Five Award-Winning Beauty and Health Brands Embedding Sustainability Into Their DNA
Sustainability is no longer a buzzword. People no longer see eco-friendly products and refillable cosmetics as rare designs.
Many brands now take sustainability pretty seriously. In response to the demands of consumers, many businesses are re-evaluating their priorities, especially concerning their impact on the planet.
As a result, there’s been a wave of brands touting sustainability at their core. And, although greenwashing has started to emerge in the beauty industry, many brands are indeed making a difference.
Certain brands in the beauty and health sector stand out above the rest among these. These brands have the way to a sustainable future by ethically sourcing materials, investing in green initiatives, and introducing innovative solutions to combat environmental issues. This, overall, intricately weaves sustainability into the brand's very fabric.
Now, we know that there are a lot of brands we could have chosen for this article. And, it’s not to say that other award-winning sustainable brands don’t exist. But, we’ve come up with a selection that deserves applause for its creative approach to sustainability.
Conserving Beauty and its dissolving cleansing wipes
Few brands stand out quite like Conserving Beauty. Led by the visionary Natassia Nicolao (who is only 28, BTW) and consisting of an all-female leadership board, this business is taking beauty innovation to the next level. Which is why they were awarded the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Award 2023 for Beauty Innovation.
Not only does the brand focus on waterless products, but it also created a dissolving cleansing wipe and will soon launch dissolvable spot patches that were created with advanced nanotechnology. This is instantly combating one of the beauty industry’s biggest problems — non-biodegradable wipes and mountains of unnecessary waste.
Conserving Beauty's commitment to transparency shines through their shared detailed reports on their carbon and waste footprints, which sets a new industry standard. But perhaps what sets Conserving Beauty apart even more is its holistic approach to ethical practices, and this is why we feel like they’re embedded sustainability into the core of their business. Conserving Beauty has cultivated partnerships with farmers and manufacturers, ensuring that every part of its supply chain aligns with its sustainability values. The brand has even caught the attention of environmental impact funds, leading them to invest in Conserving Beauty.
Hoopsy tackling pregnancy test plastic
Did you know that people in the UK throw away a whopping 12.5 million disposable pregnancy tests each year? Of course, these tools are vital in our society, but standard designs are also plastic and not good for the environment at all.
Enter Hoopsy, an amazing brand that’s come up with a simple solution to unsustainable pregnancy test waste. The Australian startup has developed a pregnancy test that's 99% made of paper, making it easily recyclable, and it’s also 99% accurate. Hoopsy offers its eco-friendly test in recyclable cardboard packaging and the only non-recyclable part is a small, soft plastic bag housing the test for hygiene purposes. Earlier this year, the brand’s founder was a finalist in the Women Changing The World awards 2023.
Inspired by her own IVF journey, Lara Solomon the brand’s founder explained that she named the company Hoopsy, the Dutch word for "hope" – a nod to both those hoping for and against a positive result.
Speaking to the Mail Online, Hoopsy’s founder said: “ 'Life can be challenging - especially when you're trying month after month to get pregnant. But our planet shouldn't have to suffer as a result of so many plastic tests being sent to landfill.”
Davines was dubbed the ‘Patagonia of beauty’
Recently, Davines received the Marie Claire sustainability award in recognition of its carbon footprint reduction initiatives. It’s also won a bunch of other awards in the past. On top of that, Well + Good dubbed it the ‘Patagonia of beauty’. Obviously, everyone recognizes Patagonia as a leader in sustainable clothing. So it seems like Davines has been crowned the top choice for sustainable cosmetics and haircare.
Davine’s tagline is “beauty and sustainability,” and the brand shares a deep commitment to supporting the planet around us. Their passion is made clear through their packaging efforts which lean heavily on eco-design. They aim to minimize raw material usage, use recyclable or bio-based materials, and optimize logistics to reduce waste. But their commitment doesn’t stop at packaging; their offices are carbon-neutral and they have an entire team dedicated to researching sustainable packaging solutions. Amazing!
I'm also a big fan of Davines' curly hair products. While it doesn’t come cheap, one tub of conditioner lasted me more than six months. So a little goes a long way, and that’s another reason to love this gorgeous collection of planet-friendly products.
Antipodes prioritize the planet without compromising luxury
Antipodes Skincare is another brand that brings us amazing products while also prioritizing environmental sustainability. It actually seems like this New Zealand brand has actually built its environmental commitment into every decision it makes about the brand. Last year, the brand won Best of Natural Awards People’s Choice for 2022.
From the start, this business’ mission has been clear: to become the world’s most sustainable natural skincare brand. Their philosophy for packaging is just as simple: prioritize the planet without compromising luxury.
It’s these simple, yet committed goals that have helped Antipodes become a fan favourite in the skincare world. Every product is formulated with uncompromising quality from locally sourced ingredients. As for packaging, they've championed the use of endlessly recyclable, high-quality materials like apothecary-style glass, sleek aluminium, and biodegradable cardboard.
Importantly, Antipodes backs up its sustainability claims with internationally recognized certifications, and its products feature logos like vegan, organic, or vegetarian, which attest to their natural status and ethical production.
Tropic is the new frontier of sustainability skincare
Tropic is one of a handful of brands that won big at the Glamour Beauty Power List Awards of 2022. The natural, vegan skincare brand has consistently pursued its goal of sustainability and achieving carbon neutrality.
Proudly recognized as a certified carbon-neutral brand, Tropic goes the extra mile by double offsetting its carbon footprint. This means they don’t just reduce the carbon emissions from product deliveries and headquarters operations, but they also factor in the daily commutes of their team. Such dedication deserves applause, both from us and its dedicated customers. And, like the others in list this, is rightly deserving of its sustainable awards.
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