Dear Humans, 

After all these blog posts, you may think ‘Yes, I want to be a Green user of beauty products. But how do I start? What brands should I use? What kind of routines should I follow?’ It may all be very daunting at first, but fret not, I am here to help you. Today, I will be introducing Instagram’s top eco-friendly beauty role models. They are very knowledgeable in the field and share their green beauty tips and tricks through Instagram posts. As you look through the profiles of these influencers, be sure to look out for your preferences so that you can see whose routines suit you best. Let’s begin!

1. @gurlgonegreen

@gurlgonegreen started her quest to go green in her beauty routines 10 years ago. She is currently a mother of 3, and constantly sets up courses for her followers to learn new beauty routines. She focuses on natural cleaners so that her children are not exposed to toxic chemicals at such a young age. She does blog posts to share about her favourites that she frequently uses for cleaning  Also, she believes that a clean and consistent routine would go a long way for one’s skin care as well. To mothers out there looking for a green beauty role model, @gurlgonegreen would be perfect for you. 

Figure 1: @gurlgonegreen instagram page 

1. @organicbunny

Many have the misconception that you cannot have a beautiful makeup look if you use organic products. Here’s where @organicbunny proves you wrong. They believe that an organic lifestyle can also be glamorous. They organise Question and Answer sessions where their  followers can clear their doubts. They then use these questions for their blog where it can reach an even wider audience. After researching for a little longer than 5 years, they use their expertise to spread the word about green beauty. They even have an online store that sells organic beauty products and others. If you’re looking for a glamourous beauty routine that’s organic, what are you waiting for? Follow @organicbunny now!

Figure 2: @organicbunny’s instagram page 

I have introduced several green beauty influencers that have different specialities. When looking out for these influencers, be sure to find those that you relate with most. I’m sure you’ll be able to find suitable green beauty role models that you look up to. Good luck! 

Exuberant vibes,

Mother Nature 

Dear Humans, 

Now, since all of you know the direction of producers in the context of the future of consumerism of beauty products, I will now tell you more about the perspectives and goals for consumers. Consumers have the power to control the producers and have the ability to make their own choices for their own products. 

Consumers, it is now in your hands

Consumers are powerful as they have the ability to influence producers. Without the support of the consumers, producers would have no one to sell their goods to. Hence, consumers have the important role of choosing their products ethically and wisely. According to a study, consumers are now more supportive of brands who list their ingredients on the product (Yeop et al., 2012). By doing that, consumers are more informed about the choices they are making in terms of harming the environment. Hence, since it is now out in the open, producers will then have to make a conscious effort to ensure that their products are using environmentally sustainable ingredients or risk the support of their customers. Although the production and selling of the beauty product may seem like an approach that does not involve the customer, it is actually the opposite. The feedback and support of the customer is vital. Thus, do your part and be an informed consumer!

Some consumers have done their part to be a sustainable consumer, have you? 

For more information, watch this video! 

Shaping good habits

Humans are creatures of habit. Hence, if a routine or habit is cultivated, it is easy for everyone to follow through (White, 2020). For instance, the usage for straws. For the longest time, we have been using plastic straws every single day for every meal. But, once the people decided that they should find alternatives, plastic straws almost immediately became obsolete. Now, everyone uses reusable metal or paper straws for their drinks. The same goes for beauty products. It only takes one person to say no, and lead the way for a new era of sustainable consumerism where it is the default option. The domino effect is also likely to take place, where one sustainable act will lead to another. Why not start today? 

