Think about this: every plastic bottle of shampoo, tub of cream or mascara tube you have every had in your life is still here with us on the planet. Another sobering thought: there are some 171 trillion pieces of plastic floating in the ocean, and beauty products are thought to make up a large part. There is clearly much work to be done. Thankfully, though, there are beauty brands that put sustainability first. That means closing the production loop, having positive carbon footprints, making products that don’t pollute, and ending single-use plastics by using recycled material (known as PCR). Here, we applaud the brands working for a better planet.
Haircare
JVN
Founded by Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness, JVN Hair prides itself on being an environmentally conscious brand. It uses recyclable bottles, jars and tubes, and their vegan and cruelty-free formulas use sustainable ingredients such as clean hemisqualane to ensure products are ocean safe.
1 JVN Complete Hydrating Air Dry Cream, $39.
FEKKAI
An early adopter of saying no to virgin plastic, this haircare brand by lauded session stylist Frédéric Fekkai has had its sights set on reducing plastic waste since 2019. Its products are packaged in 30-95 per cent PCR plastic. In a single year the brand bought 64,000kg of PCR and it also recycles milk containers for its bottles and jars.
2 FEKKAI Brilliant Gloss Shine & Anti-Frizz Shampoo, $36.
SANS [CEUTICALS]
The plant-derived brand operates with the ethos that what it leaves out of its formulas is just as important as what it chooses to put in. Its lineup of multipurpose products uses active ingredients to help relieve sensitive skin, encourage growth and nourish damaged hair,
