43 brilliant sustainable beauty swaps to make all year round – not just on Earth Day
You've heard this before: beauty has an ugly side in terms of waste. But with pressure growing for more sustainable beauty offerings, the good news is that there's plenty of new innovation to not only soothe your eco conscience but also make high-tech beauty lovers purr with delight.
Nor do these new products cost the earth – figuratively speaking or in terms of price. After all, we don't want a regime that's supposed to be beautiful creating ugly problems for our planet. We know our beauty routines and habits can have a huge impact – from plastic packaging filling landfills to cosmetic chemicals washing away down the drain and disrupting marine life.
We might think we can't change the world in a big way through the beauty products that we choose, but cumulatively, a switch as simple as ditching our daily face wipes could save thousands from entering our oceans throughout our lifetime. The government is getting on board, too, by announcing its intention to ban the sale of wet wipes containing plastic by the end of 2024, followed by an 18-month transition.
With more brands innovating to come up with a league of creative and sustainable solutions to the problem of sustainable beauty, the choice is ours. We just have to make it. More and more brands are now B Corps certified – with The Body Shop, Davines, Rituals, Elemis, The Inkey List and Bybi, among others, leading the charge.
Keep scrolling for nine easy ways to make our beauty routines more planet-friendly...
1. Consider waterless beauty
A new scientific discovery by researchers at the University of East Anglia could turn water- and oil-based beauty products, such as moisturiser, into small dry pieces of confetti-like paper. All you would then need to do is add a drop of water to the paper-like disc to turn it into a liquid.
Ground-breaking, right? And not least because only 3% per cent of the earth’s water supply is now accessible freshwater (the rest is trapped in glaciers and snowfields) – and moisturiser and serum is typically made of 70-90% distilled water.
While paper moisturiser may be the future, waterless beauty – an umbrella term for products that eliminate the need for water or allow you to add only the necessary amount at home – is becoming increasingly popular.
Sbtract's Vitamin C Booster is the first solid vitamin C serum that not only feeds lack-lustre skin a bevvy of antioxidants via rosehip and sea buckthorn oils, but is also perfect for hand-luggage as it doesn't count as a liquid.
Or become your own skincare alchemist by dropping Mono Skincare's tablet into the reusable bottle, filling it with water at home, and then watch as your new skincare serum appears before your eyes.
Water-soluble packaging is also fast becoming the beating heart of innovation for niche brands. PLUS is the first-of-its-kind dissolvable body wash – you simply add water to lather up and wash the sachet down the plug.
2. Go down the biotech beauty route
Traditionally, natural beauty has involved planting flowers or herbs on an industrial scale, then using water and energy to farm them. All of which takes time and puts a strain on resources. The trouble is, demand for natural ingredients is outstripping supply (the global natural cosmetics market expected to be worth £48 billion by 2025), which is where biotechnology is stepping in to lower the environmental impact.
Biotechnology combines biology (bio) with chemistry (tech) to grow skincare ingredients in a lab that are identical to what is found in nature. What happens behind the scenes goes a little like this: scientists use petri dishes of bacteria, yeast and algae to grow cultures of plant cells to produce a specific ingredient.
For example, Biossance leans on biotech to create the hydrating ingredient squalane for its 100% Squalane Oil as an alternative to squalene, which is sourced from shark's liver. It does so by mixing a yeast strain with sugarcane syrup – and via fermentation, the yeast converts the sugar into a squalane molecule.
Swedish brand Tiny Associates is also making waves in the biotech space. In particular, it has found a way of creating bisabolol, a natural ingredient used to calm the skin that typically requires one tonne of wood to produce 7kg of essential oil. Instead, Tiny Associates ferments plant sugars to obtain the nature-identical molecule found in Boosting Molecules 01 The Face Serum.