Cheery vibes,

Mother Nature 

References: 

Katherine White,  . (2020, June 01). The Elusive Green Consumer. Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://hbr.org/2019/07/the-elusive-green-consumer

Yeop, S. D., Lee, E., Park, S. & Lee, K. (2012). A Study on Consumers’ Perceptions and Emotional Behavioural Attitudes Concerning the Usefulness of Information on All Cosmetic Ingredients Used, Consumers’ Interest Annual, 58, 2012. Retrieved from https://www.consumerinterests.org/assets/docs/CIA/CIA2012/2012-5%20a%20study%20on%20consumers%20perceptions%20and%20emotional%20and%20behavioral%20attitudes%20concerning%20the%20usefulness%20of%20information%20on%20all%20cosmetic%20ingredients%20used.pdf

Dear Humans, 

So far, we have discussed the horrors in relation to the production of beauty products. In my previous posts, I showed you how the production of fragrances and skincare products have caused environmental degradation and harm both indoors and outdoors. With this in mind, the next step is to question how producers can take the lead in environmentally friendly consumerism. 

How can producers influence consumers to make the right choices?

In recent years, ethical consumerism has been on the rise and many have been more aware of the harm and risk of pollution for numerous chemicals. It is naturally for people to be more supportive of brands that do good for the environment and biodiversity. According to a study, 90% of Americans would be loyal to the brands that behave and produce ethically (Berlin, 2016). To further support this movement, celebrity endorsements are helpful in driving the motivation for conscious consumerism (Hansen & Bisson, 2018). People tend to follow the lead of celebrities whom they admire and this will easily influence the larger population to be more conscious of consuming ethically. However, this is a short term solution and it is not easy to change the mindsets of people when they are set in their ways. Therefore, in order to influence and change the habits of people, educational policies and curriculum have to play a part in these movements. When students understand the motivations and actions behind the companies, they would inherently participate in it and may even grow to be leaders of conservation in the future. 

Take a look at this podcast where they discuss about celebrities supporting environmental movements and the impact they have: 

Economic Problems

When purchasing beauty products, it is easy to assume that we can simply inculcate environmental values in the general public by educating them or initiating campaigns. However, most do not consider that some people may not have the ability to do so. Those of a lower socio-economic status may already be struggling to make ends meet, and it might be ridiculous to tell them to only buy products from brands that are environmentally sustainable. On the bright side, there are websites and campaigns that help to alleviate this problem. MIIGLE+ has a list of environmentally sustainable products and brands that everyone can look for before they purchase a product. This increases the accessibility to information and allows more people to make informed choices about the products that they are purchasing.  

If you want to know more about MIIGLE+, check out their website here https://miigle.com

I hope that all of you are now more aware of what producers can do despite the economic and social problems faced from the production and consumption of beauty products. Next up, I will be sharing more about the consumer’s role in the future of consumerism of beauty products. Stay tuned! 

Carefree vibes,

Mother Nature 

References:

Berlin, L. (2017, March 16). The Future of Consumerism: A World Where Products, People & Nature Are In Harmony. Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/the-future-of-consumerism

Discover The World’s Ethical, Social Good & Vegan Brands: Miigle+ Miigle. (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://miigle.com/

The Impact of Celebrity Endorsements on Environmental Causes: How Much of a Difference Do They Really Make? ‘ Pepperdine Graphic. (n.d.). Retrieved November 04, 2020, from https://pepperdine-graphic.com/the-impact-of-celebrity-endorsements-on-environmental-causes-how-much-of-a-difference-do-they-really-make/

Dear Humans,

I am back to share tips with you on how to handle fakes. Firstly, you understood the dangers of using counterfeit products greatly surpasses the economic bargains you can get out of it. Chemical burns on your faces and the release of toxic fumes into the atmosphere would be detrimental to you and the environment. 

How can you tell if it is a fake?

