Understanding Ethical Beauty: A Guide to Conscious Choices in Your Beauty Routine
In today's fast-paced beauty industry, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the myriad of products and promises and it can be hard to see which beauty brands truly care about people and planet versus simply marketing that they do.
Ethical beauty is about making mindful decisions that benefit not just your skin and hair, but also the environment and society. It goes beyond the labels of cruelty-free or natural; it's about ensuring that every step, from ingredient sourcing to packaging, aligns with values of fairness and respect.
In this blog, we will break down the most common ethical beauty stances, helping you understand what it truly means and why it matters so that you make informed decisions about brands and products that match your own ethics.
Ethical Beauty Practices and their Impact on People
Ethical beauty practices goes way beyond simply the ingredients used in products; but the entire lifecycle of that product; from harvesting to sourcing to manufacturing, selling and even delivering. At each of these stages, inevitably, people are involved and, just like the fashion industry, beauty supply chains can have their murky side, so it's important to choose which beauty brands you want to support wisely.
Look out for brands that are transparent about how they prioritise the well-being and rights of workers involved in every stage of their manufacturing process. This includes ensuring fair labor practices, providing safe working conditions, and offering fair wages to workers who cultivate ingredients, manufacture products, and contribute to the supply chain. By supporting brands that adhere to ethical beauty practices, you can help combat exploitation and promote a more just and equitable industry that empowers individuals and communities and promotes a culture of care and respect.
At Blomma Beauty, we share the conscious credentials for all of our skincare and wellbeing brands on our product pages so you can see information about their ethics there. Unlike the standards around ingredients or animal testing where there is lots of industry certification, it's not the same for people. The Fairtrade Standard does exist but it is not widely used and only covers certain types of ingredient producers. (You can find more information on fairtrade beauty here.) Otherwise, we'd advise looking out for brands who support community cooperative farms or have anti-child labour agreements when sourcing their ingredients in areas of the world where exploitation and marginalisation can be common.
Ethical Beauty and its Impact on the Planet
Being ethical when it comes to the planet involves being committed to environmentally sustainable practices. This begins with the sourcing of ingredients, choosing those that are sustainably harvested and grown without harmful chemicals that can damage ecosystems. Or that are lab-made but identical to the composition found in nature so as not to over-harvest. By opting for organic, natural and nature identical ingredients, ethical beauty brands can to help reduce pollution, protect biodiversity, and maintain soil health.
Sustainable packaging is another crucial aspect of ethical beauty. This means using recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable materials to minimise waste and reduce environmental footprint. Brands committed to ethical beauty often implement eco-friendly practices in their production processes, such as reducing water usage, minimising carbon emissions, and ensuring energy efficiency, like Odylique who have an eco factory in Suffolk.
Ethical beauty also advocates for reusing or refilling where possible and, failing that, responsible disposal and recycling of beauty products and their packaging. This involves educating consumers on how to properly recycle or dispose of packaging to prevent it from ending up in landfills or oceans. You can find details of how to recycle your packaging on all of our product pages.
Often, ethical beauty brands are often involved in broader environmental initiatives as well, such as supporting reforestation projects, protecting endangered species, and contributing to conservation efforts. By making environmentally conscious choices, ethical beauty brands and consumers alike contribute to the health and sustainability of our planet, ensuring that beauty practices do not come at the expense of the Earth's wellbeing.
We have plenty of ways to shop more sustainably at Blomma Beauty. Check out our product pages for which brands contribute to reforestation, shop certified organic skincare, refill your Upcircle Beauty products or recycle difficult to dispose of beauty packaging in store.
Ethical Beauty and its Impact on Animals
And let's not forget our furry friends and probably the longest standing ethical beauty standard.
Cruelty-Free: Compassion in Every Product
Since 2013, testing beauty products on animals has been banned in the UK and across the EU. This is a significant step forward, but it's important to note that animal testing is still permitted in some countries, and even the UK as been flip flopping since Brexit. To ensure your beauty products are truly cruelty-free, it's best to choose brands that avoid animal testing worldwide.
