Sustainable Skincare

Sustainable Skincare

Grooming products are something most people have in common, we all use them, we all want the best and now we want them to be sustainable as well. In recent years our awareness of the world's current environmental situation has increased dramatically and just in time.With such a popular demand for products that are sustainable, cruelty free and vegan many business have began their journey into making themselves more responsible and aware.

Some people are yet to be more sustainable when purchasing skincare products maybe because of the lack of understanding? Or because you’re afraid the quality won’t live up to expectations? Or maybe because you just don’t know which company to buy from?

I've been researching into sustainability and how important it is, I just wanted to share some of my findings with you and how we can be more sustainable ourselves without missing out on quality products.

What is Sustainable Skincare?

Sustainable skincare means that the creation of a skincare product is done with the environment in mind. Using local, organic and naturally sourced ingredients with minimal damage to the planet.

Being sustainable has been a trend for a while, but it’s only recently crossed over into the grooming industry. Like myself i'm sure some of you are unaware of the ingredients used in a few of our daily skincare products and the impact those ingredients have on the planet.

Our planet isn’t like it used to be, we are losing wildlife, colour and time is slipping away faster than we’d like to admit. But not all hope is lost, by making small changes and by being sustainable we can make a huge difference!

The Damage

We are damaging our planet more and more every day without understanding the full extent of it. It’s only in recent years we have begun to see changes, for example the weather. A fluctuating climate is causing the glaciers to melt, trees to burn and essentially destroying habitats that’s leading to a loss of wildlife.

Did you know over 8 million tons of plastic gets dumped into our oceans every year! If we carry on the way we are going, the amount of waste is going to out-weigh the fish. Our coral reefs have lost their vibrancy and more and more sea life gets washed up on shores every day.

The rate of deforestation is rapidly increasing, with an estimated 18 million acres of forest land lost every year. It is estimated that 80% of the worlds deforestation comes from the production of palm oil. Palm oil is still being used in many cosmetic products every year despite our best efforts to get it banned.

How we can be more sustainable

It’s actually easier than it sounds to live a more sustainable lifestyle. If everybody made a small change, we could make a huge difference together. Recently, many brands and people have decided to live a more responsible lifestyle and create sustainable products, here's how:

#1 By offering refillable packaging. If everyone re-used the pots they were first given when they purchased the product not only will you be saving money in the long run but minimising the amount of waste thrown into landfills and our oceans each year.

#2 By giving back! As I have been researching into sustainable beauty for a while, I'm pleased to find many brands donating and being part of charity work that helps to save our environment, for example tree planting, or donating a percentage of their profits.

#3 By using locally sourced ingredients. Not only does this make the consumer feel more connected to the product, you’re reducing the amount of energy being used transporting ingredients, plus the ingredients are much fresher when they’re sourced locally.

#4 By ditching the cotton in favour of Bamboo, Hemp or Organic Cotton. Bamboo grows incredibly fast and requires no helping hand from us to grow. Its roots self-regenerate meaning it doesn’t need to be replanted, however when looking to buy a bamboo product be sure to check the label as some products labelled Bamboo are actually Rayon or other synthetic materials similar to bamboo.

Much like bamboo, hemp is a natural fibre that is grown with no pesticides and can be turned into products using environmentally friendly processes. Unlike cotton hemp doesn’t wear out easily, making it more cost effective and the quality is undoubtedly better.

Organic Cotton, although it’s still cotton, is much better than the conventional kind. The reason for this is because organic cotton is produced with no pesticides or synthetic toxic chemicals, making it safer, not to mention better for our environment, as organic cotton is made with much less water. Conventional cotton is still mainly hand picked, this exposes not only us but the farmers to dangerous chemicals daily. It may seem a bit of a hassle checking the labels on every cotton item you buy, but it’s important.

How do we know if they’re sustainable?

I always look for certification when I'm researching new brands. Certification means that the business has been reviewed usually by an external factor and they’re happy with what they see. There are so many companies that brands can be certified by for example COSMOS, Soil Association, USDA Organic and EU Organic. Being certified allows me to trust a company more than I would, especially if I have never heard of them.

Who is sustainable?

#1 Stop The Water While Using Me! Have a main goal and that's to use our water carefully. Did you know that only 0.3% of the earth's water is fresh and drinkable? That’s isn't a lot and I was surprised to find the figure is so low. They promote small changes, Imagine if everyone in the world turned the tap off when they brushed their teeth, it's only small and hardly an inconvenience to us individually but collectively the amount of water we would preserve is out of this world. I find it really difficult knowing that there are areas in the world that don’t have access to water, so I was pleased to learn part of their profits go towards Good Water Projects, everytime you buy from Stop The Water you’re helping someone else.

Stop The Water While Using Me! offer refillable dispensers, making their products more cost effective and by using only natural ingredients, there's no harm being done to the environment, plus the consumer doesn’t miss out on any quality. Your skin is a delicate layer that doesn’t want to be plastered in chemicals so why not go natural? I love Stop The Water While Using Me! White Sage and Cedar Shower Gel. Made to hydrate, calm and cleanse your body with natural ingredients! Just turn off the tap and massage into wet skin.