• Check the packaging
  • Look out for package discolouration, usual fonts, spelling mistakes and irregular illustrations 
  • Counterfeit products won’t provide all the detail an authentic brand will, such as the full ingredients list, name of the product, and translations of the ingredients list 

Source: Mystic Beauty

• Check for a serial code
  • Only authentic products would have batch codes printed on the product

• • Make sure the serial number on the product matches the one on the packaging
  • If shopping online, contact the seller and ask them to provide you with photographs of the product and its serial code

Source: Brightside Magazine

• Check the shades of the product
  • Formula for certain shades for authentic products might not be achievable by counterfeit
  • Watch out for products with different shades to the authentic

Source: Behind Green Eyes

• Check for smell or consistency
  • Apart from checking the shades of the beauty products, you should also check for the smell and consistency
  • Foul or chemical smells can easily give away counterfeit products

Source: Brightside Magazine

• Check for reviews
  • Look out for reviews from past customers about their experience with the product
  • Many online shopping platforms have a function for buyers to leave their reviews after receiving their products (as shown in the previous post)

• Know your retailer
  • Check whether retailer is trustworthy and and avoid buying from unknown buyers
  • You are more likely to purchase a cheap fake from a street stall selling it with 50% price marked down

• Know that there is no free lunch
  • Retail price for genuine products are usually higher due to its high quality ingredients and branding
  • Finding a bargain online may not be the best as chances of it being a fake is high

Now I hope that you understand how to spot counterfeit products better and what should you do if you accidentally bought one?

1. You can notify the seller and clarify with them why the product you paid for is not what you thought it should be. Give the sellers a chance to explain themselves first.
2. Inform the online platform about the fake product. Allow them to handle the unethical seller.
3. Do not use the product. You never know what could happen to your skin. The extra $5 off is not worth burning your skin.
4. Leave a review if you can to warn the next victim. 

I hope you are better equipped with knowledge on how to deal with counterfeit beauty products and shop wisely!

Happy vibes,

Mother Nature

References:

Small, D. (2019, December 18). 7 Ways To Tell If Your Cosmetics Are Counterfeit. Eluxe Magazine. https://eluxemagazine.com/beauty/7-ways-to-tell-if-your-cosmetics-are-counterfeit/

Brightside Magazine. (n.d.) 7 Clever Tips to Spot Fake Designer Makeup. https://brightside.me/inspiration-girls-stuff/7-clever-tips-to-spot-fake-designer-makeup-232060/

Dear Humans,

Prior to this post, I have discussed the boom of e-commerce further stimulated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With more people turning to online platforms like Shopee, Lazada or even EzBuy, their risk of purchasing counterfeit products would have greatly increased. The risk of buying counterfeit cosmetic products online is higher than you think. With the growing demand for online shopping, many sites are introducing promotions every other week. You have the 8/8, 10/10 and 11/11 sale, with these promotional events going on, consumers are encouraged to purchase more of their items online. Many cosmetics lovers look for their cult favourite items without considering its dangers and background (Hickey, 2018). In the picture below, you can see that both the authentic and counterfeit eyeshadow palettes look extremely similar so it is not surprising that many people are falling for it. 

Source: https://edtimes.in/fake-makeup-is-on-the-rise-and-heres-why-you-should-be-worried/

But why is using counterfeit makeup bad?

These fake cosmetics very well contain toxic chemicals such as mercury which could lead to skin rash and chemical burns (BBC, 2018). Famous brands such as M.A.C, Kylie Cosmetics and more have been victim to the counterfeit drama. Beauty products ranging from perfumes to make-up to sun screens have been tested to contain poisonous chemicals like arsenic, mercury and cyanide (BBC, 2015). With consumers purchasing and using these fake cosmetic products, not only does it cause harm to themselves but also release harmful chemicals into the environment.

Screenshot from Shopee

Screenshot from Shopee

Screenshot from Shopee

These are some screenshots of reviews by buyers on online shopping platform, Shopee. As you can see, many of these buyers are “unsure of the authenticity” of the products that they have bought online. Many of these consumers purchase products online despite understanding the risks of the products being counterfeit and harmful. I would like to guess that most of these consumers purchase risky items online to secure their favourite beauty products at a discounted price. These consumption behaviours can be dangerous for your health as well as the environment. Next, I would share with you ways you can spot fakes and what you should do when you find a fake.

