As we become more socially conscious, we have started to ask questions about where the products we buy come from, who is making them, how the environment is impacted by their production and distribution, among others.
Ethical beauty is making sure the beauty products we use on a daily basis don’t have a detrimental impact on the environment in their production, testing, or distribution.
By taking the time to do a bit of research on the companies and the products themselves, we can ensure the products we buy are ethical.
Here are some of the most important things to consider when buying ethical beauty products.
Ingredients
The first thing that you should be considering is whether the ethical beauty products you buy are actually cruelty-free.
Animal testing is still widespread in the cosmetics industry and some countries require animal testing by law to ensure it is fit for human consumption.
Thousands of animals suffer every year through testing and finding a brand that is cruelty-free is one of the biggest steps towards buying ethical goods.
You may also want to consider vegan products that have no ingredients that come from animals such as honey, lanolin, and more.
Sites like Skinsider have a specialized Vegan section making it easier for you to find.
Shopping for organic ethical beauty products means that what you are buying is free from artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives, and chemicals and is free from GMOs.
Another ingredient you should be looking to avoid is palm oil.
Palm oil is used in many products and can be difficult to avoid, but the palm oil industry threatens rainforests and its production creates a huge volume of greenhouse gas emissions.
Business Practices
It’s not just about the ingredients in your ethical beauty products, it’s also important to look at the business practices of the brands behind them to make sure you are actually buying ethically.
When you receive the ethical beauty products in the mail, take a look at how it is packaged. Has the company made the effort to use recyclable packaging or something that can be reused?
Try to find out a bit more about how a company treats its employees in terms of working conditions and if they get paid a living wage.
Companies are also making strides to becoming greener and this can be seen in how they choose their energy supplier and how the energy is sourced and how they manage their waste.
Finally, it is worth checking to see if the brand supports any charities. In some cases, a percentage of each sale goes towards a chosen charity.
The Cost
Yes, we realize that buying ethical beauty products can be more expensive. Don’t worry, it’s worth the investment!
Green energy, recyclable and reusable packaging, well-paid staff with good working conditions and high-quality, cruelty-free ingredients all add to the running costs for the company which is usually then passed on to the customer.
While it’s ultimately up to you whether you think buying sustainable, ethical products and eco-friendly fashion is worth that extra cost, we urge you to consider working it into your budget.
One good thing about doing this is that the products are higher-quality, better for you and better for the earth in the long run.
