Sustainability is at the forefront of so many conversations in our day-to-day lives, and never more so than within the beauty industry. We explore what sustainability really means and its impact on these sustainable beauty brands.
Much like sustainable fashion, eco-friendly beauty has finally hit critical mass. Although few, if any, beauty brands can claim to be 100% sustainable or zero-waste, recent years have shown that eco-friendly credentials and high-quality products don’t need to be mutually exclusive. This also appeals to a powerful new kind of consumer, who believes in sustainable living but is still a sucker for luxury products.
"Buyers are savvier than ever before," says Victoria Buchanon, a trend analyst at The Future Laboratory. "Millennials, in particular, see nature and tech as living together. They read ingredients or notice if packaging is not recyclable, and they will call brands out on it."
Your complete sustainable beauty bible
What does it mean to be sustainable?
You might think that being sustainable means going plastic-free or driving to France instead of flying. And yes, those are both very good steps to take. But there is so much more to it than that.
There are 17 Sustainable Developmental Goals, which were agreed on in 2015 by world leaders. They include things like no poverty, zero hunger, and quality education. And they also include things like clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure. So, actually, there's so much more that can make a brand sustainable.
A new era for sustainable beauty brands
According to a report by the Soil Association, 79% of people are more likely to buy a product if it says ‘organic’. Meanwhile, 64% of consumers said they were looking for products with recyclable packaging. So it's not too surprising, then, to see how the natural skincare world has grown since 2021.
But the biggest turnaround comes from big-name, high-street brands. For instance, you’ll find the Soil Association’s logo on Garnier's Organic Skincare in recognition of its green credentials. Back in March 2021, the brand also announced that all its products are now certified by Cruelty Free International's Leaping Bunny programme – something that took 18 months of investigation to ensure both suppliers and ingredients are "iron-clad." The logo was then rolled out the following year.
Why you should care about recycling your beauty packaging
Zero Waste Week have reported that over 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the cosmetics industry. Sadly, much of this is not recyclable. Rather frighteningly, only 5% of the world's plastics are recycled effectively.
Of the product packaging we can recycle, four in ten of us don’t. This means aerosol cans and the cardboard boxes your face cream comes in end up in a landfill.
So, apart from scanning the ingredients list for sustainable ingredients, what other small changes can we make? "Invest in a bathroom recycling bin for starters. And choose both glass and aluminium over plastic packaging,’ says Rachelle Strauss, founder of Zero Waste Week. ‘Both can be recycled over and over again without loss of quality."
They also have a better chance of actually being recycled. "75 per cent of aluminium ever made is still in circulation, thanks to it being the most cost-effective material to recycle,' Strauss adds. 60 per cent of our glass bottles and jars are also currently recycled."
If you'd like to make a change, the Marie Claire team has put together a handy guide on how to recycle beauty products.
Refillable beauty brands - what's the deal?
Refilling, rather than recycling, saves the energy needed to sort, process and repurpose or transform materials into something new.
Founded by the creator of Terracycle, Loop is a global shopping platform that works with retailers to reduce recycling and single-use plastic by ensuring that when you’ve finished with a product, it is returned to them for refilling and delivered straight to your doorstep again.
Fragrance has also entered the refillable beauty brand space, which makes sense as you can now top up your signature scent for less in the form of sustainable fragrances.
Perfume containers are notoriously difficult to recycle locally – but that won’t be a problem from now on.
According to Armani, the 50ml My Way bottle and 150 ml refill bottle use 32% less cardboard, 55% less glass, 64% less plastic and 75% less metal than their traditional spray bottle counterparts.
Whether you're new to sustainable beauty brands or unsure where to start looking for zero waste products, below are some of the Marie Claire UK team's favourites. And when you're done here, be sure to check out our guide on how to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly.
Shop most sustainable beauty brands now:
It wouldn't be a round-up of sustainable beauty heroes without Weleda Skin Food. Weleda have been growing plants organically to fuel their beauty essentials for almost a century, and are proud owners of a NATURE certification – the first internationally recognised quality seal for organic, plant-powered products. The brand's deeply replenishing all-round wonder cream Skin Food is a mainstay in bathroom cabinets the world over. Jam -packed with lanolin, beeswax and glycerin, alongside sweet almond and sunflower oils, this rich cream leaves skin feeling smooth as silk every single time.
Committed to reducing waste, Pai do beauty that does as much good for the planet as it does for you. Having now introduced recycled material into over 80% of their retail tubes, the brand have just launched an innovative recycling scheme allowing customers to send back parts of their packaging that they can't recycle at home. Free of charge, of course. Top of our Pai wish list? This gorgeous cream cleanser specially formulated for sensitive skin. Enriched with camellia, this one's brimming with Omega 6 and polyphenol antioxidants, both of which boast plenty of anti-ageing benefits. (Did someone say natural glow?) Oh, and it's vegan and cruelty-free, too.