Wary vibes,

Mother Nature

References:

BBC. (2018, August 27). Fake cosmetics found to contain ‘toxic’ chemicals. BBC. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45313747

BBC. (2015, May 17). Rat droppings, urine and arsenic found in fake beauty items. BBC. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-32772132

CNN. (2020, October 16). Lazada warns online sellers of deactivation for selling fake products. Retrieved 2020, from https://cnnphilippines.com/business/2020/10/16/Lazada-online-sellers-deactivation-fake-products.html

Hickey, S. (2018, December 2). Whether you’re unaware or don’t care, counterfeit goods pose a serious threat. The Guardian. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/dec/02/whether-youre-unaware-or-dont-care-counterfeit-goods-pose-a-serious-threat

Dear Humans,

I’m back! Remember how I told you about green governmentality in the previous posts? Today, I will be sharing with you more about how it has affected communities and individuals. After that, I will be sharing with you the main concerns and challenges about green governmentality in the context of beauty products. 

Individual scale: 

Ultimately, the only way for governmentality to be successful is if self-regulation takes place. Self-regulation is when citizens learn the values that the government has inculcated in them and uses them as their own. Hence, if they find themselves to be deviant, they would automatically change to do the right thing (Siebert & Walsh, 2013). In the case of beauty products, these consumers will try their best to follow environmentally friendly practices and use those products. A crucial example is take-back programmes organised by numerous companies. These companies encourage their consumers to return their used containers to recycle them so that it does not contribute so greatly to cosmetic waste. A good example would be LUSH, where they provide incentives for their consumer (Hirsch, 2018). If a consumer is able to return 5 containers, they would attain a free mask from them. Despite these incentives and programmes, individuals still have to have the correct mindset and put in the effort to take part in these programmes. Thus, if more consumers start to participate, it would mean that self regulation is taking place and green governmentality has been successful to a large extent. 

Challenges of Green governmentality

However, there are numerous challenges faced in the process of green governmentality. On an International or National scale, the lack of unified cosmetic standards pose a higher risk to the success of green governmentality. If there are many different standards, companies will not know which to follow and end up making small compromises just to prove that they have done their part. Without this, sustainable innovation is not able to take place effectively and self regulation will not happen. This will affect the actions of individuals as well. If companies are not working together for a sustainable beauty industry, customers will not be informed of better choices and will most definitely not adhere to their environmental programmes (Feng, 2016). Hence, in order to achieve a long term successful customer education, it is vital to create a strategic alliance and a sustainable company image. 

Now that you’re familiar with green governmentality and how it affects the beauty industry, do question yourself about the decisions that you’re making in relation to your cosmetic choices. It is important to be critical about the articles you read and programmes you take part in.

Tense vibes,

Mother Nature 

References

Feng, C (2016). Sustainable Innovation in the Cosmetic Industry—Obstacles, Contributing Factors, and Strategies, 1-113. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/211349124.pdf

Hirsh, S. (2019, March 27). How to Score a Free Lush Face Mask By Saving Your Empties. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.greenmatters.com/p/lush-recycling-program

Siebert, S., & Walsh, A. (2013). Reflection in work-based learning: Self-regulation or self-liberation? Teaching in Higher Education, 18(2), 167-178. doi:10.1080/13562517.2012.696539

Dear Humans, 

Have you ever wondered why eco-friendly products and practices are at the centre of attention? Companies that have unethical environmental practices tend to make it to the headlines and environmental advocates are campaigning more than ever. You may think, who’s the one behind these actions? The truth is, it is the government. Governmentality shows the linkage between governing and mentality, where the government subtly teaches or inculcates certain values in its citizens and the citizens change their mentality and self regulate according to those values (Rutherford, 2007). Green governmentality is how the government works at the distance through multiple techniques, agencies and rationalities to steer the conduct of human behaviour in an environmentally friendly direction (Uggla & Soneryd, 2017). This post and the next will focus on the different scales of green governmentality and how it is seen from beauty products. 

