Sustainable clean beauty
Picture above: Glass bottles are good for the environment since they can be remolded into new containers. The sustainable glass packaging keeps products fresh.
By Hoiisa’s editor
The powerful impact of sustainability in the beauty industry
With environmentalism being a key concern today, the beauty industry needed to be forward-thinking keeping up with millennial and post-millennial consumer trends. This meant that buying clean beauty products should not just highlight clean, cruelty free, and high-performance goods, but sustainable ones too.
It’s a fact that the beauty industry continues to be on the rise. According to a report from retail analytics firm Edited, the global beauty industry is estimated at $532 billion. It’s important to know that today’s shoppers want transparency. They want to know if products are toxin free and not harmful to our bodies and our planet. There’s no doubt that there’s an underlying concern for environmental responsibility and it’s not enough knowing about a product, but the process in making it.
Picture above: Plastic waste is one of many types of wastes that take too long to decompose. Normally, plastic items can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in landfills.
But what makes a brand or product truly sustainable and ethical? A brand might claim they’re ethical or sustainable, but is that just marketing or greenwashing? It’s true that sustainable and ethical brands should have ingredients that are cruelty-free, and perhaps organic, natural and vegan. But they also must have a business practice that works with ethical sourcing, such as focusing on ethical labour practices, robust waste and resource management, thoughtful packaging and being involved with charitable giving. Buying any product that ticks most of these sustainable beauty criteria is no doubt a positive step in the right direction.
Consumers are learning more about products with the rise of social media, apps, beauty vloggers sharing content on YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest. Products can even be bought directly from apps at a drop of a hat.
Picture above: Conscious consumerism focuses on making positive decisions throughout the buying process.
If you’re looking to buy a clean beauty product, make sure you buy and support brands that have shown environmental responsibility – that have considered a thoughtful or kinder environmental impact. Let’s support these ethical brands that are striving to do the right thing. It may take time to sieve through all the greenwashing, but there are plenty of brands out there like Erbaviva, Grown Alchemist, Rahua and Shirley Conlon Organics.
At Hoiisa, we believe in a sustainable lifestyle. Our packaging is eco-friendly and even our business cards. Remember, all these small incremental but collective improvements help in the way we consume. It can change the game in a big way so it’s important to drive change with your buying habits and exercise conscious consumerism.
