We all know that the whole reason we buy that new moisturizer or eye glitter that we’ll probably only wear once is not because either of them are going to become our overnight holy grail product. It’s because we know the product will most likely look amazing sitting on our sink. We are all suckers for aesthetically pleasing packaging. We know it; and the beauty industry knows it too. That is why when it comes to being a responsible consumer, it is important to know if the company you buy from takes into consideration how their packaging contributes to the average 254 million tons of waste produced annually.
One brand that we all know and love for their products and packaging, Glossier, has recently been under fire for a wasteful packaging faux pas. The brand preaches “clean beauty,” but with the drop of their latest line, Glossier Play, they seem to have overlooked something more important: a clean environment. Their packaging features not only plastic containers for the makeup they are selling, but twice the amount of wrapping and boxing than their previous products. Each individual product is wrapped in a type of plastic wrap inside a box. This plastic wrap is not only completely useless and wasteful, but unattractive to look at as well. Influencers and fans of the brand alike have been calling attention to this issue since the launch of the line, and luckily, Glossier has heard their cries. The brand is phasing out their foil wrapping within the next six months.
What about the brands that are already using eco-friendly packaging that still looks amazing on your counter? Luckily for consumers, there are already plenty to choose from. One of these brands is Herbivore Botanicals. Herbivore is a skincare brand that predominantly uses glass and paper to package their products. Not only do their products work wonders on the skin, but they do so with little impact to the environment. Another brand worth shouting out is LOLI Beauty. They support a number of causes with the funds they bring in with their natural, ethical products, such as supporting anti-human trafficking organizations, using all natural products and, of course, being earth-friendly. They use glass jars that can be reused as food containers, and the labels, boxes and bags they package with are 100 percent compostable.
It is refreshing to see this kind of thought and effort being put into products and packaging in the market. Brands like these are making milestone efforts to be leading brands in beauty and sustainability, all while looking Instagram worthy on our counters.
Written by Hannah Haghighi
Graphic by Piper Smith