Skincare brands putting the planet before profit
A swath of pioneering skincare brands are setting new low-impact benchmarks in the process.
Green, organic, recyclable, clean: the beauty industry loves a catch-all term. But in lieu of clear global definitions and guidelines to curb beauty’s environmental impact (according to UK awareness campaign Zero Waste Week, the cosmetic industry produces approximately 120 billion units of packaging annually), future-facing brands are setting their own sustainable agenda to reduce the footprint of their formulas.
“We are in a climate crisis and I believe that any product that is created in today’s world should be helping to build a better one,” says Emma Lewisham, founder of the eponymous New Zealand upstart last year named the world’s first carbon-positive beauty brand.
Key to the achievement is a “closed-loop system” aimed at curbing the use of virgin packaging for skincare products. Every vessel within the Emma Lewisham range is refillable: refill pods and pouches are sterilised and reused, or as a last resort, recycled via TerraCycle. The brand then offsets the minimal omissions it does generate by a further 25 per cent.
“Waterless” line Conserving Beauty is also tackling the industry’s take-make-waste conundrum. Founder and CEO Natassia Nicolao set out to build a pure and effective skincare line without contributing to the global water shortage.
“The beauty industry is too heavily reliant on water as a resource, with most beauty products containing 70 to 90 per cent water – not to mention the additional water footprint created in the manufacturing of each product,” says Nicolao of the line, which launched last year with a water-free cleanser, face oil and glow mask.
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