Recently, the topic of caring for nature has been on the agenda. We are talking about forests in Siberia, we try not to use plastic, we choose natural materials … However, the forecasts of scientists are not getting better. Some time ago it became known that in 2019 the stock of renewable resources ended on July 29, which is three days later than last year. This means that the amount of resources that people use begins to exceed the amount that the Earth can reproduce.
“Humanity is consuming natural resources 1.75 times faster than the planet's ecosystems can recover,” said the Global Footprint Network think tank. "And this figure continues to grow."
According to statistics that have been conducted since the 70s, at first the date of environmental debt was in December, and then it moved forward faster and faster. So, in the 90s, this number was recorded in October, and in the early 2000s - already in September.
The consequences of such a situation, researchers attribute the disappearance of forests, the extinction of many species of plants and animals, an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, natural disasters. There are opinions that if everything continues at the same pace, our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will not see the planet that now exists.
Scientists, conservationists, bloggers and celebrities are calling on governments and companies to address this issue. The BeautyHack editors found out how beauty brands save nature. We were able to identify the three most popular factors in the production of cosmetics.
Composition
The natural composition is completely safe not only for our skin, but also for the environment. It's simple: organic ingredients break down and penetrate into the soil several times faster than synthetic ones. So the trend for cosmetics without silicones is not accidental. But, fortunately, almost all large companies strive for 100% pure ingredients in beauty products - from L'Oreal and L'Oreal Professional to Estee Lauder. No less popular are brands that specialize only in organic. The most popular in our country are Natura Siberica and Organic Shop.
Packaging
Such brands as Origins, Weleda, Vichy, Caudalie, Yves Rocher and L'Occitane were the first to use eco packaging. Now other big brands have taken up the trend. Moreover, a special labeling with numbers was recently introduced, by which you can find out about the quality of packaging: 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 indicate that the product can be processed (that is, it is more or less safe for nature), “3 "Means that the manufacturers used chlorine (it is not good for the atmosphere), and" 7 "is plastic. The absence of any figure also implies material harmful to nature.
Also recently, the practice of recycling used packaging has been used: in the corners of MAC and Guerlain in Europe, for example, they give a good discount for returning the can from the product.
But the farthest in this regard is the Lush brand, which sells most of the cosmetics without packaging. In this case, in the future, manufacturers intend to completely switch to "naked" goods.
Another interesting solution is to sell the product in a package that can then be used several times. You buy a cream or perfume, and when it runs out, bring an empty bottle to the corner, which will be filled with the product you like in front of you. While this system is in test mode, it is likely that all the most popular brands will turn to it in the near future.
Charity events
Many cosmetic brands also focus on all sorts of actions to protect the environment.
For example, Vichy is collaborating with Project Auverwatch to ensure the environmental protection of natural sources of thermal water; L'Occitane is working with French institutes to find ways to save lavender and is also collaborating with the international committee for the protection of nature IUCN.
Meanwhile, Origins partnered with American Forests' Global ReLeaf and Caudalie, along with 1% for the Planet, have launched tree planting and rescue campaigns to rescue animals suffering from deforestation. And the Weleda brand has created a non-profit initiative NaTrue, which has defined clear international standards for the use of the term "natural cosmetics", which is 100% harmless to our planet.
