SUSTAINABLE IS BEAUTY-FUL

IN THE BAFFLING WORLD OF SKINCARE INGREDIENTS, WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO START SEEKING SUSTAINABLE SKINCARE?

- Neha Mehrotra

Flip over that bottle of your favourite serum and take a look at the ingredient list. How many of them do you recognise? My own, a serum labelled as cruelty-free and made with "natural" ingredients, lists 20 different components. Among them is something called "phenoxyethanol" - an antimicrobial preservative used to prevent bacterial growth. But what does this actually mean for the environment? Is it derived sustainably, or could it be a potential pollutant, or was it made using methods that minimise environmental damage?

For many of us, picking sustainable beauty products feels like a guessing game. To navigate the overwhelming sea of labels and ingredients, we spoke to industry experts who shed light on how to make smarter, greener choices for your skin and the planet.

INGREDIENT TRANSPARENCY: KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR BOTTLE

At the heart of any beauty product are its ingredients. Sustainable beauty brands priorities using natural, organic, and ethically sourced ingredients over synthetic chemicals and environmentally harmful substances.

However, the term "natural" can be misleading without certification.

What to Look For: Natural & Organic Certifications: Check for certifications such as ISO, FDA, or ECOCERT to verify that a product contains organically grown ingredients. Soulflower, for example, grows many of its ingredients on their own farm, ensuring minimal environmental impact and full control over the growing process.