When it comes to choosing the right beauty products, there’s a lot to consider. And while most of us are pretty savvy when it comes to our skin type, hair needs and makeup preferences, determining whether a product is eco-friendly can be tricky.
Recyclable packaging is a big tick for sure, but it’s also eco-designed formulas that do a lot of the heavy lifting.
In fact, there are plenty of ways in which your beauty purchases can help provide a better future for our planet, and it’s knowing these terms and ingredients that can help you tweak your shopping list.
After all, every small effort we can make together will help to create a big difference.
Recyclable packaging
Many of us are already in the habit of recycling household waste every day, and it’s something we can all strive to do with our beauty products too. When shopping for your beauty items, try to look not only for packaging that can go in your recycling bins, but also products that are made from recycled packaging. This means that materials that could have ended up in landfill or worse still, our ocean have been given a second life and instead made into the packaging for your hair products, skin care and more. The packaging of the Garnier Organics range was crafted with this in mind, with hero products like the Lemongrass Gel Wash made from 100 per cent recycled plastic and is also 100 per cent recyclable. Plus, in 2019, Garnier saved 3,670 tons of virgin plastic by using recyclable packaging, and by 2025 Garnier aims for all packaging to be made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, saving 37,000 tons of virgin plastic.
Image: @brookestyless
Organically certified actives
When looking for organically certified products or those containing organically certified actives, check the label of the product you’re buying for an official symbol. Eco-Cert is one of the world’s most trusted organisations, and so when you see those words written inside an oval-shaped symbol, you can be assured the ingredients follow environmentally friendly and socially conscious practices. All star active ingredients within the Garnier Organics range, such as lavandin found in the Regenerating Lavandin Anti-Age Night Cream, are organically certified and come from renewable sources that can be regenerated every year. But more on that below…
Renewably sourced
Renewable raw materials come from natural sources which are generally produced by agriculture and forestry. They regenerate constantly in relatively short cycles (from a few days to a few decades), the duration of which is similar to their duration of use. This means there’s no ‘over-farming’ of these ingredients, and therefore reduced impact to the environment as a result. This is exactly how Garnier Organics sustainably farms its hero ingredient lavandin, as well as the soya bean found in Garnier’s Fructis Hair Foods range. Plus, both ranges are made with entirely vegan formulas.
Image: @chantelouise
No ammonia
Ammonia is a common chemical found in hair dye, used to open the hair cuticle to allow the colour to take hold. It can also be persistent in the environment, potentially impacting local ecosystems long after it’s been washed out. Rather than using ammonia in its formula, Garnier Olia is made up of a 60 per cent oil blend enriched with natural oils derived from sunflower, meadowfoam, passion flower and camellia. The result? Hydrated, healthy hair colour with a clean conscience.
Do you like to use ec-friendly beauty products? What kind of things do you look for?
Yum that banana hair food looks like something so good!
Great advice BH for looking more closely at Skincare products and how good they actually are for You.
I want to be able to tell if it’s clean or not
I love glass packaging! Wish all companies used it and had bins for returning them for wash/reuse. As it was the case in the old times with all drink bottles for pubs.
I love the Fructis Banana (smells like the banana lollies) and the Aloe Vera Hair Food is lovely and fresh. The Garnier products mentioned are all really good.
I like the sound of packaging made from recycled plastic and is recyclable. If only plastic packaging was like this!
Helpful article, we can all do our bit in some way to help improve the environment.
Next time I go shopping I’m going to buy a Garnier hair mask.
I prefer non-plastic packaging as well
I’ve used other Garnier hair masks & loved them. This range looks even better.
I LOVE Garnier’s commitment to eliminate the use of virgin plastic!
It’s good to see beauty companies doing their part to help the environment
I love recyclable packaging and especially love Garnier’s use of glass for their Organics creams- something so luxe about it!
Its amazing to me that we still have to think about this. Wouldnt you think that with the knowledge that we have now that all companies would be going the exact same thing and we wouldnt be able to buy products that were using anything that would be bad for the environment at all.
These are all great things to look at.
Some sort of rating system on the packaging would be great.
I really appreciate this article and admire that some companies are using recyclable packaging
I’m mindful of what I’m washing down the drain, throwing in the bin and what I’m putting on my skin. I’m always learning and am not perfect but like to be more eco conscious. I like that more brands are being more mindful of their foot print to the environment.
Some brands are good but I feel that some are green washing.
Ammonia is a terrible ingredient I always avoid, and glass jars are so nice.
Informative article!
This looks really pretty
I like to use eco-friendly beauty products but I must admit sometimes I use products from a not so eco-friendly company because they’re the products I’m used to purchasing. I’ll have to be more aware of what I’m doing in the future.
Yes , some of the beauty products I use are eco friendly.
Would be nice to know if there is palm oil included in the products as well, as that is the biggest cause of deforestation in SE Asia.
All good things to look out for now
Some great places to start… Personally I go to the main website of the products and see their ethos and philosophy… If I’m in doubt I contact the company and ask questions… If it doesn’t feel good, I don’t vote with my dollars…
Some good tips here, thank you.
All good things to protect our future
Thank you – I have long looked for recycled/recyclable packaging, but there’s new information here. Thanks.
I really admire the companies do the right thing for the environment.Happy to be part of it.
I didn’t know there was such a thing. Gonna go check out for these ingredients the next time I buy my beauty products.
This is good knowledge.
Thanks for the info
Garnier Olia is the best hair colour I’ve ever used. My hair is in better condition after using it as well as covering my grey perfectly. I’m impressed with how Garnier is trying to help the planet and it’s people while producing sustainable and fabulous products.
A new brand I found, Ritology are definitely leading the way with sustainability. Their packaging is so creative! I learn slot from them too.
This makes me want to look for Garnier products now. I’ve been overlooking these but not anymore.
Great info, this is an interesting topic, thank you so much.
very help full >
A rating system is a great idea, making it easier for customers to decide
That’s really good to know
Good topic and information
All very useful info – thank you!
So important. Good to look at brands that promote sustainability.
Glass jars look beautiful but are dangerous if they fall and break on a floor where pets are or where you walk barefoot. Garnier seems to do a lot of advertising for their natural products. I have tried several of their products including their “Banana Hair Food”. I found it good for my hair, it smells lovely, but the tub was empty so quickly. Perhaps I just used too much each time.
All great info to have, Thank you bh.
Another Garnier add, all good except what about all the other nasty ingredients they use, some cannot be sustainable sourced.
Surely there are other things to look out for.
I also find that glass jars are heavy and not all the suitable for travelling with.
Hopefully be able to remember what to look for when next I am in the market for new products.
I’ll take more care in reading labels now.