International scale: 

Encouragement of brand innovation is one way that shows green governmentality at an international scale (Utroske, 2020). There are many awards and non-profit initiatives to get beauty brands to go-green and be creative about their sustainability practices. These initiatives would push people all around the world to think about how our cosmetics can be used and produced more sustainably. It also leads the wider public in the ‘right’ direction about going green in the beauty industry. For instance, LOreal created a competition for University students to find ways to eliminate plastic from the beauty industry. But, the underlying reason why these companies are coming up with innovative methods of environmentally friendly practices is due to the drive from the governments. These may include certain laws or policies passed down by the environmental sectors where international agreements are written.

National scale: 

Education is utilised at the national scale to allow consumers to learn more about how beauty products harm the environment. Schools have numerous programmes that teach students the harmful toxins in the environment and the ways to mitigate it. Hence, students will be wary about these products as they know the amount of chemicals released and the harm it causes the environment. Although it may seem like it is just part of the syllabus, students are now more likely to become active agents that will do their part for the environment.

All in all, green governmentality can be observed at numerous stages and scales. Companies have taken action to ensure that their beauty products are environmentally friendly. In my next post, I’ll share more with all of you about how green governmentality is present at community and individual scales.

To know more about LOreal’s take on environmental and social labelling, watch this video!

Carefree vibes,

Mother Nature 

References: 

Rutherford, S. (2007). Green governmentality: Insights and opportunities in the study of nature’s rule. Progress in Human Geography, 31(3), 291-307. doi:10.1177/0309132507077080

Uggla, Y., & Soneryd, L. (2017). Zeleni guvernmentalitet, responsibilizacija i otpor: Kako međunarodni ekološki NVO-i vide budućnost energetske opskrbe i ublažavanja klimatskih promjena. Socijalna Ekologija, 26(3), 87-104. doi:10.17234/socekol.26.3.2

Utroske, D. (2020, February 20). Sustainable Beauty strategies for the 2020s. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Article/2020/02/20/Sustainable-Beauty-strategies-for-the-2020s

Dear Humans,

With the current pandemic situation, factories stopped operating, cars stopped going, commercial planes stopped flying and people stopped moving around. The halt of these activities allowed our skies and waters to clear up. Accompanying the halt of economic activities, most of you are quarantining at home and you might be searching online for new and novel things to do to kill your quarantine boredom. With so much time to spare, most people have turned to online shopping sprees to kill time. With the COVID-19 situation, e-commerce retailers have benefitted largely from the pandemic-driven demand for online shopping services. With greater demand for e-commerce platforms, companies like Amazon and Sea Limited (Shopee) have grown significantly. 

With the skyrocketed demand for online shopping, the extent of environmental degradation brought about by e-commerce would have also amplified drastically. Today I will be sharing how your new found hobby can bring about detrimental effects to the environment. Going to your traditional brick-and-mortar stores to purchase your go-to hair conditioner, your favourite shampoo or your trusty hair gel can actually be environmentally friendlier than shopping online! 

Here are some reasons why:

• Shopping at physical stores can reduce carbon footprint by a striking 40% just by walking or cycling to the place itself (Morrison, 2020)
• Buying online will increase carbon footprint via:
  • Transportation of goods from warehouse
  • Packaging resources
  • Delivering parcels to doorsteps
  • Redelivering and returning of parcels would double the net amount of carbon footprint 
  • All of these actually leaves behind high levels of carbon footprint through emissions from burning of fossil fuels and using of unsustainable materials like plastic bags that are non-biodegradable 

As demand for e-commerce skyrocketed due to the pandemic, carbon footprint induced by such activities would also be boosted. For consumers who opted for express delivery would triple the impacts of freight transportation (Farmbrough, 2019). For beauty products such as make up products are usually contained in fragile containers and hence would require more packaging to protect the item. Hence, despite the factories shutting down and halting of commercial planes, carbon footprints from your online shopping behaviours can also lead to harmful environmental consequences. However, visiting your physical stores to purchase your items is not viable during this pandemic. For that, there are other solutions to minimise your carbon footprint which would be shared with you subsequently. 

