From tiny independents to huge global brands, the beauty business is gradually becoming more sustainable, with an increasingly ethical approach to ingredients, packaging and production. While some take small steps and others giant strides to protect our planet, every improvement is a step in the right direction. The key thing is to start somewhere, from reducing or cutting plastic packaging, to recycling and going organic or GM-free. Here are some of the brands making the biggest impact.
Dr Hauschka
Dr Hauschka uses biodynamic farming methods to grow its ingredients and green electricity where possible. Most of its plant-based products are packaged in glass and aluminium jars and tubes.
Dr Hauschka Shower Cream £12
Neal’s Yard
Neal’s Yard obtains ethical and environmentally friendly ingredient alternatives, supporting small distilleries and communities in Nepal, Serbia and Kenya.
Neal’s Yard Lavendar & Tea Tree Body Powder £10
Lush Shampoo Bar & Charity pot
Around 90% of Lush’s packaging is recycled and half of its products can be taken home without any packaging, including this cute shampoo bar. Result.
With each sale of a Charity Pot, Lush donates 100% of the price (minus the taxes) to grassroots organisations working on environmental conservation, animal welfare and human rights.
Hydro Phil Cotton Buds, £2.50 for 100
The UK uses 13.2 billion plastic cotton buds a year, more than any other European country. Hydro Phil biodegradable bamboo and cotton swabs come in a recycled box and are compostable when you're done.
Fushcia Vegan Wooden Brush Set, 35 euro
Irish brand, Fuschia Beauty's new 8-piece Vegan Wooden Brush Collection includes 3 eye and 5 face brushes to buff, blend and contour, with beautiful bamboo handles.
Soaper Duper
The packaging of these gorgeous sulphate-free shower and hand products are made from 50% PCR plastic and its tubes 55%. It has recycled over 22 metric tonnes of plastic and donated £150,000 to WaterAid.
The Kind Co
Irish company, The Kind Co curates a wonderful selection of products that are kind to the user and kind to the environment. These guys are a one-stop shop to purchase all you need to reduce plastic and find unique products that enable you to live more consciously with zero waste.
Weleda Skin Food
I first discovered Weleda through its camomile-based, skin-kind baby products. More than 75% of its plant ingredients come from biodynamic or organic farming and its commitment to biodiversity has been recognised by the Union for Ethical BioTrade.
Sheamoisture
SheaMoisture is economically empowering cooperatives in countries such as Ghana, Jamaica and Turkey where its ingredients are grown.
African Black Soap Soothing Body Wash £12
The HandMade Soap Company
We totally love this Irish company’s hand creams, soaps and scrubs – our ultimate hand spa would include some sugar-based hand scrub, followed by some cuticle oil and topped off with some of their award-winning hand cream; all from the Bergamot and Eucalyptus collection.
Their home collection is also pretty special - we especially love their lemongrass and cedarwood reed diffuser.
And the best bit is - all this company’s bottles, including hotel minis, are made from post-consumer recycled plastic – and everything is 100% recyclable too! This is a hugely important step in reducing plastic manufacturing, single-use plastic and closing the loop of recycling. All products are free from SLS, paragons and petrochemicals; plus they never test on animals.
Albany Mae
Albany Mae provides biodegradable, plastic free tampons that contain zero toxins and no fragrance. you can get 16 regular organic tampon subscription from £4.50 a month
Guerlain
Guerlain runs an education programme to raise awareness of protecting bees (the brand’s emblem). Aqua Allegoira Coconut Fizz Eau De Toilette £59
Garnier
Garnier has partnered with TerraCycle to develop recycled packaging.
Micellar cleansing water combination skin £6
Mac
The Back-to-Mac scheme offers a complimentary lipstick to customers returning six Mac containers. Mac cosmetics mineralise blush in naturally flawless £23
By Sarah
This plant-powered skincare brand is reducing its environmental impact at every stage, from organic farming to recyclable shipping materials. Organic Facial Oil £32
ECO-WARRIOR by Little Soap Company (£4/100g) gives major impact on cleansing with minimum impact on the environment. The company offers a collection of six thoughtful, high impact, plastic-free, vegan, cruelty-free, recyclable, sustainable, biodegradable, British-made, job-specific beauty bars, changing the way we cleanse forever. From washing and exfoliating to shaving and even shampooing, ECO WARRIOR has you covered - in bio-degradable bar form.
