Let's start with some knowledge check:
Do you know the difference between biodegradable plastic and recycled plastic?
Can you distinguish between natural, naturally derived, natural-identical, and organic products?
Do you ever wonder how the brand you buy from sources its raw materials?
Do you always read the detailed labels before purchasing your chosen product?
Have you ever heard about the controversial concept of 'greenwashing'?
How do you verify whether a product is genuinely organic?
Can you effortlessly differentiate between natural products and organic ones?
What do claims such as 'environmentally friendly' indeed mean to you?
If you find any of these questions challenging, reading this article thoroughly will provide you with the necessary knowledge to make more mindful decisions when adopting products. For clarity's sake, "cosmetics" hereafter refers to all products used for beauty, including skincare, hair care, and color cosmetics.
Conscious and sustainable choices have become widely known and adopted in recent years. The global green and sustainable product market is experiencing an upswing, and Asia will witness the fastest growth. Consumers' widespread awareness and preference for eco-friendly and sustainable products have given rise to many product-based brands across sectors, including cosmetics.
Have you ever paid attention to the products you use in your morning routine, from pulling the cap off your toothpaste to slathering your favorite night cream before bed, and their environmental impact? According to stats, if an average beauty consumer uses 15 products daily, around 500 chemicals are being washed away in the drain. This is where the concept of clean and sustainable beauty comes in.
Although there is no standard industry definition of what makes a product clean, clean products refer to those that are safe for the skin and planet and have been ethically sourced and consciously manufactured. They are toxin-free and environmentally friendly. While in a few countries, government mandates have put some checks on ingredients that support clean beauty practices, a few independent groups and organizations operating in this field have also defined a set of ingredients and practices that have potentially harmful effects on the skin and the planet.
Now, clean beauty is not a new concept, at least in the West, but in the Asian market, awareness and adoption are picking up, albeit slowly. APAC might not be the leader in health and wellness, but its global market share has skyrocketed. In 2007, it accounted for 19%, and in 2023, it was 30% – this is an exciting trajectory for natural and clean beauty brands wanting to come into Asia or for newer brands to build a niche segment. Let’s look at some stats:
- The beauty market in APAC stands at US$2B, and clean beauty accounts for 7% of this entire segment.
- The CAGR for clean beauty is 40% YoY compared to the overall beauty segment, which is 6%.
- A study of 23,000 beauty shoppers found that almost half (48%) want more information and clarity about brands' values and environmental commitments.
- Nearly three-quarters (73%) of consumers surveyed in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia say they want to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. In emerging Asian markets, this proportion rises to 87%.
People in emerging Asian markets, such as the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia, are 87% more willing to engage in sustainable consumption than people in any other countries surveyed.
Reducing cosmetic carbon footprint
We can significantly reduce our carbon footprint in the cosmetic sector by cautiously choosing our everyday products. At this point, one may ask about the difference between clean and organic/natural/green beauty. Typically, organic, natural, and green describe the origin and agricultural practices used to source product ingredients, but they don't always imply sustainability. Consequently, green cosmetics primarily feature natural, naturally derived, and organic ingredients while avoiding synthetic substances. In contrast, Sustainable ingredients address all dimensions of sustainability — environmental, ethical, social, and economic — at every stage of the product's life cycle.
Sustainability is a lifestyle choice, and clean beauty, as a subset of it, focuses on using safe products for both the body and the environment.
Unfortunately, the widespread practice of greenwashing has deceived people into thinking that they are using products that are either organic, natural, or sustainable, and this has led to more harm than good to the environment. A classic example is the 'organic' labeled products, which have surfaced across all beauty shelves. Have you taken a moment to closely read the label to verify if the premium you are about to pay is genuinely organic, ethical, or sustainable? A recent study revealed that 53.3% of the claims examined were vague, misleading, or unfounded, and 40% were unsubstantiated, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in the industry. 61% of us need help to tell if hair and skin care products are ethical from the packaging.
