No matter how the economic and social landscape develops, one product category will always remain relevant – cosmetics. Across socio-economic cross-sections, makeup is a reliable part of women’s spending. But as environmental concerns become more and more mainstream, the market is showing some interesting new trends.

Just as organic food production reduces the amount of toxic pesticides leased upon the Earth, so too does organic makeup production. Add to this a culture of recycled packaging and a disavowal of chemicals and processes that are harmful both to the environment and the wearer, and eco-friendly cosmetics start looking like a realistic prospect.

“Consumers are growing increasingly more concerned about the planet and our impact on it,” says Anita Colby, Senior Research Manager for Synovate Qualitative. “Many consumers feel a need to feel in the know about products, or health or the organic movement – to feel special and smart because one cares about the environment. A familiar example of this outside of the beauty industry is the ‘I’m not a plastic bag’ tote bag phenomenon.”

Specialty brands such as The Body Shop, Burt’s Bees, Aveda, and Tom’s of Maine have been trendsetters, according to Colby. “These brands have positioned themselves largely around naturalness and environmental friendliness, and support these messages throughout the marketing mix, from their ingredients to recycled packaging to the causes that they support. LUSH cosmetics takes it a step further by largely foregoing packaging altogether, selling some of its products like bubble bars, bath bombs, shampoo bars and more with no packaging at all. The brand also uses a ‘green’ electricity provider.” 

Model Josie Maran’s Josie Maran Cosmetics (JMC) teamed with the Environmental Working Group's site Skin Deep for the creation of her cosmetics formulas, and also with The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to ensure harmful ingredients were avoided. Her Sephora range is free of petrochemicals, parabens, artificial fragrances and toxins, and utilises organic and natural ingredients as well as recycled materials and recyclable and/or biodegradable packaging whenever possible. The makeup, naturally, is never tested in animals. Maran sees her product range as the first step in “bringing green to the masses,” and the supermodel told website Treehugger, “Where do I see JMC in five years? I see us as a part of a huge change where people are thinking about what goes into their bodies and onto their bodies. It’s a whole new consciousness. A whole new world of health and beauty.”

Since 1938, when the US Congress gave the Food and Drug Administration limited authority over beauty products, cosmetics has been a largely self-regulating industry, given the lack of a clear definition of what constitutes ‘safe’. As up to 60% of whatever a user puts on her skin is absorbed directly into the bloodstream, making sure that cosmetics reach certain standards is of huge importance to women.

Ecocert is an inspection and certification body established in France in 1991 by agronomists (scientists specialising in the use of plants for food, fuel or feed) aware of the need to develop environmentally friendly organic products. It is now a widely-accepted body that has developed its own specifications for the inspection and certification of products, systems and services, including natural and organic cosmetics, allowing a measure of security for customers looking for legitimately green products.

“Organic and natural cosmetics provide a sense of safety and security. There is a sense that if something is organic and natural, it must be ‘good for me,’” says Colby. “There is growing awareness that what you put on your skin can affect your health.”

One example is mineral makeup, commonly utilised as foundation, which is made from naturally occurring minerals like iron oxides, mica powder and titanium dioxide, meaning that the ingredients come straight from the earth and retain their natural qualities. Mineral makeup also includes built-in protection against the sun’s UVA/UVB rays.

Eco-friendly makeup is safe, works well and usually doesn’t cost any more than chemical-based cosmetics. A great confidence-booster, makeup has always been more than skin-deep. And now its benefits can go even further – the difference these products could potentially make to the environment may be more than just cosmetic.