I’m sure you will have seen that April is Earth Month, a time to celebrate everything our planet provides for us. It’s also an apt opportunity to highlight which natural skincare ingredients are the best for sustainability and reflect on how we can make more environmentally friendly beauty choices.
Natural beauty has gone through a full-on transformation in recent years, and as of 2022, the industry just keeps on getting smarter by the day! Because of this, it can be hard to navigate the plant-based beauty world and know which brands are genuinely aiming to support our planet.
Let’s discuss exactly how you can ensure you’re buying beauty products that are better for the planet, and the best natural skincare ingredients to look out for when you shop!
What are sustainable natural skincare products?
A sustainable natural skincare product contains ingredients that are farmed and processed ethically. They won’t harm any plants, waters, animals, or people they come into contact with. These ingredients are produced from materials that are renewable or raw, which creates less of an environmental impact.
You don’t have to mine natural ingredients or process them like a chemical, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint.
How do you know if the natural skincare brand you buy from is working toward sustainability?
The best way to go about this is by staying loyal to natural brands that clearly state:
- They avoid synthetics and chemicals
- They process their ingredients sustainably
- They use ethical sources
- Their packaging is recyclable or biodegradable
- Their packaging is made from recycled materials wherever possible
You can also help the planet more by finding natural skincare brands closer to home or buying from small businesses. Many small skincare businesses like my own make everything by hand in small batches, which equals fewer carbon emissions.
The best sustainable natural ingredients
Shea Butter
Shea butter is one of the world’s most sustainable resources. The trees can bear the fruit needed to create butter for hundreds of years. They grow naturally without the need for irrigation, fertilizer, or pesticides. For many people in Africa, shea is a dominant source of income, which incentivizes communities to reduce illegal mining and deforestation. When you buy fair-trade shea butter ethically, it will be locally produced, usually by hand. This reduces the need to ship the nuts & excess waste and limits CO2 emissions.
Shea butter is an essential ingredient for my Lip Balms, Body Scrubs, and Cuticle Balm.
Jojoba Oil
The crop required for jojoba oil naturally grows in desert climates, requiring very little water. The best suppliers will also use the remnants of the plant to fertilize soil or use as compost, reducing waste! You can also find jojoba suppliers in the US, reducing CO2 emissions caused by shipping.
You can find jojoba oil in my Body Butters, Facial Cleansing Balm, Lotion Sticks, and more!
CBD Oil
CBD oil comes from the hemp plant. Hemp is a rapidly growing, hardy plant that requires no pesticides to grow effectively and doesn't drain the ground of essential minerals. It's superbly sustainable because we can use it to make so many things aside from CBD oil. Hemp products are biodegradable, and because so much of the plant is used up making different products, there's little waste.
Take a look at my best-selling CBD Simply Chill Pain Relief Balm or learn more about it here.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera production is superbly efficient, causing no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, or forests. When bought organically, no pesticides will be used either! As a plant, aloe grows fast and is happy in a desert environment. The plants naturally spread too, and it’s easy to create compost or fertilizer from the rind waste. Aloe will grow effectively in the US desert region, reducing CO2 emissions caused by inter-continental transport.
Aloe Vera is a powerful ingredient in my Botanical Body Cream – perfect for dry or sensitive skin.
The Bottom Line
If you’re going to use natural skincare, choose brands that go the extra mile to ensure their ingredients are sustainable, ethical, and friendly for our planet!
With my business, I’m dedicated to creating natural products with ingredient labels you can trust, and I never put profit before ethics. Nature holds the key to powerful, effective skincare, and we should treat our planet with respect for all that it gives us.
