With only nine to twelve percent of domestic plastic being recycled worldwide and the ongoing climate crisis, many of us are starting to consider the effects of the products we buy and the impact they have on the environment and the planet as a whole.
However, there are some brands making a difference to the way they produce beauty products, making it easier as consumers to buy products we love using, whilst being environmentally conscious. Here are five environmentally friendly skincare brands that can help you start buying with the planet in mind.
- Pai Skincare
Offering organic yet highly effective skincare products, Pai skincare is a lesser-known beauty company with an environmentally conscious ethos. They have free skin consultations on their website which show they are passionate about both sensitive skincare and their eco-friendly products.
Pai has a committed and easy to use recycling scheme where you can send back empty packaging for free to be recycled. All of their products are suitable for sensitive and eczema prone skin, so even though they are made with organic, natural ingredients they are still focused on caring for skincare issues.
- Neals Yard Remedies UK
A long-established British organic skincare brand, with great ranges of organic skincare for all skin types. They pride themselves on environmental care with their ‘Bee Lovely campaign’ launched over ten years ago to help save the bees, with three percent of the sales of their ‘Bee Lovely’ products going to the protection of bees.
They have a partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to help support bees and have tips on how you help save the bees, like by making a bee house. They are cruelty free and certified carbon neutral, and really committed to sustainability as a brand.
- REN Clean Skincare
REN Clean Skincare has achieved its zero-waste pledge, so all of its products meet its Zero Waste Pledge. They use eco-friendly packaging that is 100% recyclable, uses Infinity recycling technology that keeps plastic out of landfill, and they also have a product bottle refill scheme in place. You can 20% off your first order if you sign up to their newsletter, and via Student Beans, students get 15% discount on everything!
They also have partnerships with environmental charities, Planet Patrol and Surfrider Foundation. With benefits like these, you’ll be running out of reasons not to shop for cleaner beauty products…
- UpCircle Beauty
UpCircle Beauty is another UK-based and super affordable skincare brand that we’re starting to see more and more on shelves in stores like Sainbury’s and Holland & Barrett. UpCircle is actually removing more plastic from the environment than they create and are certified Plastic Negative by rePurpose Global, who they have a partnership with to hold programs that ensure plastic does not end up in our oceans.
On top of that, their products use re-purposed natural ingredients that would usually go to waste, as well as a ‘Return and Refill’ scheme with refills being 20% cheaper! They have a pamper kit available for just under £10, so you can try out all their amazing products in one go – definitely worth having a try and treating yourself!
- LUSH Cosmetics
LUSH have excellent and affordable skincare, that is fresh and handmade using ingredients that are natural, vegetarian and cruelty free. Most of their products are in low waste packaging, and most especially, their skincare products come in 100% recycled pots.
LUSH Cosmetics also have a ‘Bring It Back recycling’ scheme, where if you bring back any LUSH empty product pot to store for recycling you can get 50p off your purchase! Alongside all of this, LUSH is against animal testing, and are all for ethical buying, not to mention, they have a wonderful natural-ingredient makeup range in numerous shades.
These brands show just how simple and effective it is to create natural, effective skincare with a real care for their environmental impact. With easy money-saving refill and recycling schemes, reward programmes and award-winning skincare products, as consumers we benefit as much from these brands as the protection they are helping provide for the environment and planet we live in.
The skincare brands that share partnerships with environmental charities and organisations display a keen commitment to making their changes sustainable, long-term, and hopefully one day, the norm in how big beauty brands behave. In the meantime, these five amazing skincare brands should be your next stop for beauty products that won’t cost us the earth.