Forever chemicals in your strawberries??

… could they be in your skincare too?

Recent headlines have raised an uncomfortable question about the food we eat. In the United States, a class action against one of the world’s largest berry producers followed independent testing that reportedly detected multiple pesticide residues—including several fluorinated “forever chemicals”—on conventional strawberries. The company disputes those findings and maintains its fruit meets all food safety standards.

At the same time, Australia has been reviewing pesticide use on berry crops. In late 2025, the APVMA suspended the use of the insecticide dimethoate on blueberries, raspberries and blackberries after updated consumption data showed Australians were eating significantly more berries than when safety limits were originally assessed. More recently, a proposal to increase residue limits for the PFAS insecticide isocycloseram sparked widespread public debate because of concerns around its persistence in the environment.

These stories are nothing new, and if you’re reading this blog post you are most likely already aware of the chemicals used in conventional farming and the residues that can remain on the fruit and vegetables we feed our families.

But what does this have to do with skincare?

Many of the botanical oils and extracts used in skincare are grown using the same conventional farming practices as our food. If those crops are treated with synthetic pesticides, residues can potentially make their way into the botanical raw materials subsequently used in cosmetic formulations.

And when it comes to PFAS—or “forever chemicals”—contamination isn’t the only issue.

Some PFAS are actually added intentionally to mainstream skincare and makeup formulations.

They can be used to improve properties such as texture, slip, conditioning, shine, water resistance and durability. The US FDA confirms that PFAS ingredients are used in cosmetic categories including moisturisers, cleansers, foundations, eyeshadows, lipsticks, blush and nail products. In its most recent assessment, the FDA identified 51 different PFAS intentionally added across 1,744 cosmetic formulations in its database.

A major study of cosmetics sold in the US and Canada also found fluorinated compounds particularly frequently in products such as foundations, mascaras and lip products, highlighting just how embedded fluorinated chemistry can be in modern cosmetic formulation.

So when we talk about “forever chemicals” in beauty, we aren’t necessarily talking about an accidental trace residue. In some products, fluorinated chemistry has been deliberately incorporated to make the formula perform in a certain way.

And this is where our philosophy is fundamentally different.

No Compromise

The philosophy behind every Wildcrafted Organics formulation begins with the quality and integrity of the ingredients themselves.

We choose nutrient-rich certified organic or wildcrafted botanicals—plants grown or harvested without the routine use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides associated with conventional farming.

Rather than asking how much chemical residue is considered acceptable, we choose not to formulate with conventionally farmed botanicals in the first place.

And rather than relying on persistent fluorinated chemistry simply to achieve a particular texture or cosmetic performance, we believe beautiful, high-performance skincare can be created without compromising our formulation philosophy.

Because cheap and nasty ingredients don’t belong in truly luxurious skincare.

For us, purity isn’t a marketing trend. It’s a decision made long before a product reaches the bottle.