As the world faces the challenge of reducing carbon emissions to combat climate change, the beauty industry is also shifting towards sustainability. But what exactly does this mean for cosmetics producers and consumers?
Let's look at what sustainability in beauty really means.
Clean Beauty vs Sustainable Beauty vs Zero-Waste Beauty
The way we live impacts our planet, and more people are realising that what's good for our skin should also be good for the Earth. That means opting for products made from natural, organic ingredients and produced in ways that don't harm the environment. But things get a bit tricky when we start talking about "Clean Beauty", "Sustainable Beauty" and "Circular or Zero Waste Beauty" – terms that often get mixed up.
Even though their meanings are still evolving, the consensus is that:
Clean Beauty generally focuses on the formulation of the products, ensuring they do not contain potentially toxic or harmful ingredients, such as parabens, carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and formaldehyde. It incorporates natural ingredients, and the emphasis is on safety and non-toxicity for both the consumer and the environment.
Sustainable Beauty, on the other hand, emphasises eco-friendly production practices. This includes sourcing ingredients responsibly, using packaging that is less harmful to the environment, and implementing manufacturing processes that have a minimal ecological footprint.
Circular Beauty is based on a closed-loop system that aims to eliminate waste by keeping resources in continuous circulation. This is in contrast to the traditional linear economy model of take, make, waste, where natural resources are extracted, turned into products, and then disposed of after use.
Instead of throwing away waste, circular beauty focuses on the principles of reduce, reuse, recycle, and regenerate. The goal is to close the product loop by finding ways to continuously cycle materials and by-products into new products or regenerative processes.
All are aiming for the same goal: keeping our planet healthy for generations to come.
The beauty industry has, for years, been a large contributor to global warming, deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, unethical labour practices, toxic waste, and various other social ills. Luckily, things are changing.
Sustainability touches every aspect of the product lifestyle, including the entire supply chain, from start to finish. From ingredient sourcing, packaging development, product transportation, and store operations, to product end-of-life and waste management. From the moment it leaves its production site, to when you use the last drop. It's about seeing the whole picture and making improvements as and where we can.
So, what does all this mean for small-scale cosmetics producers and consumers?
As a producer:
Start by asking yourself, these two questions:
1. Environmental: How does our business impact the environment, and what steps can we take to minimise our carbon footprint and promote sustainability?
2. Social: Are we contributing positively to the communities we operate in? How do we ensure fair trade and support our local communities?
Electricity usage waste and water usage are some basic environmental measures of sustainability. Making sure these are all as low as possible throughout the supply chain is important.
Sourcing materials closer to production sites is another way to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation. Additionally, purchasing in bulk can help reduce carbon emissions from multiple purchases.
Use nontoxic ingredients and embrace ethical sourcing. Start by evaluating supplier performance across environmental, social, and ethical criteria. Then, partner with suppliers who prioritise environmental sustainability by sourcing ingredients responsibly, and adhering to stringent standards regarding workers' rights.
Incorporating alternative packaging such as glass, paper, and aluminium is great because it can be recycled, reused, and kept in a closed-loop system (which equals little to no waste/zero waste). Refillable packaging has also emerged as another promising sustainability initiative within the beauty industry, allowing consumers to replenish their favourite beauty products without throwing away the entire packaging.
As a consumer:
Experiment with do-it-yourself beauty alternatives using commonly available kitchen ingredients. DIY recipes like honey, yoghurt, and essential oils offer effective and environmentally friendly options, reducing reliance on commercial and packaged products.
Consider purchasing from local brands or small businesses that prioritise sustainability and ethical practices. Supporting these businesses promotes responsible production and contributes to the growth of a sustainable community.
In the past biodegradability was the holy grail of sustainability but the more we begin to understand the process and the greater sustainability issue, the more we realise that less product needs to be produced in the first place. Biodegradable substances can't keep up with the number of new products that are being produced. We need to use less, reuse more, and not rely on biodegradable products (they're still great but not the ultimate solution.)
Don't pour something down the drain that is meant to go in the bin. Water can't dissolve everything, and it is a precious resource. For example, oils and butters used in cosmetics cannot dissolve in water and pouring them down the drain will result in clogged systems and fatty, unusable soils. If you can break them down with surfactants first then do, otherwise dispose of them in the bin.
Look for accreditations like Vegan, Leaping Bunny/cruelty-free, recyclable, Fair Trade, organically farmed, palm free or alternatively RSPO certified, Cosmos / Ecocert / Natrue, etc.
Ways Essentially Natural is Contributing to Sustainability
Here at Essentially Natural, we're always looking for ways to improve. We know we're not perfect, but that just means there's plenty of room to grow – and that's something we find exciting!
Our #1 pillar and the main reason the company was founded was to provide non-toxic, natural ingredients. We believe wholeheartedly in our products and strive to provide the best quality, 100% natural ingredients. We will continue to strive to source innovative and natural ingredient solutions.
Our Essentially Natural Brand range of products is proudly vegan and certified cruelty-free.
Plastic-free packaging in our shipping boxes. We absolutely do not tolerate unnecessary plastic packaging!
We're working on getting rid of all our plastic packaging and converting it to glass wherever possible and sensible (for example glass is heavy to transport so for bulk items it makes better carbon footprint sense to rather use something lighter such as a plastic bucket which can then be reused).
Supporting community outreach programs with our One Percent Movement.
Achieving carbon neutral deliveries by purchasing carbon credits and supporting carbon sequestering programs and other initiatives. We are working to expand this massively.
At our company, employees are valued as integral members of our extended family. More than just co-workers, we are a tightly-knit community. Upskilling and cross-skilling are actively encouraged, allowing team members to expand their knowledge and explore new domains.
10 years later, we're still fully committed to supporting our local supply partners. We don't undercut by importing directly and we try very hard to do our part to help support the local economy.
Promoting free educational content, inspiration and ideas, and DIY recipes. Because doing it yourself has an infinitely smaller carbon footprint than purchasing mass-marketed products and is vastly more sustainable!
We're constantly trying to find ways to improve wherever we can, and if you have any ideas you'd like to share with us, please do!
We hope this topic got you thinking - we know it certainly got us thinking!
At the end of the day, sustainability is a movement toward a more pro-planet, positive beauty future. It’s a direction we must all travel in to save our beautiful blue dot.
References:
https://mercisf.com/2024/04/17/sustainable-beauty-trends-shaping-the-future-of-cosmetics-2/
https://braveinbloom.com/blogs/brave-in-bloom-journal/the-connection-between-clean-beauty-and-environmental-sustainability
https://web-assets.bcg.com/79/c5/dc68d7e940d898730da40d74a511/south-africas-net-zero-transition.pdf
https://blog.cleanhub.com/sustainable-beauty-guide
