As a cosmetics industry we want natural but for many, palm just doesn’t cut it. We take a look at the production of palm oil and the work of the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil to see if this golden crop deserves its tarnished reputation. Palm oil is one ingredient that is getting more than its fair share of dirty looks and 'free from' airplay thanks to our new obsession for product traceability. The global cosmetics industry is a sizable palm oil user - not quite as much as the Household and Industrial cleaning market or those with a penchant for fast foods, snack foods and pre-prepared cakes and biscuits but that is another story. The fact that the cosmetics industry is largely 'for fun' rather than 'for function' is part of our problem as our growing conscience plays the 'save your face or my rainforest home' dilemma every time we hit the retail outlets. The politics of palm oil farming were thrust into the cosmetics industry spotlight in 2004 with the launch of the Round Table For Sustainable Palm Oil. This not-for-profit body was constructed to address growing concerns from both the public and industry over the environmental impact of palm oil plantations.