Hopeful vibes,

Mother Nature

References:

Farmbrough, H. (2019, October 14). Why Internet Shopping Isn’t Always Better For the Environment. Forbes. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherfarmbrough/2019/10/14/why-internet-shopping-isnt-always-better-for-the-environment/?sh=1c441c875c18

Lim, C. (2020, September 2). 2 e-commerce stocks growing faster than Amazon. AsiaOne. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.asiaone.com/money/2-e-commerce-stocks-growing-faster-amazon

Morrison, R. (2020, February 26). Shopping for the Planet: Going to a Bricks and Mortar Store to Buy Your Groceries Is More Environmentally Friendly than Getting Them Online from Companies like Amazon, Study Claims. Retrieved 2020, from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8046885/Buying-physical-shop-environmentally-friendly-getting-online.html

Dear Humans,

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic around the world, most of you are locked in your own homes. Activities previously deemed as a norm such as shopping and dining out with your friends currently seems unreachable. With the quiet roads, empty buildings and airports, the world seems to be at a pause. For once, my skies are clear and my water is clean again. In Singapore, NEA reports that NO2 levels have dropped drastically from 27ug/m3 to 17ug/m3 (Tan, 2020). Albeit the improved conditions of pollution at the surface, the skyrocketing participation in online shopping has been brought to my attention. On your devices at home, online shopping has been a new norm of the COVID-19 pandemic. Is this better or worse for the environment? 

Online shopping trends

During the Circuit Breaker, Singapore had to close barber shops and retail outlets as they were considered ‘non-essential’. Hence, beauty products were one of the popular purchases during that period. With the closure of barber shops, hair clippers were frequently bought. Also, face masks and pimple patches were highly favoured. According to Economist Lee, he states that the trend of online shopping is here to stay. As new users become accustomed to online shopping, they will find it increasingly convenient and continue to shop online (Ng, 2020). Are we heading in the right direction?

Air pollution & COVID-19

COVID-19 is transmitted through human respiratory droplets and close contact. However, it has been recently hypothesized that the virus can also be transmitted through particulate matter and aerosols (Lau, 2020). Hence, areas that are heavily polluted are likely to be more susceptible to the spread of the virus (Kanniah, 2020). From the final report of CREA, it is concluded that high levels of air pollution weaken the body’s natural defenses against airborne viruses like COVID-19 (Urrutia-Pereira, Mello-Da-Silva, & Solé, 2020). Thus, no matter how small the risk is, it should be tackled immediately. 

(Source: Unsplash, 2020)

Therefore, it is vital to think about the consequences that you are causing just by a click of a button at home. Is it really more environmentally friendly to turn digital? Although it seems like the skies have cleared, is it really a better alternative? In my next post, I will be utilising your carbon footprints to weigh the consequences of online shopping compared to shopping physically at a mall. 

Tense vibes,

Mother Nature 

References: 

How Air Pollution Contributes to the Spread of COVID-19. (2020, September 10). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://earth.org/air-pollution-exacerbating-the-spread-of-covid-19/

Huiwen, N., & Chen, S. (2020, October 02). How Covid-19 is changing what Singaporeans shop for online. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/covid-shopping

K.D. Kanniah, N.A.F.K. Zaman, D.G. Kaskaoutis, et al., , Science of the Total Environment,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142200

Tan, C. (2020, May 05). Coronavirus: Air quality improves as Singapore slows down under circuit breaker measures. Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/coronavirus-air-quality-improves-as-singapore-slows-down-under-circuit-breaker