EVOLVE make artisan organic beauty products with natural ingredients that have been sourced with the utmost of care. Bought from fair trade and sustainable sources, EVOLVE screen every ingredient to check its clean, eco and ethical credentials. Whether you're new to the brand or a longtime fan, this dreamy Skincare Bestsellers set will quickly become your new hero kit. Inside you'll find the brand's cacao-based Radiant Glow Mask, rehydrating Hyaluronic Serum 200, and bestselling Daily Renew Cream. And of course, all of the brand's packaging is recyclable – meaning you can start off your new skincare regime sustainably.
Committed to creating a closed-loop-economy, Loopeco is on a mission to make a world where all is shared, repaired, reused and recycled. With sustainability at its heart, all of the brand's products are fully plastic-free, completely natural and as good for your skin as they are the planet. Nude 111 is the line's signature daily moisturiser – a gentle formulation that protects skin from environmental damage while leaving it looking ravishingly radiant. Hypoallergenic, dermatologically tested, vegan and results driven, those who suffer from bouts of red, stressed-out skin will adore this one.
Whoever thought beauty refills were a faff ought to think again, because Kankan are here to make switching to plastic-free beauty a breeze. The idea is that on your first purchase, you buy a starter kit comprised of a keep-forever dispenser and a can of their luxe, heavenly smelling soap. After that, you can just keep buying their sustainable refills. Far from being a gimmick, this no-nonsense approach to luxury beauty is just what the industry needs if refills are to catch on. Oh, and they plant a tree for every can of soap sold. Perfection.
UpCircle has made a name for itself as the upcycling indie brand, which takes everything from coffee grounds to fruit stones, and repurposes them into sustainable beauty products. Swap disposable cotton pads and wipes for this 7-pack of eco-friendly, washable makeup pads, made from hemp and cotton.
L'Occitane is committed to sustainable sourcing. So much so that the brand work with over 130 French farmers and 10,000 pickers to ensure their ingredients are as high quality and sustainably sound as possible. L'Occitane lovers will already be acquainted with this essential oil-rich cream, which has been specially formulated to fight against the visible signs of ageing. An absolute treat for the senses, it's packed with Immortelle Super Extract –a gentle, 100% natural alternative to Retinol.
The Body Shop has been at the forefront of the green beauty movement for decades. Champions of ethical sourcing, supporting communities, and empowering women and girls through their Community Fair Trade programme, The Body Shop is an all-round hero of the high street when it comes to making sustainable beauty accessible. An absolute treat for the scalp, the brand's Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo is vegan, made with 90% ingredients of natural origin and packaged in 100% recycled plastic.
Caudalie made many of us aware that each year 14,000 tonnes of sunscreen pollute the oceans and end up in coral reefs worldwide. The main culprits are oxybenzone and octinoxate, found in around 3,500 sunscreen formulas, as they cause fatal coral bleaching. Consequently, Caudalie created high factor sunscreens that avoid these ingredients, are biodegradable and non-toxic to the marine eco system. Also nice: organic grapeseed oil ramps up hydration while antioxidant-rich polyphenols from grape seeds add another layer of wrinkle-fighting protection.
Whether you’re dealing with stubborn acne scars, hormonal issues, or sun damage, this clean, vegan brightening cream helps reduce dark spots and even out your skin tone. Also worth a mention is the completely recyclable packaging, which sets the bar high for other skincare brands: a jar made from recyclable glass, a cap made from post-consumer recycled plastic, even the shive is made up of recyclable plastic. We expect nothing less from this pioneering brand that pledged to be 100% waste-free by 2025.
When a product’s ingredient list begins with pure aloe vera juice and coconut water, you know you’re on to a good thing. Maui Moisture has replaced the chemically-treated water, which makes up approximately 65 per cent of most shampoo ranges, with these kind to hair (and planet) alternatives. Even the bottle resembles a good-for-you smoothie, while inside you’ll find bamboo fibres to beef up spindly strands. Plus, vegan botanicals, which are naturally rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to repair. Genius.
A good-for-skin soap that also exfoliates thanks to rosemary and peppermint leaf powders. This bath bar is sold in plastic-free packaging for less waste. What’s not to love? Very little, as it’s also free of chemicals like SLS (sodium laurel sulphate) that make traditional foamy shower gels lather up. Even fussy skin will be appeased by this one.
If you could bottle sipping perfectly chilled Prosecco in an English country garden in summer – this would be it. Created in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society, beautiful white florals and soft powdery sandalwood are combined with the scent of English rhubarb and an unexpected blast of saltiness. Things get better still when you discover that 5% of sales goes back to the RHS and the fragrance packaging is a biodegradable pulp carton - a first for the world of fragrance. We’re re-purposing ours as a seed tray for herbs.
Produced in small batches in the UK, this organic deodorant balm is housed in a plastic-free tin, which can be refilled at 34 different locations nationwide. Made from just seven ingredients, including coconut oil, shea butter and olive oil, the deodorants are free from aluminium salts and chemicals and come in four different natural fragrances including this zest orange oil blend.
