The most covetable planet-friendly beauty buys

It’s impossible to ignore the fact that we are in the midst of a climate crisis. From the way we process waste, to the food we eat, we are all searching for more sustainable ways to live our life, and thus lessen the footprint we leave on our planet. Unfortunately, the beauty industry has long been a major culprit when it comes to plastic pollution, from packaging to the ingredients used in various formulas. It may surprise you to realise just how much of your beauty routine is laden with ‘virgin plastic’, which is incredibly difficult to recycle and eventually ends up in landfill. More than 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry. Thankfully, beauty brands are waking up to the need for environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic and the ‘zero-waste’ beauty movement is picking up speed. Put simply, this means brands avoid contributing to landfill by making considered decisions throughout the process of formulation, manufacturing and even shipping. One such brand which has been an early adopter of planet-friendly beauty is Green People, who are leading the way in organic, natural beauty and body care with a sustainable ethos.

“We’re always looking to do more to minimise our environmental impact and using by-product ingredients is a no-brainer for us! These natural, zero-waste plant actives are bursting with skin-compatible nourishment and allow us to close the loop on making our skin care as sustainable as it can be.” – Charlotte Vøhtz, Founder.

We’ve selected just a handful of Green People’s most planet-friendly beauty saviours that are not only kind on your skin, but kind to the environment.

The multi-tasker

Meet One Balm, the ultimate multi-tasking balm and a beauty industry first. This zero-waste botanical balm is presented in a compact wood dust pot that degrades in soil after use, leaving no trace of microplastics behind. The journey to the jar starts in a sustainably grown forest where by-product sawdust is collected. This is then mixed with plant polymers and grass fibre to make a 100% biodegradable pot. This organic multi-purpose balm cocoons skin in a protective layer of nourishing plant actives that calm the skin, making it ideal for everything from shaving and double-cleansing to soothing dry patches.

Stripped back skincare

Green People’s most recently launched range, Nordic Roots, is an organic skin care concept which draws on founder Charlotte’s Danish upbringing and Nordic heritage. Inspired by the beauty of the region’s native flora and fauna, Nordic Roots makes use of a variety of by-product ingredients. These by-product ingredients are derived from raw, natural materials and are uncompromised by harsh, skin-drying additives such as ethanol and synthetic fragrance. They are naturally nourishing, hydrating and help to slow the skin ageing process while being gentle on the skin. By-product skincare saves these ingredients from being wasted and makes use of their natural properties, bringing balance to both the skin and the planet. The range includes a Hyaluronic Booster Serum (28ml), Cranberry Micellar Foam (150ml), Apple Complex Moisturiser (50ml) and Marine Facial Oil (28ml). Sustainable Grass Packaging: The Nordic Roots range uses an innovative new sustainable outer packaging solution that is incorporated with 25% grass, offering a clean carton board that is compostable, biodegradable and 100% recyclable

The ultimate planet-friendly face mask

For a brightening, deep-cleanse that feels good and does good, look to the Coconut Charcoal Purifying Face Mask (50ml). Designed to balance oil production, refine skin texture and absorb pollutants, this certified organic face mask is sustainably produced using by-products that would otherwise go to waste. Green People have found a new life for the coconut shells which are a by-product of other coconut-based products, such as milks and oils. The waste husks are used to create the activated charcoal which serves as the key ingredient in this environmentally-resourceful face mask. Blending Alpine Willow, Bentonite Clay and Oat Lipid with Activated Charcoal, it mattifies the skin, reducing excess oil and resulting spots and breakouts.

? Plant-based packaging

Green People are one of the first global beauty brands to offer plant-based packaging made from sugar cane. Entirely recyclable, this packaging offers a sustainable alternative to petrochemical-sourced plastic packaging. For every kilo of sugar cane plastic produced, three kilos of CO2 is removed from the atmosphere.

Many of Green People’s squeezy tube products are now packaged in this innovative material that is made from sustainable, renewable sugar cane plastic. To make it easy to know which products are packaged in sugar cane plastic, Green People have added a sugar cane logo to their product descriptions.