Eco Home Science
Natural Products. Follow the Evidence.
I am Serge, a plant biologist and environmental scientist. I evaluate eco and natural home products the way a scientist would rather than the way a lifestyle blogger would. That means looking at the actual chemistry, the ingredient science, and the environmental evidence behind the claims on the label.
Much eco product content focuses on lifestyle benefits, sustainability messaging, or manufacturer claims. My approach is different. I evaluate products based on ingredient chemistry, environmental science, and the available evidence.
My BSc in Plant Biology gave me formal training in plant biochemistry, the biological and chemical processes that govern how plants produce the compounds that appear in natural skincare, cleaning products, and garden inputs.
My MSc in Environmental Biology and Biogeochemistry covered soil chemistry, carbon and nitrogen cycling, ecosystem processes, ecotoxicology, and atmosphere-biosphere interactions including how pollutants move between air and living systems.
My thesis research was conducted at an open-air field site in boreal forest measuring how silver birch trees respond to elevated temperature and ozone stress. I used a LICOR gas analyser to measure soil CO₂ efflux, measured plant growth responses across two genotypes under four treatment combinations, and analysed the data using linear mixed-model ANOVA. That hands-on experience with real environmental measurements informs how I read and interpret scientific data rather than just repeating it.
Beyond my degrees, I hold four postgraduate specialist certificates from a Graduate School in Environmental Health covering:
– Quality Control of Chemical and Environmental Measurements.
Understanding how analytical data is generated, where it can go wrong, and what standardisation actually means for product quality claims.
– Indoor Microbes:
Exposure Assessment and Health Effects, the biology of indoor environments, what microorganisms do in homes, and how indoor air quality affects occupants.
– Interdisciplinary Knowledge Related to Health Effects of Particulate Air Pollution
How airborne particles behave in indoor and outdoor environments and what the health evidence actually shows.
– Use of Data-Mining Techniques in Environmental Research.
How to extract meaningful patterns from environmental data and where statistical analysis of product claims breaks down.
These are not general interest certificates. They are directly relevant to evaluating the claims that eco home product companies make about air quality, ingredient safety, environmental impact, and product efficacy.
What I evaluate on this site:
Indoor air quality products/ air purifiers, VOC removal claims, ventilation solutions, indoor plants and air quality. My VOC field research experience and indoor microbes training give me a specific framework for evaluating what these products actually do versus what they claim.
Natural cleaning products/ plant-based surfactants, antimicrobial ingredient claims, biodegradability evidence, greenwashing evaluation. My ecotoxicology training and environmental risk assessment background apply directly.
Eco garden products/ soil health inputs, mycorrhizal inoculants, compost activators, organic fertilisers, native plant sourcing. My biogeochemistry and direct field experience measuring soil carbon dynamics make this a genuine area of expertise.
Plant-based skincare ingredients/ the biochemistry behind natural skincare actives, whether ingredient concentrations are meaningful, and what the evidence actually shows for specific compounds. My plant biochemistry training covers every major compound class appearing in natural skincare.
What I do not do:
I do not write lifestyle content. I do not recommend products because they look good or feel aligned with eco values. I do not repeat marketing claims without checking the science behind them. I do not make medical claims about any product.
Every evaluation on this site starts with the same question: what does the chemistry and the evidence actually show?
If you want scientifically grounded evaluation of eco and natural home products rather than enthusiasm and aesthetics, you are in the right place.
“If you want scientifically grounded evaluation of eco and natural home products rather than enthusiasm and aesthetics, you are in the right place.”