Made with pure, natural ingredients, each with its own distinct use and bespoke essential oil blend (no synthetic fragrances), the ECO WARRIOR collection delivers affordable plastic free solutions to everyday needs. Simply wrapped in a recyclable box, it helps eliminate single use plastic bottles from sinks, bathrooms and wash bags. Free from detergents, SLS, sulphates, alcohol, parabens, sorbates, silicones, synthetic preservatives. And with naturally occurring glycerine locked inside the bars, it is super moisturising, putting a stop to all the elements that have given soap a bad rap.
The SENSITIVE FACIAL BAR is our fave and has a blend of Chamomile & Calendula essential oils, for ultra-nourishing cleansing which is gentle enough to use on sensitive skin.
Spotlight Oral Care
Spotlight Oral Care launched its latest range of effective and sustainable dental products which are toxin-free, environmentally friendly and cruelty-free.
The new range features 5 products which all contain clinically proven ingredients each tackling common dental concerns. With billions of toothpaste tubes sitting in landfill sites each year we are excited with their latest offering - even the packaging is made from sugar cane and is 100% recyclable - a game changer for a plastic-heavy industry.
REFILLABLE BEAUTY
According to a report from Mintel, ‘zero waste’ is set to be the key beauty trend in the coming years: 'Whether reducing or eliminating waste altogether, if brands don’t change their approach now they will become insignificant and may not exist in the future.’ Here is a round up of the best refillables on my radar... please share yours too @thefwordsonline
Chantecaille Pebble Compact
This extremely environmentally conscious brand uses high concentrations of botanicals and has a longterm focus on ocean health. The Pebble Compact houses its eye and cheek creams. £9.50, plus product around £19.50.
Lancome Idole
Lancome's new blockbuster perfume, wasn't just created by three female noses, smells of bergamot, rose & jasmine and comes in a chic super slim bottle. It's also refillable - on counter. It's not the first perfume brand to do so but I'm hoping lots more follow suit. Mugler offers the same for its Angel, Alien and Aura fragrances, one of which is refilled somewhere in the world every 25 seconds. Lancome Idole from £48 (refills from £38.50)
L'Occitane Almond Shower Duo
L'Occitane offers refills for many of its products including bath, shower and hand washes. My personal favourite is the Almond Shower Oil which smells incredible and leaves skin deeply nourished. £39 (worth £47.50)
Rachel Vosper
Based in London’s Belgravia, this store not only refills both its own candle vessels or a container of your choice with fragranced wax and bespoke scents. Available in-store and by post from £24.
Andrea Garland Lip Balm Compacts
Customers love refilling these natural lip balms in retro-inspired compacts or vintage pots. From £15, refill charge is £3.50
Kjaer Weis blush
These metal cases with swivel tops can all be refilled with lip, cheek or eye products made from organic ingredients. £41, refill £24,
Tropic Bath Foam
Not only does this smell divine, its refillable pouch can replenish the original bottle twice over. £18, refill £27
Rituals Body Cream
Rituals reminds us that using a refill of its luxurious body creams saves 70 per cent in CO2 emissions and uses 65 per cent less energy and 45 per cent less water. £18.50, refill £15.50
Dior Prestige La Crème Texture Riche £285
In order to better safeguard the environment, Dior offers refillable bottles and jars within its Capture Totale, Dior Prestige and L’Or de Vie ranges.
Another brand committed to limiting their impact on the environment is L’Occitane, who have cut down on excessive holiday packaging. In a bid to minimise the amount of packaging materials, the company reduced its use of cardboard by over 31,000 kilograms in this year’s Christmas range!
The brand has never used plastic bags preferring paper bags instead and this year they have also ensured all its wrapping paper is made from recycled and recyclable materials.
