The past few years have seen great progress when it comes to beauty brands thinking more sustainably and behaving more responsibly when it comes to the environment. From clever packaging innovations that reduce the amount of plastic needed, to campaigns to raise awareness on the impact of certain ingredients on the world's oceans, to efforts to give back to charities that protect the planet, beauty has a lot to be proud of.
However, some brands have been accused of 'green-washing' their practices, making it out that they are a lot more sustainably than they actually are, in order to mislead their customer. Buzzwords like 'clean' and 'natural' are perfect examples of terms that are open to interpretation, meaning very little in terms of sustainable certification.

So how do you shop for beauty products with sustainability in mind? How do you check up on a brand's eco-credentials to avoid green-washing? And how do you start to determine if a brand's values align with your own? Here's your ultimate guide to shopping for beauty products that are actually sustainable.

What does sustainable mean to you?

Just as brand's interpret certain buzzwords to fit their own priorities, you have to think about what sustainability means to you. Does it mean organic ingredients, or locally sourced ones? Does it mean plastic-free packaging or does it mean compostable packaging? Do you want your products to be vegan, or is cruelty-free ok? Or, do you want all of the above and also require your brands to be carbon neutral? Remember, there's nothing wrong with high standards when it comes to sustainability.

How to check a beauty brand is vegan

Once you've had a think about your sustainable priorities, you can dig a little deeper into the brands you like to check they have the right credentials. Let's start with whether or not a brand is vegan.

Luckily, there are a few universally recognised regulators that you can rely on to make sure a product is vegan. These are Leaping Bunny, PETA and The Vegan Society, although there are others. If a product has one of these stamps of approval, you can rest assured it complies with a strict set of regulations that mean it is certified vegan.

However, just because one particular product is vegan doesn't mean the brand as a whole is, so don't assume so as you could get caught out.

How to check a beauty brand is organic

Did you know that a product only need to contain a minuscule percentage of an organic ingredient to label themselves as organic?

The clearest way of understanding the organic credentials of a product is to always check the label and look out for the Soil Association Organic logo. This confirms that the products are sourced and manufactured using sustainable, organically-farmed ingredients and are not tested on animals, free from harsh chemicals, nano particles, parabens, synthetic dyes and artificial fragrances. The Soil Association also has a handy list of certifie hair, makeup and skincare brands that you can use to cross reference.

How to check a beauty brand is carbon neutral

This is a bit of a tricky one, as some brands go the extra mile to offset carbon from all aspects of their production line, while others will cut corners to avoid having to declare the heavy loads. There are a few regulators that can be trusted - the United Nations offers its Gold Standard Certified label, and then there's reputable agencies like Carbon Jacked, The Carbon Trust, which uses PAS 2060, an internationally recognised specification for carbon neutrality, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which partners with a select group of approved organisations who have proven their circular initiatives and climate positive objectives.

Luckily, if a brand has bothered to be truly carbon neutral, they'll probably be shouting pretty loudly about it - as they should! Also remember, it would be virtually impossible for a huge international conglomerate with thousands of employees to be totally carbon neutral - it's a stamp of sustainability more likely reserved for the start-ups and small independent brands.

How to check a beauty brand is plastic-free

There are very few 100% plastic free beauty brands, but many have managed to go almost all the way. The best way of determining a brand's plastic output is to read the labels and know what different recycling codes mean, as they can be entirely misleading. One of the most common symbols, two interlocking arrows, actually means that the manufacturers have made a financial contribution to recycling services in Europe. It doesn't mean the product itself is recyclable.

Also watch out for brands that claim their packaging is made from 'recycled materials' and brands who say their packaging is 'recyclable'. While it's great to use recycled materials, the former may not be able to be recycled after that point, which means it's going to end up in landfill.

How to check a beauty brand is biodegradable

Technically, biodegradable means that a material can be broken down by microorganisms over time, which is a pretty useless definition, as given enough time, most things will break down - even plastic, although it will take thousands of years. Luckily, for plastic packaging to be certified as biodegradable EU and UK have adopted the "BS EN 13432 standard", which sets out a set of strict criteria. To comply, materials must be evaluated to ensure it's free from potentially harmful metals and chemicals, then it must undergo biological treatment to test biodegradability. Finally, the compost itself is tested for quality and for any negative side effects on the environment.

Compostable on the other hand is a step further than biodegradable, and describes the ability of a material to break down completely within a specific time frame - usually within 12 weeks.

Happy sustainable shopping!