Beauty With A Conscience

Our beauty routines feel lovely and positive, with mood-boosting makeup and comforting skincare. Our bathroom shelves are often somewhere to escape to for some self care. But there is always the ever present thought that these pick-me-ups might be costing our planet.

We might think we can't change the world in a big way through the beauty products that we choose, but cumulatively, over a lifetime, a switch as simple as ditching daily face wipes could save thousands from entering our oceans and landfill throughout our lifetime. And your skin will thank you too!

So, let’s be completely real, this is a very imperfect list of great quality beauty products trying to do better for the good of the planet. Of course, some are better than others and some could always be doing more.

Ren Wake Wonderful Night-Time Facial

This product is for you if you are after a fast, noticeable makeover, waking up tired skin overnight.

REN has made commitment to zero waste by 2021. Moving towards elimination of unnecessary packaging and partnering with organisations such as TerraCycle and Surfrider, they have stopped manufacturing sample sachets and started using recycled ocean plastic in packaging.

Matrix Biolage R.A.W. Recover Shampoo

This is lovely, it leaves hair soft, bouncy and shiny.

All bottles are made partially of PCR plastic, the factory in Kentucky sends no waste to landfill and uses 100% renewable energy. Its Spanish manufacturing facility is a “dry factory” which means that any water consumed goes into products or is used by employees.

Wet Brush Go Green Detangler

Slides through wet hair – from fine to thick and unruly – easy. Biodegrades within five years of disposal, and when it gets gets dirty, clean it, don’t throw it out.

Research suggests that the average lifespan of a hairbrush is under a year, and most head straight to landfill. Many will have been made by Wet Brush, which is taking action to reduce the waste.

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

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. 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.

L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Bath & Shower Gel Refill

This is pampering, delightful and delicious in the shower! This brand prides itself on never having given out plastic bags in-store and recycling since the 90s. Simply by reducing the thickness of packaging, it claims to have already saved 28 tonnes of plastic. This brand aims by 2025, to have all its bottles be of 100% recycled plastic and every store to offer recycling.

Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair Hair

You can use this leave-in balm in place of conditioner, which is great for fine hair. You will definitely feel a difference in the manageability, texture and ease of styling. Aveda was the first beauty company to use 100% PCR PET, now more than 85% of its containers are of 100% PCR materials. It has raised vast amounts of funds for environmental initiatives since 1999 and from 2021 all its products are vegan (its haircare already is) and its new launches will be silicone-free.

Aveda works with the nonprofit organisation charity water, and provides access to clean water for people in India, Nepal, Madagascar and Ethiopia – from where the brand ethically sources ingredients.

Clarins Face Treatment Oil - Blue Orchid

This is a cult products, it is a treat for dehydrated skin, and packaged in glass. Clarins is involved in the Plastic Odyssey challenge, which will see a boat, powered by plastic waste collected on its voyage, visit three continents to highlight plastic waste in the oceans, while educating communities about the potential to recycle plastics into fuel.

Clarins’ Headoffice in Paris, houses three hives, 160,000 bees, on its roof.