Living / 20 June, 2021 / Ellie Thompson
We’ve unearthed eleven of our favourite socially responsible skincare brands. These brands are leading the way when it comes to sustainability, eco-friendly packaging and organic or vegan ingredients. It’s brilliant to see so many brands making huge steps towards minimising their environmental impact without compromising on the quality of their products. Wondering how you can do your bit? Shop the best sustainable skincare today. Namaste!
Award-winning REN Skincare is on a mission to create the ultimate in responsible products. With sustainability sourced ingredients and reclaimed ocean-plastic packaging, REN is busy making products that are not only clean for the skin, but are clean to the planet, and kind to animals.
They’ve celebrating 20 years of clean and have recently launched a refill scheme to help achieve its ‘zero waste’ aim by the end of 2021.
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Sister team Lauren and Sarah are on a quest to deliver minimal vegan skincare for optimum skin health. Using the highest quality natural and organic, plant-based ingredients that support soil heal and global communities. Products use cold-pressed oils to maintain nutrient content so they absorb easily into the skin.
They use amber glass bottles to help preserve the integrity of the plant oils inside by protecting against UV light radiation. Clear glass jars and bottles are recyclable, and there’s no outer packaging, to save on waste. Everything in By Sarah London’s skincare range is hand-blended, packaged and shipped from England and is cruelty free.
Medik8 continually strives to become ‘the world’s most sustainable professional-led skincare brand’. They incorporate Post Consumer Recycled Plastic (PCR) into their professional bottles and they use 40% recycled glass. There’s no pure palm oil in any of Medik8’s products, and all our formulas are 100% vegan-friendly.
Every product is 100% microbead-free, using only natural exfoliators. Cartons are made from FSC certified 100% recycled card, saving on over 3 tonnes of plastic every year, and any packaging that isn’t deemed necessary has been removed.
Medik8’s ingredients re 100% pure palm oil-free, and their buildings are run from 100% renewable energy sources.
Luxury skincare brand Little Butterfly London was founded by new mother Gudrun Wurm in response to the lack of organic, gentle, and safe baby products on the market. Gudrun has now expanded the range to include a wonderful collection of skincare for women.
All of Gudrun’s products in the Little Butterfly London range are organically certified by Ecocert, the most established certification body worldwide. The sustainable range by Little Butterfly is free from mineral oil, paraffin, parabens, SLS and silicones, and there are no synthetics or inappropriate strong essential oils when it comes to fragrance.
Mother and daughter duo Netta and Hayley teamed up to create this brilliant new organic and vegan skincare range.
L’abu believe great skin is achieved by a simple but premium routine and their salon-grade collection of anti-aging products is influenced by their Italian heritage, family ethos, and organic passion.
Nessa Organics’ products and ingredients are sourced, formulated, manufactured, and packaged in small batches in the UK to limit their environmental footprint. They work hard to infuse sustainability across their full supply chain, from ingredient sourcing to the delivery.
They limit their use of plastic where possible and use only recycled glass. All of their cartons are recyclable, and everything is shipped in 100% recycled Kraft cardboard boxes.
If you’re looking for a sustainable baby and mama skincare brand, Mama Mio will be your absolute go-to with their range of pregnancy-safe vegan formulas packed to help protect and support skin through pregnancy and beyond. All tubes and jars are completely 100% recyclable. Once you’re done with the product (don’t forget to re-stock!), simply give it a quick rinse and pop it in your plastic recycling bin – caps and all! Mama Mio’s tubes are made from sugarcane polymer, a natural bioplastic that acts as a great substitute for nasty, non-recyclable plastic made from fossil fuels. It’s just as strong and just as durable but totally environmentally-friendly. This fairly recent switch has seen the company using 18% fewer emissions on tube production.
All products are encased in a 100% recyclable cardboard carton, which you can pop in your recycling bin. All cardboard is FSC certified and solely comes from forests that are managed by the Forest Stewardship Council. T
Known for their minimalist packaging and natural organic products, Danish skincare brand Ecooking is an eco-friendly company on a mission to make a difference to the environment. With a commitment to respect both the skin and the planet, every piece of plastic used within range originates from recyclable materials or ocean waste. The brand name is an amalgamation of ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘cooking’ – a nod to the ingredients that go into the Ecooking range, as well as the brand’s humble birthplace. Ecooking’s slogan: ‘food for your skin’ is also incredibly apt, with every product made from 100% vegan and pure ingredients, it’s even safe to eat!
NAYA’s brand philosophy is of a ‘less is more’ approach; not only because it is more sustainable to the planet, but also more sustainable to your skin. The vegan, cruelty-free products contain a high concentration of plant-based nutrients which are scientifically proven to transform the skin from within. NAYA sustainably sources its star ingredient – cacay oil – directly from Columbia. The brand works directly with the farmers in its supply chain to protect and harvest 30-50 hectares within the rainforest where they can grow indigenous plants from the area. To date the brand has planted over 1500 seeds.
The entire range is housed in glass bottles and all other materials are fully recyclable. The labels are made from upcycled marble waste which is biodegradable and water-free. The brand also offers a refill service to minimise waste. NAYA has also teamed up with The Woodland Trust and Climate Partner as a further commitment to giving back, whilst also reducing carbon emissions.
Bumi Naturals’ vegan-friendly skincare brand is completely waterless, which means the products contain no nasty chemical preservatives. Made with natural Certified Organic ingredients that are fresh and cold-pressed, the range retains so many natural benefits that are non-drying, brightening and deeply hydrating.
They also operate a jar returns service, so you can now exchange your empty jars for products or a coupon. BUMI Naturals wash and sterilise used jars so they can be used again. A plastic-free skincare brand that considers the impact of their business on the planet, operating in partnership with Treeapp. Together their goal is to plant 1 million trees every single day by 2022.
Green People was founded in 1994 by Charlotte Vøhtz, a mother looking to help her young daughter battle multiple skin allergies and eczema. Her mission was to create truly organic skincare using sustainably grown plant ingredients clinically proven to care for your skin.
Green People’s range of skincare covers everything from babies, adults, to pets and are recognised time and time again by the UK and international beauty industry, winning over 150 awards from Best Organic Beauty Brand to Best Ethical Hair Care Range.
Green People use 99% active natural and organic ingredients which work to protect, balance and nourish skin. They’re one of the first global beauty brands to offer plant-based packaging made from sugar cane, a recyclable, sustainable alternative to petrochemical-sourced plastic packaging.
Green People products are available from www.greenpeople.co.uk, independent health stores, Ocado and selected Waitrose, Wholefoods, Planet Organic and Revital.
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