According to Millie Kendall, CEO of the British Beauty Council, the term “clean beauty” has become perilous and is often used as a marketing tool rather than a genuine commitment to sustainability.
Customers need better marketing and certification information to make informed choices about the products they purchase.
The issue of ingredient transparency also persists among consumers. Jen Lee, chief impact officer at US-based brand Beautycounter, acknowledges that confusion regarding ingredients remains prevalent.
In an effort to address this, Beautycounter published “The Never List” in 2013, which outlines over 2,800 chemicals, including heavy metals, parabens, and formaldehyde, that the company claims to avoid in its products.
The dichotomy between natural and synthetic ingredients further adds to the complexity.
While natural ingredients are often perceived as safer, they can still carry a toxic load, including heavy metals that occur naturally in the earth.
Sasha Plavsic, founder of makeup brand ILIA Beauty, highlights the challenges of sourcing consistent raw materials for natural and organic products, which can lead to performance issues.
The beauty industry’s plastic packaging poses a significant sustainability challenge.
Approximately 95% of plastic packaging is discarded, with the majority not being recycled, according to the British Beauty Council.
Plastic accounts for about 67% of the industry’s packaging volume, with leading brands such as L’Oreal and Estee Lauder Companies utilizing substantial amounts of plastic in their packaging materials.
While some brands aim to transition to post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, the availability of PCR plastic is limited due to low recycling rates globally.
As demand for PCR plastic increases across industries, competition drives up prices, making it more expensive than virgin plastic.
This pricing and supply challenge hampers the widespread adoption of PCR plastic in beauty packaging.