The Leaping Bunny Program or PETA are reliable resources for identifying cruelty-free brands. Brands that achieve Leaping Bunny or PETA certification have proven that they do not test on animals in any market they operate in, providing an extra layer of assurance beyond EU regulations.
Look for the PETA or Leaping Bunny logos on our product pages and the packaging of our brands with certification. For those who don't have 3rd party certification we always ensure they adhere to cruelty free practices before stocking them in our natural skincare store.
Remember though, cruelty-free doesn't always mean free from animal ingredients. Products can be cruelty-free but still contain animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax. For those seeking products completely devoid of animal ingredients, vegetarian or vegan options are the way to go.
Vegetarian and Vegan: Beauty Without Compromise
Vegetarian beauty products exclude ingredients derived from animal slaughter, while vegan products go a step further by excluding all animal-derived ingredients. This includes common ingredients like yoghurt powder, honey and beeswax. (For alternatives to these ingredients check out our most popular vegan blog here
The Vegan Society provides a globally recognised standard for vegan products (again you can see which brands are certified on our product pages and packaging). Brands that meet their criteria can display the vegan trademark, making it easier for consumers to identify products that align with their values without scrutinising every ingredient list.
It's worth noting that vegetarian and vegan products are not automatically organic or cruelty-free. Each ethical standpoint addresses different concerns, so it's essential to consider your personal priorities when selecting products.
How to shop ethically for beauty products
Here at Blomma Beauty we have a number of ways to help support you on your ethical beauty journey. As we've mentioned above, you can understand the conscious credentials of our brands and products by checking out our product pages (and the packaging if you're shopping in store); you can book an online or in person consultation and let us help match our products with your ethics; and we of course are available 7 days a week to answer any queries you have.
Our top tips for shopping ethically are:
1. Look for Certifications
- Organic: Certifications like The Soil Association and COSMOS ensure that ingredients are organically sourced without harmful chemicals.
- Cruelty-Free: Look for the Leaping Bunny logo or other credible cruelty-free certifications to ensure no animal testing was involved.
- Vegan: The Vegan Society’s trademark indicates products free from animal-derived ingredients.
- Fair Trade: This certification ensures fair wages and ethical working conditions for farmers and workers.
2. Read Ingredient Labels
- Avoid products with harmful chemicals like parabens, sulphates, and synthetic fragrances.
- Opt for products with natural and organic ingredients, which are better for your skin and the environment.
3. Research the Brand
- Investigate the brand’s ethical practices, including their sourcing, manufacturing processes, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
- Check if the brand is transparent about its supply chain and environmental impact.
4. Consider Sustainable Packaging
- Choose products that use recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable packaging.
- Support brands that have minimal packaging or use materials like glass or recycled plastic.
5. Support Local and Small Businesses
- Purchasing from local or small-scale brands often ensures more ethical production practices and supports local economies.
- Small businesses are often more transparent and dedicated to sustainable and ethical practices.
6. Check for Multi-Purpose Products
- Products that serve multiple functions can reduce the number of items you need to buy, minimising waste and resource use. (Check out our favourite multi tasking products here)
7. Be Mindful of Marketing Claims
- Be wary of greenwashing, where brands falsely claim to be environmentally friendly. Look for concrete evidence of sustainability efforts rather than vague promises.
8. Prioritise Refills and Bulk Options
- Choose brands that offer refillable options to reduce packaging waste like our Upcircle refill scheme in store
- Buying in bulk can also minimise packaging and reduce your carbon footprint.
9. Use Resources and Apps
- Utilise apps and websites that rate and review beauty products based on their ethical credentials, such as EWG’s Skin Deep, Good On You, and Think Dirty.
- Read our blog which focusses on natural skincare, wellbeing and holistic living
10. Ask Questions
- Don’t hesitate to contact brands or retailers directly to inquire about their ethical practices and policies. We love it when customers ask us questions!
- Engaging with brands encourages them to maintain or improve their ethical standards.
By following these tips, you can make more informed and responsible choices, ensuring that your beauty routine aligns with your values and contributes to a more sustainable and ethical industry.