The Environmental Toll of Commercial Beauty Products
The environmental impact of cosmetic ingredients extends beyond their immediate use in products to encompass their entire lifecycle, from sourcing and production to disposal. Now, conventional products, typically mass-produced, have few eco-friendly aspects. Either the products have harmful ingredients such as sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, or mineral oils, which are lab-produced chemical compounds that not just adversely affect our health but, when released in environments, bioaccumulates in the food chain and persist in the environment. Take, for example, Oxybenzone and Octinoxate, two ubiquitous ingredients found in our sunscreens. Besides being harmful to our health, these chemicals can enter the ocean through swimmers’ bodies and wastewater runoff from showers. They can harm marine life, causing bleaching and disrupting the growth and reproduction of corals. On the manufacturing side, another example is palm oil, a widely found ingredient in cosmetics, which has an environmental impact on soil degradation, loss of carbon sequestering forests, and critical habitat for endangered species due to large-scale commercial production. Small cosmetics manufacturers widely use products derived from bees as the basis for their cosmetic formulation. Beeswax and honey are common ingredients in many cosmetic products, and the unethical faring of bees can impact the pollination cycle, which is much needed to maintain flora and fauna eco-balance.
Manufacturing waste is of significant concern to the cosmetics industry. Most chemical byproducts of finished goods end up in landfills causing. According to a UK report, wet wipes that contain plastic create “islands” across the UK after being flushed or disposed of in the environment.
Microplastics are solid-state synthetic microparticles intentionally added to personal care & cosmetic products. These are intentionally added to many rinse-off products because they fill up the cosmetics cheaply. These microplastics enter the environment when washed off. If released, they are associated with long-term environmental persistence, as they resist (bio)degradation. Microbeads are considered pleasant-feeling skin scrubbers and tend to have a smoother effect than natural ingredients, like nut shells or salt.
Regarding the impact of animal testing on cosmetics, according to the Humane Society 350,000 animals worldwide suffer and die due to chemical testing.
Ingredients like triclosan, commonly used as a preservative in soaps and sanitizers, can pollute waterways and be toxic to aquatic bacteria. At high concentrations, TCS remains in other personal care products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, hand sanitizer, and surgical soaps. Many beauty products, including perfumes, deodorants, and hair sprays, contain Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to carbon dioxide emissions. Mica, the most commonly used ingredient in colour cosmetics that adds shimmer or sparkle to products such as lip gloss and eye shadows, has drawn criticism worldwide due to the involvement of child labor practices.
With no standard regulation governing cosmetics, many brands can get away with not disclosing the total ingredients in their products or traceability practices. Distinguishing between genuine claims and greenwashing tactics employed by brands can pose a challenge for consumers. A typical example is perfume. Sometimes, the amount of perfume is so low that brands are not obliged to disclose chemicals in low concentration in their list.
Navigating to a Greener Alternative
While the current scenario may seem bleak, a conscious effort can help build cleaner and healthier habits for embracing sustainability. Increased access to information makes consumers more knowledgeable and scrutinize brands' marketing claims. Selling 'organic' labeled products has become more demanding, as brands must provide evidence to support their claims. Using third-party apps highlights consumers' concerns about product ingredients and their desire to protect themselves from toxic chemicals. This is where the clean beauty movement has gained momentum in recent years.
Although no clear-cut industry definition of a 'clean' product exists, the movement aims to support brands that use eco-friendly products with minimal environmental impact while equally effective for the skin. It also involves ethically sourced ingredients and obtaining certification from independent bodies, instilling trust in the brand and assuring consumers of quality. Support from industry regulatory bodies will help restore checks and balances on how the product is sold to the consumers. In a recent move, the European Union Directive aimed at empowering consumers for the green transition, taking a significant step in improving product labeling standards, providing more accurate & reliable advertising, and banning commercial malpractices.
While the idea of a 100% natural product may sound too good to be true, chemicals derived from plant extracts enjoy much wider acceptance among those conscious of what they apply to their skin. There are numerous reasons to switch to plant-based, vegan products. Botanical extracts have proven to be gentle and highly effective in treating skin conditions with their high antioxidant properties and lower toxicity due to the absence of synthetic chemicals.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint with Clean Beauty
Besides skin benefits, clean beauty products have a smaller environmental footprint due to sustainable sourcing and manufacturing processes. Sustainable sourcing encompasses more than just clean ingredients and eco-friendly packaging; it involves the entire supply chain in making the world a fairer and more ethical.
According to Vaayu.tech website, the vast majority of the beauty sector’s greenhouse gas emissions come from three activities:
Sourcing raw materials to make products and packaging: Deforestation can lead to peatland degradation, contributing to more than 10% of global annual CO₂ emissions.
