With the rise of ingredient transparency and eco-friendly packaging in the beauty industry, it’s easy to take note of the flood of brands “going green”.
Now tides are turning, and many companies are taking their eco-friendly mission that step further by “going blue”.
What does it mean for a beauty company to go blue?
Going blue is simply when a brand makes an active contribution to leave the planet better than we found it.
How is it different from being green?
A green initiative for a brand tends to include recycling, using sustainable supplies, or sourcing ethically produced ingredients. Blue beauty, however, goes that extra step to ensure that a brand’s actions give back positively to the community, oceans, air, and planet at large. Also included is when a brand engages in some form of philanthropy.
Examples of brands that are going blue?
LUSH
LUSH has actively worked to reduce packaging and plastics, announcing that it will be launching its first ‘naked’ story in Italy. By ‘naked’, the brand simply means that the entire store will stock products completely free from packaging.
Speaking with Cosmetics Business, LUSH product inventor Alessandro Commisso said: "The public are asking for less plastic and more quality, and we want to provide them with what they need.
"In the cosmetics industry the packaging is often more expensive than the product inside. Our first naked shop in Milan will show you that alternatives are possible. It’s amazing to be able to get your shampoo and shower gel, knowing that absolutely nothing is going to end up in our beautiful oceans."
The Body Shop
The Body Shop is another brand wholly committed to going Blue. Speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald, The Body Shop's international director of campaigns and corporate responsibility, Christopher Davis, says the brand is currently undertaking a "comprehensive review" of sustainable packaging options.
"Our long-term vision is that packaging will not harm people or the environment and can be repurposed," says Davis.
"All our solutions need to be truly sustainable. In the shorter term, we are working hard to increase the percentage of PCR (post-consumer recycled) content in our glass jars and plastic bottles. Plastic is the current ‘bad guy’ but we are looking at a broader vision that focuses on taking a responsible and circular approach with all materials and not just plastic."
Palmer’s
Leading cocoa butter brand Palmer's is supporting cocoa sustainability efforts with its decision to join the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF). The WCF aims to provide economic, social and environmental development in cocoa-growing communities.
Weleda
Skin care company, Weleda is one of two leading brands worldwide that has been granted the new UEBT (Union for Ethical Biotrade) certification and label for their sustainability efforts.
UEBT executive director and global expert on ethical sourcing of natural ingredients, Rik Kutsch Lojenga, said UEBT are proud that Weleda has achieved the ethical sourcing system certification and will be one of the first brands to place the UEBT trust mark on its products.
“By meeting our internationally recognised standard, a company assures customers that, when sourcing raw materials, biodiversity is conserved and used sustainably, and that all partners along the chain are treated equitably and paid fairly,” he said.
L’Oréal
L’Oréal’s Sustainability Program is a big move towards blue beauty from the cosmetics giant. Each year a report outlines the major achievements, with the bigger goals being reducing its carbon footprint.
To reduce its carbon footprint, L'Oréal has launched some major initiatives over the past year including powering large manufacturing sites with solar instillations and adding wind turbines to help run its Texas distribution centre. The brand has also reduced the quantity of water used in its distribution centres by 48 per cent; and to respect biodiversity 59 per cent of the ingredients used by L’Oréal are renewable.
