Worldly goodies
Our canvas totes are full of these efficacious, eco-conscious buys
Sustainable, IN its Oxford in Dictionary definition, means ‘conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources’ – and right now it’s beauty’s biggest buzzword. An encouraging 75% of 22to 37-year-olds say they want sustainable beauty products*, Pinterest saw an 80% increase in searches over the summer, and there isn’t a brand worth knowing about that doesn’t have an environmental edge. But what does sustainable mean? It’s the green area that’s a little bit grey, as currently there isn’t any official legislation as to what deserves the title. Instead, it’s become an umbrella term used for everything from ingredients and their source, to production process, water content, carbon footprint and charity initiatives. Don’t even get us started on plastic and packaging.
Not that we’re knocking it. Whether it’s niche brands championing their ethics via Instagram, or the likes of beauty big guns Estée Lauder and L’oréal upping their eco responsibility, sustainability in beauty is far more than a phase. Late last year, L’oréal teamed up with environmental sustainability firm Quantis to form SPICE (Sustainable Packaging Initiative for Cosmetics) and reached out to other cosmetics giants to get on board and help shape the future of sustainable packaging. The brand Love Beauty And Planet promises to quantify CO emissions along every
2 step of production and tax itself if it goes over its goals, donating the money to eco programmes.
Then there’s The Body Shop’s Enrich Not Exploit programme, dedicated to finding ingredients from areas where natural biodiversity is at risk. Meanwhile, 2019 will see the emergence of the UEBT (Union for Ethical Bio Trade) stamp. Awarded to businesses, the stamp signals to consumers that the brand has sourced its raw materials with respect. An extra shout out to Weleda, which has received the accolade as a result of its commitment to producing responsible beauty products since 1921.
We could go on. There are umpteen brands new and old doing their bit but, as a starter for 10, try these hard-working products that come with a conscience and real-time results…