Eco-consciousness and sensible consumption – these two trends rule the roost in the beauty industry. Manufacturers are taking serious steps towards protecting nature and reducing harmful ingredients in the composition of products, motivating us to take care of ourselves, not forgetting about the world around us.
“I have a bag with a jar of cream in my hands, which I bought in a boutique of a famous brand. But it took some time to get to the remedy itself: after overcoming a pile of wrapping paper, I rip off the cellophane wrapper and open the box – only to find another one inside!
It contains a plastic spatula and thick instructions in ten languages. And the heavy glass jar itself is wrapped in another layer of transparent film. There is already a mountain of garbage next to me, and I continue: a foil membrane, another plastic cap … Isn’t it time to stop? – complains Anna, a top manager of a large company and, by her own vocation, an experienced beauty maniac.
But even this wealthy and accomplished woman who loves luxury cosmetics is disgusted by all the surroundings that brands create around their products in order to emphasize their top level as brightly as possible.
According to Zero Waste Week, the beauty industry produces over 120 billion packages every year. If the situation does not change, then by 2050 there will be 12 billion tons of plastic in landfills, and in the sea, according to the Ellen McArthur Foundation, there will be more of it than fish. Not the brightest prospect.
New Deal
But change did begin. More and more companies are thinking about their impact on the environment, making commitments to reduce harmful emissions from production, reduce energy and water consumption, and introduce packaging from the right materials.
Luxury brands such as Lancôme and Dior are compromising by offering the consumer to reuse their chic jars with refills. Another eco-initiative is the replacement with natural particles of silicone scrubbing microgranules, which began to be found in the stomachs of marine life. And sunscreens now contain only filters that do not harm corals and the ecosystem of the oceans.
Such scales came from Caudalie, Payot, Biotherm, Shiseido and other brands. Most of the new products focus on natural and organic ingredients, as well as the absence of mineral oils, parabens and preservatives.
So, the new Lumene cleaning line contains not just natural ingredients, but by-products of local food factories: berry cake, sawdust, coal. Guerlain’s sensational launch last year, the L’Essentiel foundation, which is 97% natural ingredients, has acquired an equally eco-friendly primer and promises to develop its eco-range.
As well as the youth range of My Clarins, containing at least 88% of herbal ingredients, which is constantly updated with new products. The iconic Capture Totale line, Dior, is now 91% natural, down from just 46%. More and more brands are labeling their funds Vegan, emphasizing that they do not contain animal ingredients and do not test on animals.
No frills
As for the notorious abundance of unnecessary garbage in the packaging, the brands are sincerely trying to reduce it. An increasing number of them are switching to recycled cardboard boxes and containers made of recycled plastic, abandoning cellophane membranes under the lid and polyethylene wrappers.
The bottles of many fragrances have become lighter, as they have reduced the amount of glass. Care products are not far behind: Guerlain jars from the Orchidée Impériale and Abeille Royale lines now contain 40% less glass, and the new Powercell Skinmunity serum, Helena Rubinstein, has 25% less glass. And this trend is growing.
So what can we ordinary consumers do? The answer suggests itself: to moderate appetites and reduce the volume of purchases. The #NoBuy hashtag is rapidly gaining popularity on Instagram. And more and more people are heeding calls to stop impulsive purchases by consuming less and wisely. And beauty bloggers, who used to report daily on every purchase, share photos of shelves and cosmetic bags with a living wage of products.
To get started, you just need to give yourself a word that until the current jar of cream, mascara or foundation is used up, you will not make new purchases. And if it’s difficult, start small: unscrew plastic pumps from glass bottles and send them to different bins when sorting garbage. After all, any eco-packaging loses its humanity when it ends up in a general landfill, and not in a waste processing plant.