As more people become aware of how much waste the skincare world produces, beauty brands and manufacturers are starting to overhaul their practices to create a more sustainable industry. Indeed, at least 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic were produced by the personal care industry in 2018 — and the statistics have only continued to climb since then. Combine this awareness with the rise of conscious consumerism, and eco-friendliness has become a crucial criterion when making purchasing decisions.

With that said, let’s take a look at the importance of having sustainable skincare options.

Why Today’s Skincare Industry Values Sustainability

In a nutshell, sustainability is all about creating an enterprise or business model that has the least impact on the environment. In skincare and beauty, sustainability means having recyclable packaging, reducing the use of single-use plastics, carefully selecting non-toxic ingredients, ensuring product safety, and decreasing the carbon footprint from manufacturing to delivery.

As we’ve mentioned, there’s a clear demand for sustainability across all industries. The more the public becomes eco-conscious, the more they’re determined to change old habits and strive to live a holistically sustainable life by supporting more responsible brands. True enough, a recent study notes that 72% of consumers are actively picking out environmentally-friendly products, while 81% responded that they’re likely to support more eco-conscious brands in the next five years. What’s more, consumers are very willing to pay more for environmentally-friendly products ⁠— prompting industries to step up and commit to better business practices.

Sustainability has become a highly valued sector, paving a new career path for professionals who specialize in the field and can help companies bolster their sustainability practices. In the renewable energy field alone, there are now 10.3 million new jobs globally. And this is having an effect on the educational paths of today’s students, with sustainability courses becoming increasingly popular. This is a trend that universities have taken heed of with top established institutions now offering both on-campus and online degrees in this field to reach as many students as possible. Students taking an online bachelor’s degree in sustainability are well positioned to work in testing laboratories and regulatory agencies, which is how eco-friendly practices in skincare will continue to be pushed forward. Now more than ever, these individuals are needed in the skincare industry, where consumers are specific about what they apply on their skin and how their routines affect the environment.

Sustainable Means Safe

There are a lot of buzzwords floating around in the world of sustainability and skincare. As you peruse your local store’s shelves, you’ll see products slapped with terms like “clean” or “non-toxic.” This is because many consumers seek out sustainable skincare, with the hopes that they are the safer option. Since sustainable skincare products are made with ingredients that were harvested using eco-responsible and natural methods, you can feel more secure knowing that your skincare product is devoid of harmful chemicals.

Consumers Appreciate Transparency

To add, sustainable skincare brands also make it a point to be transparent and truthful to their consumers. In fact, even we outline our environmental practices here at ARCONA in order to prove how committed we are to helping save the planet and push forward eco-consciousness. In this day and age, information is everything, whether it’s the ingredient list on the back of a bottle or knowing the kinds of packaging material used to protect your order during transit.

Overall, sustainable skincare is much more appreciated during these times when consumers are demanding accountability and transparency from almost every brand in order to make educated and informed choices. As our natural resources continue to get depleted at an alarming rate, we can only hope that other industries will follow suit and strive for sustainability too.

 

Article written by Julianna Rogers

Exclusively for ARCONA.com

Image credit: Pixabay