3. Switch to eco-friendly perfume
An already buzzy word in fashion, the upcycling trend is now trickling down into the fragrance world. Ingredients derived from waste are now finding their way into perfumes as a way of cutting back on harvesting. For example, beachy scent Ellis Brooklyn Salt Eau de Parfum contains cedarwood oil extracted from sawdust and jasmine petals repurposed from religious ceremonies in India.
Gucci, meanwhile, now uses alcohol made from upcycled pollution. The Alchemist's Garden is laced with 100% captured carbon emissions from industrial sites. Instead of being released into the atmosphere, bacteria turn the carbon emissions into alcohol, which ensures the perfume lingers on your skin for longer.
4. Give solid soaps and shampoos a try
When you consider that 80 billion (!!!) plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles get thrown out globally each year, it's easy to see why we're in need of a switch-up here. Increasingly, brands are turning to solid bars to massively reduce on waste on three fronts.
First, they reduce the use of packaging. Lush's Naked bars leave behind zero trace, while others from the likes of Ethique and Garnier's Shampoo bars use only a small amount of recyclable FSC certified cardboard packaging.
Second, they reduce water consumption, since they make use of the water you're already showering in to lather up.
Third, they save on emissions since they weigh considerably less than heavy bottles of shampoo and conditioner and take up far less space when being transported. Making it an easy switch with a huge environmental pay-off.
5. Treat your skin to a hot cloth cleanse rather than face wipes
There's no denying that face wipes are convenient, but their cost to the environment is horrifying. In the UK alone, we use 11 billion wet wipes a year – the majority of which end up in the bin (and therefore, landfill) or are flushed down the loo (and make it into our oceans).
Water UK revealed that wipes accounted for 93% of sewer blockages, while a gruesome phenomenon called fatbergs (floating stacks of congealed waste including face wipes and sanitary items) have built up in our rivers. To address the problem, the UK government has announced its intention to ban wet wipes containing plastic, with legislation coming into place by the end of 2024.
Combine this with the fact that every derm and their dog will tell you face wipes don't clean our skin well enough, it's high time we switched to a cleaner alternative. There's numerous options open to us, but the old-fashioned route of a hot cloth cleanse with a flannel is one of the most effective ways to thoroughly clean skin.
However, new innovations in the category have brought us the Face Halo. The high-tech fibre discs require only water to loosen and lift away makeup. Since they can be thrown in with your washing and reused, each Face Halo can replace up to 500 face wipes.
Likewise, Garnier's Micellar Reusable Eco Pads (£4.49 for 3) can be paired with micellar water to ease away stubborn mascara and long-wearing makeup and can be washed and reused up to 1,000 times. Or, Etsy has plenty of reusable cotton pads in a variety of pretty prints.
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6. Consider refillable options
Once we have a pump bottle for our hand wash, or a beautiful compact for our blusher, we really don't need the full shebang all over again when they run out. Think of how much packaging goes into the exterior of our products – springs in pumps, mirrors in compacts, heavy jars for fancy moisturisers. That's where refills come in, and you'd be surprised at just how many brands have already got on board.
Fenty Skin's Overnight Recovery Gel Cream launched with a refillable option; body care brand Rituals have refillable options for a range of hand washes, body creams, car fragrances and fragrance sticks.
L'Occitane offers refills for its shower gels, conditioners, shampoos and more, while YSL, Dior and Chanel have refills for their foundation and powder compacts. As for lips, Charlotte Tilbury's Hot Lips 2 and Hourglass' Confession Ultra Slim High Intensity Lipstick can be replaced with refills.
OG refill veteran Kjaer Weiss has a range of makeup, too, housed in beautiful keepsake metal packaging, all with refill options.
And fragrance-wise, Jo Loves groundbreaking Fragrance Paintbrushes now come with refills, Giorgio Armani's ‘My Way’ scents can be topped up in store or with online refills, and niche fragrance brand Le Labo actually offer money off when you bring back your bottle for a refill. Sold.
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7. Switch to products in recycled, recyclable and reusable packaging
If you haven't heard of of PCR (that's post-consumer recycled) plastic, you're about to see a lot more of it. Many are now recognising that creating packaging out of virgin plastic when there's so much of the stuff going to waste already, is madness.
