What Does Green Beauty Mean?
Every brand defines "green beauty" differently. When determining what green beauty means, it is important to explore a brand's about page to discover how the band defines "green."
Green could mean the product's formula contains ingredients derived from the earth, the brand makes an effort to reduce waste, or a product's packaging is sustainable.
Greenwashing, the appearance of environmental-friendliness, can be confusing for consumers who don't have the time to research each brand's definition of green.
{Related Post: Where to Find Clean Beauty Products}
Why is Green Beauty Important?
Beauty industries and cosmetics manufacturing plants are major contributors to environmental waste. This does not include the effects of product distribution on the environment.
Green beauty and blue beauty, an ocean-conscious effort, are important because they work to reverse the environmental effects of cosmetics manufacturing.
Green companies have many different environmental concerns to consider when "going green." From microplastics in the ocean, to carbon emissions, to organic certifications, companies have a lot to consider when determining what green means to specific brands and what consumers are looking for.
What to Look For
Green beauty brands often emphasize sustainability and will partner with recycling programs such as Terra Cycle. If a brand isn't partnered with a program, they brand will likely offer products you can recycle at home. Some green brands include natural ingredients in their products and use green to refer to the presence of natural ingredients. Other green brands use organic ingredients to justify the term "green" in their branding strategy.
Below are a few examples of green brands and different approaches on the term.
Top-Rated Environmentally Conscious Brands
Below are some examples of top-rated green beauty brands, how the brands define green, and an overview of how each brand is contributing to the environment with unique initiatives for environmental recovery.
It's important to research each brand to understand the company's approach to green beauty. This could include a recycling program, a plastic-negative goal, recyclable packaging, or ocean-friendly manufacturing methods.
If you're looking to take your environmentally-friendly brand search up a notch, I recommend shopping for blue beauty products.
Beauty Heroes Brands
Blue beauty is an environmentally-friendly clean beauty approach. While any brand can identify as blue, the brands listed on the Beauty Heroes website are vetted. Beauty Heroes was created by Jeannie Jarnot, the founder of the blue beauty movement. Each brand listed on her database must meet certain criteria to be considered blue.
