Well Groomed | Sustainable Beauty
Sadly notorious for its negative impact on the environment, the cosmetics industry has a long way to go to clean up its act. Zero Waste reports that more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry, much of which is not recyclable. However many brands are making eco-friendly moves that can make a big difference overall. From recyclable packaging and waste-reducing refills to supporting social enterprises, WELL CURATED round up the beauty brands whose eco-friendly efforts might encourage you to make your self-care routine more sustainable.
Scent
Founder Amy Christiansen Si-Ahmed set up a cooperative in Morocco to support low-income women who pick the roses, jasmine and orange blossoms, for Sana Jardin perfumes. These local women then use the by-products such as orange flower water or flower wax to create candles to sell at local markets and succeed independently, creating a truly empowering cycle.
The fragrance house sources sustainable Vetiver from Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. CLEAN’s continued purchase of Vetiver from this region helps support education and health care initiatives, whilst also funding a program that provides safe drinking water to the school and community.
As if the aroma wasn’t enough to draw you in, Le Labo boutiques refill your empty bottle with a fresh, handmade batch of the original scent at a 20% discount… the ultimate incentive to eliminate waste. The fragrance itself contains natural, responsibly sourced ingredients. The cardamom essence in best-seller, Santal 33, comes from a reforestation project in the Caribbean.
Hair
Indian women are known to have the longest, strongest, healthiest hair in the world, the country is also the birthplace of meditation and mindfulness. The debut range from Fable & Mane brings Ayurvedic wisdom to western beauty with the use of potent plant roots, native herbs and Indian spices to deliver beautiful hair and a sensorial experience. The brand also has a ‘give back’ philosophy, supporting wildlife charities that restore habitats for endangered animals.
Committed to living in harmony with the natural world and making the most of its resources, this Australian brand uses ingredients from sustainable and renewable sources. AHAs, or fruit acids, derived from Papaya, Citrus, and Sugar Cane that gently exfoliate the hair, and natural surfactants from the Soap Bark Tree, Quillaja, to create rich luxurious lathers that nourish hair.
With 2m tonnes of electronic waste discarded in the UK each year, Cloud Nine are caring for more than just your hair with their pioneering iron recycling service. By partnering with LSS, a leading UK Recycling & Waste management company, they will recycle your old straightening irons for free, regardless of their brand or where they were purchased.
Make up
Makeup artist to the stars, Gucci Westman, has created skin-nourishing, clean makeup that uses potent actives at clinically proven efficacy levels. With a commitment to holistic living, Gucci believes makeup should do more than enhance — it should calm, replenish and balance. The Lit Up Highlight Stick containing Vitis Vita Grape Extract detoxifies skin cells, promotes the production of the collagen and helps you recreate Gucci’s signature dewy look at home.
RMS aim to reduce our daily exposure to chemicals by using raw, food grade, organic ingredients in their collections. Founder Rose-Marie Swift has created a line of colourful cosmetics that are not only non-toxic, but actually heal and nourish skin. The brands’ concern for health and beauty also extends beyond the product, to the planet that supplied the healing ingredients.
Inika offers organic vegan mineral makeup guaranteed to be talc-free and noncomedogenic, which is ideal for skin that is sensitive and prone to allergies. Found in nature, ingredients are untouched by artificial fertilisers and synthetic chemicals. They’re also sourced in an environmentally sustainable way, maximising use of renewable resources and minimising consumption of energy, soil and water. The Long Lash Vegan Mascara blends Carnauba Wax to boosts volume with Vitamin E to soften and protect lashes.
Skincare
The perfect antidote to mass production, The Soap Co. collections are crafted in the UK by people who are blind, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged. Purchase their eco-certified, plastic free Hand Wash and give back a life-changing opportunity. And it doesn’t stop there, bottles are from aluminium which can be recycled infinitely.
From their Jade Facial Foller to the Jasmine Green Tea Toner, Herbivore Botanicals' use the power of nature to deliver highly effective products. The brands 100% recyclable glass bottles that allow ingredients to shine through, have been an instagram hit, proving sustainable can be cool.
Bottles made with ocean plastic and tubes made from post-consumer-recycled plastic, REN package their products with the planet in mind and team up with partners like Surfers Against Sewage and Plastic Patrol that share their vision of sustainability. REN were the first luxury beauty brand to support this recycling technology.