That's why brands like REN are leading the way by putting existing plastic to good use. Their Ocean Plastic bottles use materials collected from oceans, rivers, river banks and beaches. The compromise is a slightly grey hue (which makes each bottle unique) as the bottles carry over some of the colour from their past life. And the metal free pumps are much easier to recycle, too.
Dove has been introducing 100% recycled plastic bottles into its range since the end of 2019 while more than 85% of Aveda's skin and haircare products contain PCR plastic.
Now, brands like Garnier, Maybelline, Kiehl's and L'Occitane are working with recycling company TerraCycle to create drop-off points (you can usually find them in supermarkets) for your beauty empties, with some exceptions such as aerosol cans, perfume bottles, nail polish bottles, and nail polish remover bottles.
Elsewhere, brands have turned their focus to materials that can be more easily reused such as glass and aluminium. The trailblazing initiative, LOOP, has partnered with beauty brands such as Nivea, REN, Beauty Kitchen and Molton Brown (alongside food and drink brands and TESCO) to create a waste-free delivery system of sustainably packaged products straight to your doorstep.
Think of it like the milkman of beauty. They'll drop off a glass or aluminium bottle full of your favourite body wash or shampoo, and when you've used it up, they'll come and collect it.
For another novel packaging idea, look to Elemis, which has partnered with Xampla to convert plant waste from the skincare brand’s product ingredients into heat-sealable films in order to upcycle waste and, in the long run, replace single-use sample sachets.
How to reduce your beauty waste once and for all
8. Get a recycle bin for your bathroom
It seems an obvious one, but there's no point in making the switch to more recyclable beauty products if we then don't stick them in the right bin. A study from Recycle Now found that even though we're pretty good at recycling our kitchen waste (90% of kitchen packaging is recycled), we're falling behind in our bathrooms, where only 50% of packaging is recycled.
To make it easier, stick two bins in your bathroom, one for general waste and one for recycling. Or get a split bin that has a compartment for each, like this one from JosephJoseph.
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9. Check for ingredient transparency
Transparency, not product, is big news in sustainable beauty right now as an antidote to greenwashing. In other words, some beauty brands are delivering the same degree of transparency as you would expect on food labelling – so that you know exactly how ethical your beauty product really is.
Leading the way is Clarins, which launched T.R.U.S.T., a one-of-its-kind platform that uses blockchain technology and provides full transparency on ingredient traceability and product manufacturing. You can literally find out everything from the geographical origin of ingredients and harvesting methods to where the product was formulated and packed.
Plus, Provenance has launched its Directory, where you can discover 200+ health and beauty brands including The Ordinary, Haeckels and Weleda, and check out the ethical pros of each product, backed up by evidence and/or independent third-party verification.
Scroll down for some more eco-friendly beauty buys...
Ulé Avoir It All In & Out Nuturing Phyto Oil
Ulé uses 95% less water to grow its ingredients than traditional methods by using vertical farming (where ingredients are grown indoors on vertical pillars under LED lights powered by renewables). We love this oil that you apply to the skin and drink for inside out skin nourishment.
Chanel No.1 de Chanel The Red Camelia Revitalising Mask
Sustainably farmed red camellia japonica is the hero ingredient of the Chanel No.1 range. Rich in a powerful antioxidant known as protocatechuic acid, it may also slow down the onset of cellular senescence – a natural process in which ageing skin cells lie dormant, causing dryness, dullness and slackness in the skin. Paired with two gently exfoliating AHAs, this face mask ensures your skin has the glow of a love-struck teenager.
Sana Jardin Vanilla Nomad Eau de Parfum
Not only will this scent anoint your wrists in a seductive blend of jasmine, creamy sandalwood, vanilla and earthy patchouli, but the brand's Beyond Sustainability model does a world of good, too. Encouraging female entrepreneurship, Moroccan flower harvesters repurpose botanical waste from Sana Jardin's perfume production into their own products, including candles and orange blossom water, and keep 100% of the profits.
