If you want to take your beauty game to the next level, you might be looking for products that are good for both you and the environment. But with so many brands to choose from, how do you know you’re getting something truly sustainable? Here are 10 clues you’ve found a winner.

1. Plastic-Free Packaging

If your mascara comes in a glass bottle rather than the standard plastic tube, that’s your first sign it’s more sustainable than most beauty products. The cosmetic industry generates up to 120 billion individual units of plastic packaging every year, 70% of which ends up in landfills. Yikes. The less plastic a product uses, the better. 

2. Recyclable or Compostable Components

Even if a product doesn’t come in the standard plastic bottle, it may contain components that aren’t recyclable. For example, you can’t recycle waxed cardboard packaging, makeup sponges, hand mirrors or mascara applicator wands.

However, many beauty products are fully recyclable or even compostable, meaning they will break down quickly in the environment given the right conditions. Look for recycling or composting symbols on the packaging. Try to buy products that don’t contain small parts or mixed materials that would make them harder to recycle.

3. Refillable Containers

Another way brands can boost their sustainability is by offering refillable containers. For example, Plaine Products sells shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hand wash in reusable metal bottles. You can buy them with or without a pump. When you finish a bottle, you can send it to Plaine Products and they’ll reuse it for another customer. 

4. Sustainable Ingredients

Plastic microbeads, palm oil, coal tar and oxybenzone are just a few ingredients to avoid when looking for sustainable cosmetics. Look for brands that advertise environmentally friendly ingredients like plant-based pigments and ethically sourced coconut oil in their products. 

5. No Animal Testing

Another sign of a sustainable beauty product is that researchers didn’t test it on animals. The international cruelty-free logo is a rabbit, and it’s often paired with the “not tested on animals” or “cruelty free” label. 

6. An Official End-of-Life Program 

Many companies are only concerned with getting their products to consumers — they don’t care much about what happens to the empty containers afterward. But some go the extra mile to protect the environment. Brands like Bliss, Glow Recipe and Versed offer dedicated end-of-life programs to recycle or reuse their products. 

7. Good Employee Reviews

One oft-overlooked aspect of sustainability is how a company treats its workers. You can browse employee reviews of a business to see if it pays a living wage, provides a safe working environment and treats people fairly. 

8. Accreditation

Brands that take sustainability seriously often have accreditation to prove it. Look for official seals of approval from:

• OEKO-TEX: This certification shows that cloth is free from harmful chemicals. 
• OCS (Organic Content Standard): An OCS 100 seal means a product is 100% organic. OCS Blended means it’s 5%-95% organic. 
• Fair Trade Certified: A Fair Trade Certified seal means the product protects the livelihoods of farmers and other producers.
• REACH: A stamp of approval from the Regulation, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals means a company’s chemical processes complied with environmental and human health standards.
• Ecocert: The Ecocert standard means the ingredients are renewable and made with environmentally friendly processes.

These are just a few examples of accreditation to look for. If you see certifications you don’t recognize, it’s a good idea to look them up to determine if they came from an official source not affiliated with the cosmetic company. 

9. Higher Prices

While it might sting a little to pay more for your favorite beauty products, a higher price tag often — though not always — reflects the higher standards that went into making an item. Recycling programs, cruelty-free ingredients, fair wages and good working conditions can be costlier for companies to achieve. But they’re also worth it. 

10. Traceability

Does a beauty product proudly reveal where its ingredients came from, who manufactured them and how they arrived in your local store? If so, that’s a great sign of sustainability. Some items even feature a scannable QR code that gives you traceability information. 

A Guilt-Free Glow Up

More and more people want sustainable cosmetics that leave both them and the planet feeling their best. Thankfully, beauty doesn’t have to come at a cost to the environment. With countless eco-friendly products to choose from, you can find your new favorite lipstick or toner without worrying about harming the Earth.

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Tags: sustainable, beauty products, greenwashing, ecofriendly