Technology Networks. (2020, April 21). How is Air Pollution Impacting COVID-19 Fatalities? Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/how-is-air-pollution-impacting-covid-19-fatalities-333696

Urrutia-Pereira, M., Mello-Da-Silva, C., & Solé, D. (2020). COVID-19 and air pollution: A dangerous association? Allergologia Et Immunopathologia, 48(5), 496-499. doi:10.1016/j.aller.2020.05.004

Dear Humans,

Most of the time we do not see the big picture when we are using certain beauty products. You may have considered that the production of the bottle may have contributed to certain emissions. But, have you ever thought of emissions produced during consumption and the end-of-life of the product? At every stage of the beauty product one uses, carbon is emitted. Hence, I will be discussing the topic of carbon footprint and how it has enlarged in today’s world. 

Carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide released as a result of certain activities (Radu, Scrieciu, & Caracota, 2013). To calculate the carbon footprint of a beauty product, ever part of the product will be traced (Francke & Castro, 2013). For instance, one has to take into account the distribution system, the manufacturing process and ultimately to its original source. To add on, the packaging and sealing processes have to be included as well. Thus, a single beauty product can produce a massive carbon footprint. 

On the bright side, these carbon footprints can be put to good use. The carbon footprints that are calculated can be utilised to examine their production processes and reduce their emissions. There are numerous beauty product companies that are going carbon neutral. Let’s take a look.

Pure Skin Food

(Source: Vegconomist, 2020)

Pure Skin food aims to be carbon neutral, where their production and packaging methods are aimed at being as environmentally friendly as possible (Pure Skin Food, n.d.). Their packaging is made from recycled and plastic free materials. An impressive feat is that their production, which requires electricity, is obtained by using their own photovoltaic system. For their non-avoidable carbon emissions, an eco-social initiative is organised to offset it. 

Is it really possible to go carbon neutral? 

In reality, many beauty companies depend largely on carbon offsetting rather than reducing actual carbon emissions (Dazed beauty, 2020). For the amount of carbon emissions they produce, the company purchases credits and uses these credits to fund environmental projects. These projects include tree planting and green energy related initiatives. As fair as this sounds, it does not target the root cause of the problem. Carbon will still be emitted and trying to make up for it by funding green projects will not allow one to truly achieve carbon neutrality. 

Hence, it takes research and understanding of production and manufacturing processes to work towards carbon neutrality (Bom, Jorge, Ribeiro, & Marto, 2019). If companies continue to adopt the mindset and methods of carbon off-setting, the situation of an increasing carbon footprint due to beauty products will remain stagnant. Do your part!

Promising vibes, 

Mother Nature 

References: 

Bom, S., Jorge, J., Ribeiro, H., & Marto, J. (2019). A step forward on sustainability in the cosmetics industry: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 225, 270-290. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.255

Carbon-Neutral Organic Cosmetics by PURE SKIN FOOD – vegconomist – the vegan business magazine. (2019, November 18). Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://vegconomist.com/fashion-und-beauty/carbon-neutral-organic-cosmetics-by-pure-skin-food/

Francke, I., & Castro, J. (2013). Carbon and water footprint analysis of a soap bar produced in Brazil by Natura Cosmetics. Water Resources and Industry, 1-2, 37-48. doi:10.1016/j.wri.2013.03.003

PURE SKIN FOOD – 100% Organic & Vegan Cosmetics. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://www.pureskinfood.net/

Radu, A. L., Scrieciu, M. A., & Caracota, D. M. (2013). Carbon Footprint Analysis: Towards a Projects Evaluation Model for Promoting Sustainable Development. Procedia Economics and Finance, 6, 353-363. doi:10.1016/s2212-5671(13)00149-4

What does ‘carbon neutral beauty’ actually mean? (2020, April 22). Retrieved September 25, 2020, from https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/head/article/48131/1/carbon-neutral-beauty-offsetting-greenwashing-sustainable-earth-day-eco