Gisou Honey Infused Lip Oil in Watermelon Sugar
Drench your lips in hydration courtesy of the family-owned Mirsalehi honey. Gisou only harvests surpluses of honey and propolis from the bees and it is constantly increasing the variety of flowers in the Mirsalehi Bee Garden to expand pollen and nectar sources to ensure the wellbeing of the species.
Westman Atelier Eye Want You Mascara
Creating a mascara that delivers on drama, an inky black finish and green chemistry for its ingredients is no mean feat. Eye Want You's hourglass-shaped brush is made from plant-based filament while the plant-based wax and Shea Butter-based formula volumises and evades the use of silicones, parabens, PEGs and phthalates.
BYBI Babe Multi-Purpose Beauty Balm, £18, Boots
The list of BYBI's eco credentials is as long as it is impressive. Every product they release is subject to the brand's Susty Score, an in-house scoring system that considers every aspect of the product's impact on the environment – from the harvesting process, to the transport involved, and the packaging. The brand uses bioplastic bottles made from sugarcane, recyclable glass and grasspaper materials. They use upcycled ingredients in over 50% of products (for instance the Strawberry Booster utilises waste seeds from the juicing industry) and they're working to become truly carbon negative.
Smoothing Cleanser Complexion Purifier, £20, Tropic
Tropic is so sustainable, it’s actually carbon negativity. All of the brand’s limited carbon emissions (from its product deliveries to powering its HQ and, even the team’s commutes into work) are doubly offset by conservation work the brand funds in the Amazon rainforest and in Indonesia. Its Smoothing Cleanser Complexion Purifier is a best-seller and a hit among eco-minded beauty buffs.
Face Halo Makeup Remover Pad, £7.50, Boots
Ditch your single-use face wipes and cotton pads for this microfiber makeup remover which can be washed and reused up to 500 times. Just add water and a little bit of elbow grease to see mascara, foundation and more lift off before your eyes. No chemicals down the sink or waste in the bin. Curious? Read our full Face Halo review.
Green People have been planet pals since way back in 1997 when the brand launched as pioneers in organic, vegan beauty. Since then, they’ve continued to find new ways to make their offering as sustainable and considerate as possible. They’ve teamed up with organisations like the Born Free Foundation (an initiative that educates kids on environmental matters) and The Marine Conservation Society which works to protect our seas, shores and wildlife. Plus, they've given us the UK’s first 100% biodegradable pot with the One Balm, an easy all-over balm for nails, skin, lips, lids and elbows. The clever part? It decomposes and can be composted once you've finished.
Kjaer Weis Cream Blush, £28, Glow Organic
The original refillable brand, Kjaer Weis is a little slice of conscious luxury. The refillable blushers, powders, lip products and foundations come in long-wearing, refillable metal compacts and all formulas are certified natural or organic.
It's safe to say that Lush is a true eco-warrior. They sell many products 'naked' (meaning no packaging whatsoever) like these clever shampoo bars, foundations, concealer, highlighters and lipstick refills. Just filter by ‘Naked'. They are also vegetarian, ethically-sourced and anti-animal testing.
Patch Aloe Vera Bamboo Plasters, £6.99, Holland & Barrett
These planet-friendly graze and blister plasters are made from bamboo that’s been specially enriched with soothing aloe vera. It’s plastic-free, vegan-friendly and 100% home-compostable (including all packaging and the plasters themselves) and it comes in a range of other options, including a kid-friendly version featuring an adorable panda design.
Filthy Clean Biodegradable Capsules, £22.50, Look Fantastic
This carbon neutral capsule skincare brand offer up pre-dosed cleansers, moisturisers and treatments cocooned in a fully biodegradable shell (it melts away in hot water or can be disposed of in your compost heap). The jars are completely recyclable and the brand is working on refills distributed in completely compostable bags.