Consumer use of products - 70% of carbon emissions attributable to the industry could be eliminated if people simply used refillable containers.
Packaging - Beauty accounts for a staggering 120 billion packaging units annually, with approximately one-third of landfill waste attributable to the industry. Only 14% of packaging makes it to a recycling plant, 9% is recycled, and the rest is headed directly to landfills.
Brands' social responsibility and ethical codes of conduct demonstrate their commitment to society and the environment. For instance, regenerative farming practices, such as biodynamic farming, aim to enhance soil fertility, water quality, and biodiversity, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of agricultural activities. We require fertile and healthy land to cultivate many of the ingredients used in our beloved beauty products.
As victims of consumerism, we cannot eliminate the usage of regular products from our daily routine. However, as conscious consumers, we can make informed choices to minimize product waste and support companies that have made genuine moves toward ethical production. For consumers, the easiest way to verify these companies is by looking for third-party verification. Certifications provide credibility to brands' claims and reassure consumers that the brand they buy from has authentic claims. They are also spared from greenwashing with flimsy eco-credentials that dilute the essence of planet-positive, sustainable efforts. A few certifications to look out for are COSMOS, Leaping Bunny, Mobius, NATRUE, ECOCERT, FairTrade, GMP, NPA, and Cradle-to-Cradle. Remember, there is a cost attached to acquiring these certifications, so don't cringe at paying a little extra for the brand you trust. Other certifications, such as B Corp, UEBT, and Cradle to Cradle, are multi-attribute certifications promoting the highest social and environmental responsibility through scoring systems.
Proper government mandates and regulations also ensure that
The entire supply chain of beauty products also impacts local communities' lives and economic opportunities. A point to highlight is that natural, organic product production is carried out at a small level, and partnerships between these local producers and brands are very common. A region's biodiversity makes growing a certain crop more suitable and economically sustainable for a farmer. Products derived from natural ingredients provide an economic advantage over artificially produced synthetic ingredients in the lab.
Conscious Consumerism and Sustainable Lifestyle
The third major factor affecting sustainable efforts in the beauty industry is packaging. According to research conducted by Olay, a staggering 80% of purchased products are not actively used. This issue has become so severe that it has triggered a social media movement promoting the use of existing beauty products before buying new ones.
There are 10 million #unboxing videos on TikTok, more than half related to cosmetics. According to data from Zero Waste Week, the beauty and personal care industry produces a whopping 120 billion units of packaging each year. With 95% of cosmetic packaging thrown away, packaging is one of the beauty industry's biggest sustainability challenges. Only 14% of packaging makes it to a recycling plant, only 9% is recycled, and the rest is directly in landfills. According to the social justice platform TRVST, beauty packaging amounts to 120 billion units of trash annually, including plastic, paper, glass, and metals that are improperly recycled and ultimately end up in landfills.
Consumers are loyal to sustainable brands. So, whatever packaging a brand chooses to pack its products, if it can demonstrate the net total carbon footprint to its customers, it will be beneficial. Shampoos, conditioners, lotions, creams, serums, and makeup often contain different types of plastic, such as PET, HDPE, PVC, and PP. Most of these materials are not biodegradable. While opting for recyclable materials such as glass, cardboard, and aluminum will significantly reduce the environmental impact of packaging, considering the entire lifecycle of the product is crucial.
The easiest way is to eliminate unnecessary packaging with a minimalistic design and use more recyclable and refillable primary packaging. Moving towards zero waste and using recyclable plastics are ways to eradicate product packaging waste.
Conclusion:
Rethink your business models and whole ecosystems, embrace circular thinking, and take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of your products. Educating consumers about the significance of sustainable cosmetics packaging empowers them to make informed choices. Transparent communication about your cosmetic packaging choices, eco-friendly certifications, and recycling instructions enables consumers to actively participate in reducing their environmental footprint.
As end consumers, we play an equal role in minimising our carbon footprint through our conscientious daily choices. Sustainability is a lifestyle choice; we can make a difference by switching to cleaner options in our daily product use. Simply getting ourselves a little more educated about the products we consume and evaluating the brand’s sustainable efforts by looking holistically at the entire product lifestyle will be the first step towards a sustainable lifestyle.
Join the clean beauty movement for a healthier body and healthier planet.
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