As buyers become increasingly conscious over what they consume from food sources to fashion to cars and beauty, it’s crucial that businesses and organizations evolve to meet shifting needs and preferences.
These shifts are critical not just in the effort for companies to stay relevant in the marketplace, but to ensure that they're intentional in how they manufacture, produce and present their product to best benefit their business, their customer, and the environment their product will exist within.
At Herbal Skin Solutions, the foundation of all of our products is rooted in high-quality botanical and antioxidant-rich ingredients, and we’ve also made efforts to infuse intentionality into our manufacturing process through energetic tuning, so naturally, the next layer of bringing conscious creation to our products is in the packaging.
But first, we have to understand what being eco-conscious entails…
Defining “Clean” and “Green” Beauty
Even though buyers are becoming more informed over what they’re consuming and many businesses are making a genuine effort to make strides in making their products safer, healthier, eco-friendly, and more socially responsible, there will always be certain manufacturers that try to leverage labeling to capitalize on these “conscious consumer" efforts.
And that is why knowledge is power.
When it comes to the beauty and skincare industry, the more we understand what truly constitutes “clean” and “green” beauty, the better consumers we can be not just for ourselves, but for our spas and esthetic practices as well as our clients.
So, what is “clean beauty”?
While there isn’t a definitive standard or guideline, the consensus is that clean beauty products are comprised of non-toxic ingredients that aren’t linked to health issues, resulting in products that are healthful and safe while still delivering results. These ingredients, while mostly naturally-derived, can still be man-made and considered “clean” so long as they’re not toxic.
“Green beauty,” on the other hand, encompasses the definition of “clean beauty,” but places a heavier emphasis on the products made from naturally-sourced ingredients as well as being friendly to not just our bodies, but the planet.
My favorite definition of “green beauty” is one that I’ve found courtesy of Sarita Coren on her blog, the Hub of Clean Living, which defines “green beauty” as:
- A movement: a mindful effort of beauty and wellness brands to source the purest, most sustainable ingredients possible, in order to create efficacious and safe products
- An environmental standard: a commitment to the earth, guarding its resources and the medicinal properties of plants, herbs, flowers, etc.
- A community: a group of like-minded people determined to share what they’ve learned and discovered, so as to inspire and educate others to make mindful choices
- A lifestyle: a conscious choice to avoid products proven to be harmful to the health of our planet and its inhabitants
Why Clean and Green Matters
The benefits of choosing products that aren’t harmful to ourselves and our family’s health are obvious, but being mindful of the “green beauty” factors can be a little easier to dismiss if we’re not informed.
But here’s the info you need to know…
- According to Zero Waste Week, the global cosmetics industry produces more than 120 billion units of packaging every year.
- It’s estimated that personal care and beauty products account for a third of all landfill waste.
- “Glass and aluminum are two packaging sources that are infinitely recyclable without any loss in purity or quality.”
- “Glass container manufacturers hope to achieve 50 percent recycled content in the manufacture of new glass bottles. This achievement would save enough energy to power 21,978 homes for one year and while removing over 181 tons of waste from landfills on a monthly basis.”
As you can see, there’s a tremendous opportunity for the esthetic community to make a more significant impact…
To choose to carry and use products that create less of an ecological footprint, and to take steps to ensure that we take the proper precaution in making sure that the waste we do produce is as minimal as possible and handled with care once we're done with it.
How We’re Reducing Our Footprint
With all these sentiments in mind, we’ve set out to make greater strides in cleaning up our packaging to be Mother Earth-approved, and we have to say, we’re pretty excited about the progress we’ve made thus far!
For example, in the effort to eliminate waste, we’ve nixed stickers and shrink wrap by printing our product information directly onto the box and bottle, and the brown kraft box we’re using for external packaging is made from recycled materials and is entirely recyclable along with the glass bottle containing the product.**
Because of the hard costs associated with these changes to our packaging, we’re rolling out these changes product by product, but are currently producing our top seller, the Vitamin C Enhancement Serum, in our environmentally-friendly packaging as well as our Neroli Repair Oil.
(** Important note: be sure to rinse your product bottles before recycling to ensure they’re accepted!)
Of course, we would love for you to choose Herbal Skin Solutions for the benefits for your skin, spa and the planet, but the bottom line is action creates impact.
Here are some simple steps you can begin taking today to help reduce waste and protect the planet in your spa:
- Place more recycling receptacles throughout your spa (make recycling an easy choice for you, your staff and your guests!)
- Redeem your recycled glass bottles for cash (depending on bottle bills in your state this can range from 5-10 cents per bottle, and some Canadian territories reimburse up to 20 cents), then reinvest that money back into your spa or to a local organization that works to make your community more environmentally friendly
- Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products and use energy-efficient appliances and lighting solutions where possible
- Offer your clients glasses of water or tea…eliminate plastic or paper cups that get trashed
With these simple steps, you can not only make a considerable reduction in your personal environmental impact but inspire others to shift their habits and purchasing power to benefit the planet, too.