First beauty products made with synthetic palm oil go on sale

The world’s first microbial alternative to palm oil smells faintly of carrots. Made by fermenting yeast, the oil could help reduce the problem of deforestation tied to palm oil production.

“We’re trying to prevent future destruction of rainforests,” says David Heller, co-founder of C16 Biosciences, the company developing the oil. The oil is liquid at room temperature and has a dark orange-red colour. The company has begun using the new oil in an oil blend sold …