HUMANKINDThe latest brand we're coveting is by Humankind - high-performing and purse-friendly personal care products with clean formulas that come in a plastic-neutral, refillable container. The brand send personalised refills on your subscription schedule so you can save the planet whilst getting ready in the morning. Genius.
Peppermint toothpaste tablets that are dentist-approved and eco-friendly. Pärla toothpaste tabs come in a glass jar with an aluminium lid, cleverly designed to reuse indefinitely. The brand can also send out refills to you in completely compostable starch bags and recycled cardboard mailers that fit neatly through your letterbox.
REN Atlantic Kelp and Magnesium Body Wash, £24, Cult Beauty
Ren's cult body wash comes in a 100% recycled bottle containing 20% reclaimed ocean plastic, and more of its products are being re-housed in post-consumer recycled packaging.
Calvin Klein CK Everyone Eau De Toilette, £49, Superdrug
Calvin Klein’s CK Everyone perfume is the first of its kind to be awarded a Cradle To Cradle Material Health Certificate for its commitment to a truly sustainable offering at every stage of its supply chain. The perfume itself is clean, environmentally conscious and formulated with naturally derived vegan ingredients, while the bottle is made from recycled materials and is recyclable once finished.
Rosewater Balancing Mist Intense Deluxe Edition, £49, Jurlique
Jurlique is dedicated to ensuring its products are sustainable. That’s why all of its ingredients are grown, hand-picked and replanted on its own biodynamic farm to make the supply chain effectively farm to face. The farm has sent zero waste to landfill since 2016, reduced 2-% of their transport emissions and single-handedly planted 12,000 trees since 2012. The best-selling Rosewater Balancing Mist is made with a glass bottle and now comes in a deluxe jumbo size so you can limit your packaging even more.
Natural Defence Hand Spray Refill, £12.50, Neal’s Yard Remedies
Thanks to treading lightly in countless areas of the brand, Neal’s Yard’s carbon footprint is as gentle as it can be. The brand spent years tirelessly campaigning to ban microbeads, as well as championing saving the world one bee at a time with their pioneering Bee Lovely Campaign. They offer in-store refills on two of their best-selling products (the Geranium & Orange Hand Wash and Bee Lovely Bath & Shower Gel) and offer £2 off if you bring your used bottles back to be recycled. They even manufacture their products in a solar-powered eco-factory and are carbon neutral. Full marks, NYR!
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum, £185, Cult Beauty
Adored by celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow, JLo and Tracee Ellis Ross, Vintner’s hero serum is created using 22 nutrient-rich botanicals responsibly sourced from individual farmers. Unused fruits are used to create the formula following a slow beauty method. Full plant ingredients are extracted through a precise, gentle and temperature controlled 21-day process to give a full spectrum of nutrition. Most skincare takes less than 6 hours to bottle making this a rarity in a fast skincare world.
Floral Street Neon Rose Eau De Parfum, £68, John Lewis
We already love this kickass fragrance brand for providing us with fine fragrance at an accessible price, but we love it even more for its biodegradable (but super chic) pulp carton.
Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, £79, Cult Beauty
All of Tata Harper's farm-to-face formulas are housed in these recycled green glass bottles. Plus, any plastic used is all recycled, and the ink on the cleanser label is made from soy.
Ally Blemish Recovery Oil, £39, BySarah London
This blemish-friendly oil is made from upcycled hemp seeds, grown and harvested in the UK by hand. The B-Corps brand rescued the large proportion that don't meet the specification for food use from going to waste and landfill and then cold-press them into plant oil. The supply chain is short and considered and the oil itself contains 52% more antioxidants than standard hemp seed oil.
Commune Seymour Perfume, Case and Refill Set
Close your eyes and imagine a Somerset orchard filled with ripe fruits, lavender borders and sun-speckled cypress trees. That's Seymour in a nutshell. Housed in what looks like a chic makeup compact, this fragrance is all-natural and 100% uplifting