The Klorane Botanical Foundation develops programs to protect ecosystems around the world while also discovering natural ingredients for hair. Currently, it is using aquatic mint to purify water polluted by heavy metals from an old mining site in France and applying that knowledge to haircare. The success of planting aquatic mint on the banks of the river and using the root inside filtering columns, has made it the star ingredient inside this shampoo for city tresses. Not only is the formula biodegradable but it removes 97% of polluting particles from scalp and strands.
One of eight skincare products featuring sustainably sourced ingredients. This one centres on organic lavandin essential oil, which is extracted from the flower using a ninth century steam distillation process, and helps to purify pores for a clear, dewy canvas.
This brand is founded on ‘green molecular science’ using ingredients grown on the 270-acre estate of the Borgo Santo Pietro Hotel in Tuscany. What this means is applying molecular science to natural ingredients, so every product works on multiple layers of the skin. The entire production process is kept in-house, ensuring total traceability of raw materials, extraction methods, and formulation. We rate this face oil as it combines rose extracts with hyaluronic acid and vitamins A to deeply hydrate and improve cell turnover, leading to brighter, fresher skin.
The equivalent of three bottles of liquid shampoo in one solid bar, it pairs coconut oil and cocoa butter with peppermint to cleanse your scalp and smooth hair strands.
It’s the same nourishing rice milk base and soothing scent of cherry blossom. But in a refill that’s healthier for the planet (and your budget) as it saves 70 per cent in CO2 emissions and uses 45 per cent less water. Simply slot inside the original pot, easy.
Gwyneth Paltrow fangirls over Tata Harper’s products, which she makes on a 1,200-acre farm in Vermont, USA. A beauty spin on farm-to-table, this farm-to-face brand is responsible for the entire formulation process. Something that is no small feat when you consider this serum alone has 69 high-performing botanical ingredients to wage war on pigmentation. ‘Traditional skincare often uses synthetic versions of natural ingredients and a lot of preservatives, so they may already be two years old when you open the box,’ says Harper. ‘We grow many of our own herbs, fruits and vegetables, then cold-press and blend them with a carrier oil to capture all the nutrients and freshness.’ Harper also insists on only using soy-based ink on the cardboard presentation boxes as it has a low petrochemical content and is easier to remove during the recycling process.
Too many pesticides and too few diverse crops is causing colonies of bees to die off at an alarming rate. Our entire ecosystem depends on their saving. One beauty brand, which relies on honey for its skincare, is going to extraordinary lengths to ensure that happens. Guerlain has discovered that the Royal Jelly produced exclusively by black bees on an island in Brittany stimulates the Tieg-1 gene, which skin needs to repair collagen and boost elasticity. Sustainable amounts are sourced for this serum. But more importantly, Guerlain has sponsored a full-time beekeeper to look after the 140 hives and raises awareness by lobbying government and visiting schools. All of which has us positively buzzing.
The hero ingredient in this daily moisturiser is sea kelp, which is sustainably harvested by hand only twice a year before undertaking a three-month bio-fermentation process. To give back to its precious resource, the brand launched the Blue Heart Oceans Fund, which supports conservation projects around the world. In the past this has included the restoration of mangrove trees and rebuilding coral reefs.
Conserving Beauty works with a number of organisations to ensure ethical and sustainable usage of water, raw materials, supply chains, animal protection and human rights, with its own internal targets, too. The brand is incredibly transparent about the entire life cycle of its products. It is truly setting the benchmark for other companies out there. These strips melt onto spots when water is applied and reduce their appearance almost immediately.
It goes without saying that all of Lush's products are cruelty free and vegetarian. The bath bombs are created without packaging because the products are self preserving. They also have an ingredient map so people are able to see exactly where they are sourcing their ingredients from.
Founded in 2014, delilah have always had a strong focus on sustainability and ethical sourcing. Powered by plants this lip oil contains a staining pigment to give lips a natural tint. delilah doesn’t participate in animal testing or sell in any markets that require animal testing, meaning it’s 100% cruelty-free.
The brand founded in 2000 has always pushed creative boundaries and adhering to sustainable practices, the brand proves that conscious luxury can flourish. They understand that sustainability is a journey, so operate a transparent supply chain on a circular model and do environmental education.
This electric toothbrush is a pioneer in the oral care industry, taking care of teeth without creating waste. The brush heads are made form corn starch while the bristles are made from castor oil.
Nunaia is a skincare brand built on helping ancestral land and resources. It uses completely compostable packaging and is the proud owner of several certifications including COSMOS Organic, Leaping Bunny and vegan. This deeply hydrating cream, keeps skin nourished while boosting elasticity.
This is a luxury brand with sustainability at its core. This candle uses a sunflower wax formula with no chemicals involved, and in other products NYITA is mindful of the oils it uses to avoid entire plants and trees being destroyed. Additionally, it gives 10% of profits to support vulnerable people, animals and habitats.
This skincare brands seeks to create the best products with the lowest environmental impact. Built on the foundation of "less is more", SBTRCT is solid, 100% plastic-free, zero-waste, cruelty-free and vegan brand. This is the worlds first solid vitamin C serum, which leaves your skin visibly brighter.