#2 L:A BRUKET have been developing natural formulas to protect our skin against our changing seasons and climate. Using local ingredients found on the west coast of Sweden they’re uncompromising when it comes to the purity of their products. Following the traditions of their area, the seaweed used is harvested every morning by hand and dried naturally in sheds, the time and effort put into making their products is inspiring. Rather than industrialising their brand they work alongside the seasons using ingredients that are available during that time of year, continuously looking for ways to develop.

Sourcing products locally is beneficial in so many ways. It gives the brand a unique spin and offers the consumer a taste of their life with every use. The scents L:A BRUKET’s products are unique, they make me embrace nature rather than want to destroy it! With no added perfume, just aromatic herbs and spices. Swap your regular after shave for L:A BRUKET After Shave Balm with mint and laurel leaf. Full of naturally cleansing, bacteriostatic and calming properties just rinse your skin with cold water and apply gently.

#3 Haeckels are very similar to the other brands mentioned in this blog post so far. They too have a goal and that's to preserve what's ours. With their ocean license they harvest and create natural skincare products. As an independent company their focus is clear, they want to challenge the skincare world. Offering a Rubbish For Product scheme consumers can take a bag of beach rubbish to their shop as long as there’s visual proof of where it came from, you can walk away with a free Bladderwrack Body Cleanser and yes it's refillable so you’re helping the environment as well as looking after your skin! With inspiration from sailors in the olden days rubbing seaweed on their beards for good luck, Haeckles have created Sailors Beard Oil, enriched with seaweed extract, vitamin E and neroli essential oils this will soften, protect and hydrate your skin underneath, treat yourself!

Haeckels don’t just create amazing, sustainable skincare products. They create beautifully scented candles made from soy wax. Natural based candles have a slower burn time, produce less soot and are therefore better for your health and the planet. Each candle that is created is designed to connect you to their local area and is inspired by the coast. Have you ever noticed the smell after a rainstorm? I love that smell, but if there is no rain we don’t get to experience it, until now! HaeckelsPluviophile Rain Candle, even if you’re not a massive candle fan, I'm sure you know someone who is, so next time you’re out candle shopping keep Haeckels in mind.

#4 Rahuahave an amazing story! Fabian Lliguin visited the amazon rainforest where he was advised the secret of Rahua oil. Understanding that is was his breakthrough he and his business partner decided to work alongside the tribes deep within the rainforest to harvest Rahua oil. Their promise is never to harvest non-regenerative rainforest ingredients, inspired by mother nature sustainability is at the heart of their business. Presenting their products in 100% recyclable materials and creating the Pink Flamingos project with their friends at Ecoagents. They put their efforts towards cleaning natural habitats for flamingos and other endemic species. So far they have helped to preserve 37,500 acres of tribal land deep within the rainforest, helping improve the world's carbon footprint! There's just a few examples of the great work Rahua do, not to mention their cosmetics luxurious. Rahua Enchanted Island Salt Spray is a personal favourite. Enriched with Aloe Vera, create a light-weight beachy feel in seconds, with lavender and moringa oils to keep your hair soft to touch.

#5 Bali Balm are a vegan, 100% natural and gender neutral lip balm company. Their products are made from plant oils that are high in antioxidants. Strong believers that beauty shouldn't cost the earth, all ingredients used to create their lip balms are sourced responsibly, all packaging is recyclable and their products are tested on human volunteers only. I was pleased to learn that Bali Balm are committed to helping the world around them, supporting organisations including Project Clean Uluwatu and Mount Agung Relief. A personal favorite is Bali Balm’s Sandalwood & Ginger , earthy aromas, naturally nourishing and it’s pocket size, what more could you want?

#6 SA.AL&CO, NATURE certified and made in Austria. SA.AL&CO sell skincare products in personalised brushed aluminum bottles and tubes that are made from 99% recycled aluminum. Specialising in easy to use skincare products it's hard not to love their full body range, designed to simplify every man’s daily routine by offering multi-purpose products. All of their cosmetics are made from premium and natural ingredients with a sophisticated design. If you’ve not yet tried any of their skincare products, i would recommend the SA.AL&CO Deodorant, described as strong but not aggressive and totally reliable it’s suitable for a day at the office or a full on work out. We have all tried deodorant that promises the world and doesn’t deliver so what’ve you got to lose?

#7 BKRoffer a stylish way to stay hydrated throughout the day with their sustainable, reusable and fashionable water bottles. It’s so important we reduce our plastic consumption and we have the first step to a solution right in front of us. Strong believers that staying hydrated is the key to good skin and a healthy life, they confidently solved our thirst problem while helping the environment out as well. BKRFifth Avenue 1L inspired by summer in New York City is my go-to and i'm a strong believer that everyone should have one.

#8 EVOLVE is a British brand that lovingly handcrafts small batches of products in their Hertfordshire studio. This approach to beauty ensures that their natural, organic, vegan and cruelty free products are as fresh as possible. They even list who from their team made the product on the packaging which is a great personal touch.

I find it inspirational the amount of people and businesses out there who are trying to make a difference in this world. Although individually it may not seem like a lot, but add them together and it becomes a giant leap!