cedar extract, grapefruit, she chooses botanical ingredients for their nourishing and healing properties. The face serum rich in vitamin C contains antioxidant natural saffron. She would opt for synthetic vanilla because it is a scarce resource that was overly exploited and avoids palm oil responsible for intensive deforestation. It’s a balancing act, fine-tuning the right mix, Batoul chooses ‘safety with no compromise on efficiency, I want people to choose it because it’s a good product not just for its goodness on the environment.’ Savvy Element’s self-care line features a shampoo bar; ‘it is sulfate free, parabens free, eliminates the plastic packaging, saves about 75% of water, is smaller to transport, has fewer preservatives and no binding ingredients while being very nutrient rich.’ She also explains that the care line’s sunscreen is mineral, it creates a physical barrier and does not penetrate the skin, so none of its products are absorbed, while chemical sunscreens contain toxic UV filters, and those same ingredients also harm marine ecosystems. The packaging of Savvy Element is sustainable ‘you can send your bottles or gallons back and they will be prepared for reuse, the only thing that cannot be reused is the detergent plastic bottles but we recycle them with Live Love Recycle.' The self-care line products come in glass packaging. As for what’s next, the entrepreneur is working on a line of non-toxic candles, with plant-based wax as opposed to petroleum based. The savvy lady is also planning to launch soon a baby product line, true to her vision of taking care of the skin and the environment. 

www.savvyelement.co
@savvyelement__

* This article is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should consult your physician or other health care professional for specific medical advice.