We test beauty brands making a difference to the planet – from The Body Shop to Ren
TODAY marks the start of world earth week, culminating in Earth Day on Saturday.
Here, we celebrate the brands trying to make a difference to the planet.
Budget
The Body Shop, products from £3, thebodyshop.com: The high-street staple has been pioneering fair trade and empowering local communities through its Community Trade programme since 1987.
The brand has always been cruelty free and against animal testing.
It was also the first mass beauty brand to offer refills in the 70s and bring refill stations to the high street.
In 2019, it became B Corp certified, and last year, along with 24 other beauty companies, the brand created the B Corp Beauty Coalition to improve the sustainability standards of the wider beauty industry.
True to form, the new Peptalk Lipstick Bullet Refill, £14, comes in a huge 20 shades that slot easily into Peptalk Lipstick Bullet Case, £5.
Mid-Range
Ren, from £10, cultbeauty.co.uk/brands/ren.list: Created with sensitive skin in mind over 20 years ago, the high-performing skincare brand is famous for its formulas that utilise natural ingredients that really work.
The brand is just as committed to the planet as it is to irritable skin, using sustainably sourced and upcycled ingredients wherever possible.
With its zero waste commitment, the brand has repurposed 45 tonnes of PCR plastic waste to date – three tonnes of which have been used to create the packaging for their best-selling Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream, £44.
Ren has also removed 400kg of litter from our waterways with the Surfrider Foundation and saved 900kg of plastic with the world’s first 100 per cent aluminium sample tube that eliminates the need for plastic sachets.
Luxury
Ule, from £30, ulebeauty. com: One of the most exciting launches to cross my desk this year, Ule is pushing the boundaries of sustainability with its innovative vertical farming.
The indoor towers allow a controlled environment to protect the plants from pollution, pests and adverse weather.
A huge 95 per cent of the water used in the brand’s production is recycled, while the plants are hand-picked, cold-milled and grown close to the manufacturing site to ensure potency is preserved.
Every product in the range contains a minimum of 96 per cent natural origin ingredients.
The Oh La Plump Quenching Serum, £83, has worked wonders on the hay-fever induced dry skin around my nose recently.
Pick of the week
SPF is something we should wear year round.
I have tried plenty of sticky, greasy ones you simply don’t want to wear every day under make up.
But Skincycles DNA Defence Sun Shield sunscreen is a joy.
Designed by anti-aging experts, it’s lightweight, oil-free and feels silky smooth on the skin, with a slightly blurring effect.
It has UVA and UVB protection and SPF 100+.
Not the cheapest, but it’s a brilliant product and one I will keep using. £50 for 50ml at skincycles.com.