Eco-Friendly Beauty Brands
In my journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle, I discovered an ugly truth about the beauty industry: It’s not so great for our planet. These two significant villains that sleep in your preferred beauty bargains are sneaky ingredients that hurt the earth and microplastics.
All About Ecotoxic Ingredients
Well, it seems that everyday beauty staples can come with quite a few ingredients which may not be good news for Mother Nature. When it disappears down the drain, gone is a very relative term as they hang around or even come back to muck up ecological systems disrupting critter living spaces and yes human health too. But learning these names can aid us in selecting products and services from the ones not gutting our lands.
Identifying sustainable beauty brands
Criteria Description
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Certifications and Labels |
Look for certifications like USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Leaping Bunny, and COSMOS, which confirm compliance with recognized standards in sustainability, ethical sourcing, and cruelty-free practices. |
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Ingredient Sourcing |
Check the ingredient list for responsibly sourced, natural, or organic ingredients with clear origins and minimal environmental impact. For example, if palm oil is used, it should be RSPO-certified. |
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Packaging Practices |
Sustainable brands use recyclable, compostable, or post-consumer recycled materials in their packaging. They may also offer refillable or reusable options to minimize waste. |
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Production Process |
Brands committed to sustainability reduce their environmental footprint by using energy-efficient production, cutting water usage, and minimizing waste. Some may use renewable energy or offset carbon emissions. |
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Transparency |
Authentic brands are transparent about their supply chain, ingredient sourcing, and manufacturing practices. They should publicly disclose their sustainability goals and provide updates on progress. |
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Certifications on Ethical Practices |
Certifications like B Corporation reflect a brand’s commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and positive community impact. |
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Environmental and Social Initiatives |
Sustainable brands often participate in social or environmental initiatives, such as reforestation projects, charity donations, or community development in their supply chains. |
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Third-Party Reviews and Ratings |
Websites like: EWG Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database Think Dirty® Shop Clean – Clean Beauty App – Shop Clean Products – Think Dirty® Shop Clean. Good On You – Sustainable Fashion and Beauty Brand Ratings Provide third-party ratings and help verify a brand’s sustainability claims, showing whether it meets industry standards. |
Watch Out and Avoid These Ecotoxic Ingredients:
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Toxic Ingredient |
Common Uses |
Potential Health Risks |
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Parabens (Methylparaben, Propylparaben) |
Preservative in cosmetics |
Hormone disruption, linked to reproductive issues |
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Phthalates (DBP, DEHP, DEP) |
Fragrances, nail polish |
Reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption |
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Formaldehyde & Releasers (DMDM Hydantoin, Imidazolidinyl Urea) |
Preservative |
Skin irritation, carcinogenic potential |
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Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) |
Foaming agent in cleansers, shampoos |
Skin and eye irritation, potential contamination risks |
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Toluene |
Nail polish, hair dyes |
Respiratory issues, developmental harm |
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Polyethylene Glycols (PEGs) |
Creams, thickeners |
Possible carcinogenic contaminants |
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Triclosan |
Antibacterial agent |
Hormone disruption, bacterial resistance |
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Synthetic Fragrances |
Added scent in products |
Allergies, respiratory irritation, undisclosed chemicals |
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Siloxanes (Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane) |
Skin softening agent |
Hormone disruption, environmental damage |
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BHA and BHT |
Preservatives |
Endocrine disruption, potential carcinogen |
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Resorcinol |
Hair dyes |
Skin irritation, possible hormone disruption |
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Hydroquinone |
Skin lightening agent |
Skin irritation, carcinogenic potential |
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Oxybenzone and Octinoxate |
Chemical sunscreens |
Hormone disruption, harmful to marine life |
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Coal Tar Dyes (e.g., p-phenylenediamine) |
Hair dyes, colorants |
Carcinogenic risks, skin sensitivity |
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Lead and Heavy Metals (Mercury, Arsenic, Cadmium) |
Lipstick, eyeliner |
Toxic accumulation, neurological harm |
These ingredients are linked to health concerns such as skin irritation, hormone disruption, respiratory issues, and, in some cases, cancer risks. For safer beauty products, look for brands with clear labeling, natural alternatives, and certifications such as “cruelty-free” or “organic.”
Microplastics in Beauty Products
The microplastic invaders hide in more beauty stuff than we would like to admit. They’re in the grit bits in your exfoliator to hidden fillers in face paint. When they are in the shithole, it is straight into the sea and has grown to be a big concern just for ocean crews because of fish as well as turtles.
But shockingly, only 11% of brands have forced them out of rinse-off products and just 1% consider themselves plastic-free champions.
OK, yeah, I can do my bit better, but I will amp up the eco by choosing from those go-getters who are kicking out microplastics. Fortunately for the environment, we also have eco-conscious customers demanding change and more “microplastic-free” tags appearing as brands follow suit.
This is part of an even bigger push for us eco-bitches — whether it be the contents in our makeup bag or what we wear to a hospital appointment (sustainable medical scrubs, anyone?).
This information is precious to me because it helps guide how I support brands that align most closely with my eco-values, wich in turn help us save the world just a little faster.
