Your Sustainable Skincare Guide: What to Look for & Avoid

You’re clearly trying to make your lifestyle more sustainable (high five!). So, you’ve already embraced a more conscious wardrobe and ditched some single-use items for reusable options. 

What about the very thing you start and end every single day with, though?

It can seem hard to find sustainable skincare products because this industry comes with additional and unique challenges (It's definitely a journey).

But there are options out there, and we are confident it’s only going to get better and better.

So, in this simple guide to sustainable skincare, we’ll show you the ethical and environmental problems with traditional beauty products, what you can focus on instead, and some of the best brands to get you started.

Why are traditional skincare and beauty products bad for the environment? 

Traditional skincare products are often bad for the environment because they typically involve: 

• Harsh chemicals and ingredients – Most skincare products contain microplastics, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, and other problematic chemicals or substances. They don’t break down easily and can harm aquatic life when washed down the drain, and some can even be toxic for you
• Unethical sourcing – Some ingredients (like palm oil and rare plant extracts) are sourced with complete disregard to the environment, causing problems like deforestation and biodiversity loss
• Plastic packaging – Most skincare products come in single-use plastic bottles or tubes that can’t be recycled and can take centuries to decompose
• High water usage – Most skincare products require PLENTY of water (not just when you apply them but during their production, in particular)
• Animal cruelty – A lot of skincare brands are testing on animals, especially rodents like rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, and mice

And the worst part?

If you were to pick up a product or look at a skincare brand’s Instagram feed, you probably wouldn’t know any of this because… so many rely on greenwashing. 

For example, they hide behind generic terms like “natural” (which doesn’t automatically mean “good for the planet”) or “green”, and they keep quiet about everything else.

What is sustainability in skincare?

Sustainability in skincare means that brands are planning and creating products while taking the environment into consideration, from sourcing the right ingredients ethically to packaging them in a way that minimises waste and being conscious of what happens to them after you’ve used them.

It’s about reducing their footprint and moving towards more eco-friendly skincare.

Since there are so many factors playing into it, though, it’s not perfect, which is why we'd encourage you to see it as a journey from your part too. Realistically, it might take you some time to switch from your current products to a sustainable skincare routine, but every step (or dab?) does matter.

What to look for in sustainable skincare products

Ethical skincare brands are finding all sorts of solutions to reduce their impact (and some are super creative!). For example, you could look for:

• Eco-friendly and plastic-free packaging – Some sustainable skincare products come in recyclable packaging (like glass jars) or compostable and biodegradable options
• Zero waste skincare – Some others come with no packaging at all (like solid bars), and some eco-friendly skincare brands offer take-back schemes (for example, you can send back your glass packaging, and they will reuse it)
• Less water – Some concentrated products require less water, especially during the production phase (for example, they rely on oils, butters, or waxes instead). This also removes the need for harmful synthetic preservatives. A win-win!
• Natural, safe, and responsibly sourced ingredients – Sustainable skincare brands choose kinder options, such as plant-based, organic, lab-grown, or even upcycled ingredients. They also use more minimalist formulas instead of endless and indecipherable lists. We're especially big fans of shea butter and aloe vera, and we're impressed by brands getting creative with coffee grounds and fruit stones to get rid of microplastics
• Vegan skincare – Keep in mind that “cruelty-free” means that a product wasn’t tested on animals (which is great, obviously) but isn’t automatically vegan as it might include animal by-products
• Certificates – For extra peace of mind, look for third-party certifications to verify that an “ethical skincare brand” is actually telling the truth, NOT relying on greenwashing
• Brands making a bigger impact – We also love ethical skincare brands that put more financial power in the hands of marginalised and underrepresented communities, whether that’s through ownership, employment opportunities, and fair trade sourcing or by giving back through charity and programmes
• Things you already have - Like with fashion; the most sustainable thing is the one already in your house. Resist the temptation to buy new products or get creative with DIY skincare ideas with ingredients you have in your cupboard. Did you know honey, coconut oil and a dash of lemon make for a great DIY facial mask?

Best sustainable skincare brands to upgrade your morning and bedtime routine

To help you get started, here are some of my current favourites.

Food for Skin

Instead of routines with endless steps (and packaging), this sustainable skincare brand keeps it simple: three products with natural ingredients, and no nasties, plastic, or animal testing. 

They also donate to the Plastic Soup Foundation to support their research in microplastics.

Mádara

This Latvian brand is both vegan and natural. They’re also really transparent about their production process, to the point where you can literally visit their factory (I doubt many traditional skincare brands would let you do that).

Wake Me Up Paris

This female-founded sustainable skincare brand specialises in eco-friendly products made from responsible ingredients and practices, all produced in France.

We hope this sustainable skincare guide was helpful. Need more?

At Project Cece, we brought hundreds of fair trade clothing companies in one place and added filters to simplify your choices, but we are now partnering with sustainable skincare brands too, because we know that’s a big part of your day as well.

So, you can find more eco-friendly skincare products right here. 

Ready to glow and radiate responsibly?