It would seem that protecting the environment has been a key issue in a number of sectors across the UK, in particular the fashion and food industry, who both introduced the 5p plastic carrier charge in 2016. The Fashion industry even saw a backlash against fast fashion in 2015, with the ‘slow fashion’ movement becoming one of the biggest trends of the year.
Locally sourced food ingredients also became one of the hottest food trends of 2014, according to Forbes, so why has the mainstream beauty industry been so slow to respond in comparison?
It would appear the beauty industry has previously fallen under the radar when it comes to ensuring its products are not harmful to the environment. The last year however has seen consumers wake up to environmental concerns within the industry, with the government announcing a ban on microbeads within the beauty industry by 2017, after it was found these tiny beads not only damage the ocean, but also the ocean’s wildlife who were accidentally consuming beads which enter the ocean from consumers using beauty products, such as shower gels and face washes in the shower and sink. Allure Magazine predicts the biggest beauty trend of 2017 not to be unicorn inspired makeup, or even sheet masks – but environmentally friendly packaging.
Why have mainstream beauty brands been so slow to respond to the environment?
A number of factors have affected the reasons for beauty brands being so slow off the buck, the first is that like food, beauty products can also go off. Therefore, it is important packaging minimises the oxidisation of products. In particular, Vitamin C (which has anti-ageing properties), can become inactive and therefore rendered useless if not stored correctly. ‘Eco friendly’ packaging manufacturers tend to cost more money, ultimately effecting the bottom line.
French skincare brand Ixxi has been a pioneer in protecting the environment by fighting pollution and creating products using only locally sourced ingredients from the region of Landes in France. Their products contain OPC Pine which has anti-pollution properties, and they also fight pollution from the source by replanting every tree they use in their products. Ixxi is therefore ahead of the curve in its double-pronged fight against pollution, not only from the source, but on the skin as well.
It would appear 2017 is the year clean beauty is all set to change from the bigger, mainstream brands. This year, Garnier launched a ‘Rinse, Recyle, Repeat’ campaign in the US alongside DoSomething.org, which aims to divert 10 million beauty and personal care empties from landfills, and into recycling bins by the end of 2017. Dior has also jumped on the packaging bandwagon, launching a new line of skincare called Hydra Life, which aims to reduce its environmental impact by removing unnecessary elements (such as the leaflet, corrugated card and cellophane). The Hydra Life collection also has a reduced glass weight and uses inks predominantly of natural origin.
Although the mainstream beauty industry has been slow off the ground to create environmentally friendly products, 2017 looks set for big change with two main players within the beauty industry committing to make this a priority for their consumers.
3 Top Tips
- Recycle, Recycle, Recycle – according to The Recycle Now campaign, 90% of packaging is recycled in our kitchens, yet just 50% are recycled from the bathroom. Combat this by simply introducing two small bins in the bathroom for recyclable and non recyclable products
- Choose skincare brands who not only fight pollution at ‘face’ level, but integrate this as a part of their supply chain and production line, such as French Skincare brand Ixxi
- Use less product by opting for two in one solutions. Do you really need a moisturiser, foundation and anti-pollution spray, when you can opt for a tinted cream which offers all three? Ixxi’s Daily Defence Care provides light coverage, moisture, whilst also acting as a barrier against pollution on the skin, eliminating the need for a separate pollution spray
For more information please contact Leandra Cardozo (Leandra@fuelrefuel.com) or Sophie Wheeler (Sophie@fuelrefuel.com) at Fuel PR.