Animal Testing in the Beauty Industry
When we’re chit-chatting about eco-friendly beauty brands, I can’t help but bring up the big deal of animal testing. The world needs more cruelty-free brands here and there. Still, seeing the certifications and claims is very important.
Certification in Animal Testing
Unfortunately, animal testing in the beauty biz is still a cluster-f. If anything, certification remains our route to nailing truly cruelty-free brands — and those that are simply boasting about it. Amazingly, only 22% of global beauty brands do not test on animals. Which leaves a massive 78% unsubdued. Turning these certifications around can be the difference.
Here are some solid cruelty-free certifications you can trust:
- Leaping Bunny
- PETA’s Beauty Without Bunnies
- Choose Cruelty-Free
These certifications mean business, ensuring products weren’t tested on animals during any part of development.
Concerns Around Cruelty-Free Claims
The whole cruelty-free thing is messed up, and that’s not cool. Fortunately, other 30%+ brands are silent about animal testing or engage in it. The kicker: 18% of them claim to be cruelty-free but are owned by a company that tests on animals where it’s required by law.
This throws us into a pickle. What happens when a cruelty-free brand belongs to a not-so-clean parent? I have no idea if buying one of these products is inadvertently bankrolling animal testing, and I’m trying to navigate supporting cruelty-free brands as a concerned consumer.
Sounds like we need to be downright honest here. Brands that admit to animal testing or are open about where they source their ingredients from, gain my trust a lot faster.
Here’s my game plan for sorting out claims:
- Check out animal testing deets on brand sites
- Find goodies in cruelty-free listings
- Snoop around independent reviews and forums
By getting the scoop on certifications and giving brands’ cruelty-free badges a solid once-over, I get the good vibes of making ethical picks while rooting for eco-friendly beauty brands.
Trouble with Sourcing and Traceability
An unavoidable part of eco-beauty brands is the source and traceability of ingredients. I’m partial to sustainable beauty, so I’ve had a good old think about coconut-derived goodies’ woes and whether brands should be as transparent as people would like them.
Coconut-Derived Ingredients
83% of all beauty products contain coconut-derived ingredients (you cannot swing a cat without hitting one). However, the source of those coconuts is far from happy land. Then there’s the issue of monkey labor, which is a concern in Thailand where some coconuts are harvested by trained monkeys. The crazy part is that 67% of the brands could not even verify where their coconut elements were coming from — or if they were helping in perpetuating unethical practices concerning monkeys.
This stuff is what gives me the willies, and so I am forever prodding my go-to brands for clarity on specifics. Unfortunately, just over 13% of brands have done something to trace their coconuts back to the plantation, and even fewer are beginning to address monkey welfare issues in any meaningful way.
As I unfold the roadmap, I become more drawn to brands that boast their ethical sourcing practices and stand behind humane treatment. It ticks the boxes for sustainability and taking responsibility in the beauty biz.
Transparency in Ingredient Sourcing
Sourcing transparency is doing to a product what the craftsmen and women did with their first parameters. Props to the brands who are completely transparent about their sourcing guidelines and traceability. That little extra something says we are all behind doing things right!
Here’s what I look for to weigh up a brand’s transparency:
- Sharing where each ingredient is from
- Certifications from trusted outsiders
- Reports with all the nitty-gritty about their supply chain shenanigans
Transparency is useful for building consumer trust unlike anything else and it makes choices to be sustainable in beauty seem easy. Want to know more about the transparency buzz in beauty, jump over here on transparency in beauty ingredients.
Riding the eco-friendly beauty bandwagon is not just about slapping “natural” on a label: The Wyld Truth It’s finding the story of every ingredient and supporting brands who look after Mother Nature… and all her animals. Dig a little deeper, hold brands accountable, and always opt to protect our planet by overtaking shortcuts.
Labor Practices in the Beauty Industry
Ensuring Fair Pay
While I look at eco-friendly beauty brands, they revolve around what makes the product and how it is made, too. The bottom line, of course, is adequate worker pay. It seems that big beauty brands are missing the boat on this one. Well, 84% of these companies are not going to do this optimally (at least in the public eye) by making sure their employees earn a living wage.
While in the late stages of production, fair pay for at least half their workforce is ensured by only 9% of brands. It does remind you that we need to put our money where our mouths are and support brands who care enough to pay their workers decent salaries (thinking about those awful work environments).
Prioritizing Worker Well-Being
This is only half of the equation as far as fair pay is concerned. Taking care of the health system workers will include ensuring them a safe place to work and good benefits as well as respect for full behavior. Brands that emphasize eco-friendliness as their top concern should also be brands advocating for good working conditions—fair pay! That means health-care benefits, a safe workplace and not driving men to work themselves into an early grave with endless overtime.
If you start to buy from brands that are completely transparent about their labor practices, things can change. They also are frequently employers who pay attention to their environmental footprint, giving a hoot about the welfare of workers. These practices need to be transparent. Knowing how and where things are made gives us a peek at what values drive each brand. To dive into this topic a little deeper.