Beauty doesn’t have to cost the earth – and, no, we’re not talking about pocket money here, but respecting our planet.
There’s no hiding from the fact that the beauty industry as a whole contributes immense amounts of waste to the environment – it’s estimated that 18million acres of forest are lost annually in order to produce the packaging that our beauty products come in.
But consumer habits and awareness are swiftly changing and beauty brands are responding with sustainable initiatives, like switching to recyclable packaging and empowering local suppliers.
Meet the seven sustainable beauty brands to pack in your vacation kit.
Sustainable doesn’t have to mean ‘green’ in its aesthetic. With ultra-Instagrammable packaging and non-toxic formulas, Herbivore is one of the most shelfie covetable brands of the moment. Not only is the packaging recyclable and resuable but the product inside has an emphasis on organic plant-based oils – minus any synthetic ingredients. Herbivore is dedicated to sustainability at every level of its supply chain so it’s conscious as well as cool.
Meet the beauty world’s first socially-conscious luxe fragrance house, Sana Jardin. The fragrances not only smell sublime with names like Celestial Patchouli and Savage Jasmine, but the perfume house promotes social change, too. Sana Jardin advocates the economic empowerment of women through ‘The Beyond Sustainability Movement’ – since 2015, the brand has worked with the indigenous Amazigh women in the historic flower-growing region in Morocco by helping female flower harvesters to upcycle their floral waste.
This is a brand that’s all about sustainably sourced ingredients, specifically from Southern Africa. There’s a commitment to using plants that grow in their natural, bio-dynamic environment free from farming, pollution, pesticides and human interference – but African Botanics also ensures the plants are always sustainable and harvested with the utmost respect to nature and future generations. We love the travel-friendly Departures kit, which comes in a handwoven cosmetic bag made from authentic West African mud cloth.
Certified organic and in chic but sustainable packaging, Kjaer Weis (that’s pronounced ‘keer /why-s’, FYI) is make-up to put on your beauty radar. It’s a brand that combines luxury and sustainability thanks to its bold, metal refillable compacts that are way too pretty not to reuse. Choose the right blush shade for you and use it as a multitasker on your travels for lips, cheeks and eyelids to tie your whole make-up look together.
All hail plant power. Made in the UK, this new luxury CBD brand is organically cultivated and clean crafted with an ongoing commitment to sustainability. Because the brand owns the whole supply chain, it allows them to control that all the plants harvested are replanted. Apothem are also dedicated to using all parts of the plant – seeds, flowers and stem – supplying the overall hemp supply chain, which creates products such as clothing and packaging. Clever.
Tisserand Aromatherapy is going the extra mile to protect the planet with its new collaboration with National Geographic. There’s a focus on sustainability throughout, from sourcing the 100% pure essential oil ingredients to the recycled packaging and eco inks. With wanderlusters in mind, choose from Paradise, Explore or Retreat – each product is created with 100% PCR plastic bottles and FSC cardboard, plus there’s a donation of the profits to those who work in conservation via National Geographic Society.
Non-toxic, clean and sustainable, One Ocean Beauty's formulas fuse high-performance peptides and powerful active marine ingredients, sourced from the world's seas. Unsurprisingly, the ocean is the brand’s inspiration so, for every product purchased, One Ocean Beauty contributes to the preservation and restoration of the oceans through its partnership with Oceana, which helps protect the world’s oceans.
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