Beauty industry and sustainability: the situation today

Sustainability has been a topic of discussion for years now, with mixed results. Dedicated organizations raise awareness on the issue, calling for greater attention to the production chain, ingredients, packaging materials, and waste management and disposal. Brands are being scrutinized with a critical eye for transparency and clarity, and efforts are being made to protect against greenwashing. This applies not only to fashion but also to beauty and wellness, sectors experiencing massive growth but unfortunately bringing with them harmful habits and a lack of accountability.

The Good On You Study

Good On You, a platform (and app) that measures, collects, and publishes data on the sustainability of international brands, conducted a study to truly understand the state of beauty and wellness today. The research analyzed 239 skincare, haircare, and makeup brands, which were assessed based on 42 criteria, including packaging, palm oil usage, microplastics, eco-toxicity, and animal testing. In essence, the entire production chain, market entry, post-sale impact on the planet, humans, and animals were all considered. Public data was used, and the study also measured the transparency of brand reports and certifications, including third-party ones. Another variable examined was brand size, from indie and niche beauty brands to those sold in major drugstores and supermarkets worldwide.

@sophiaxverde It’s no secret that the beauty industry has a waste problem—but what you might not know is that “waste” goes beyond just packaging Every brand has to go through production trial runs before getting a final product out to market. So what happens to these trial batches, or even batches that go wrong (texture changes, packaging swaps, etc)? Usually—they get thrown away That’s why @KraveBeauty created the Waste Me Not Kit—made up of 3 product *misfits.* Instead of throwing away these batches of product, they are working towards reducing waste and educating others on what really goes on BTS in the beauty/personal-care industry You can buy their Makeup Re-Wined “pilot” for half off at $12.50 (same great formula, just a more fluid texture) and their Matcha Hemp Body Wash for $8 (until supplies run out!) It’s time to normalize talking about waste in the beauty industry AD #WasteMeNot #KBPartner #cleanbeautytok #sustainablebeauty #sustainabilitygoals #supplychaintransparency #sustainabilitycheck Sixty Second Commercial 1 by Michael Reynolds - malcolm

The results are alarming: lack of transparency on ingredients and insufficient climate reporting

The results are far from positive. From an ecological standpoint, Good On You identified a lack of transparency on ingredients—90% of the brands studied use fragrances, yet 72% do not disclose the ingredients they use, raising concerns about their potential impact on health and the environment—and similarly, an insufficient climate report. In fact, 80% of the brands do not disclose data on greenhouse gas emissions or their—hoped-for—reduction. Lastly, the use of refillable packaging for more than a third of a brand's product range remains limited, at just 15%. Even lower (2%) is the percentage of brands that track and report repeat purchases, which would help measure the effectiveness and impact of refillable packaging.

@joyoushealth 3 dirty secrets of the beauty industry! I hope this inspires you to read your labels, ask lots of questions and empower you to choose the best beauty + personal care products for health and our planeg. I have more dirty secrets I can share #beautytok #dirtysecrets #holisticbeauty #sustainablebeauty #parabenfree #greenbeauty #organicakincare #cleanbeauty #holisticbeauty original sound - Joy McCarthy

Wages and animal testing show no improvement

Additionally, according to Good On You, 84% of brands have taken no action to ensure fair wages for people employed throughout the entire supply chain. Furthermore, despite the widespread use of the term cruelty-free, 78% of brands do not hold certifications confirming the elimination of animal testing, calling into question the ethical commitment of the industry not only from an environmental standpoint, but also in terms of human and animal welfare.