Jessica Frost Sustainability has had a glow up thanks to a wave of skincare brands proving luxury, efficacy and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
New Zealand brand, Prologic, is a great example of a skincare brand that’s redefining what it looks like to be eco-friendly. It has championed sustainability since its beginnings more than 10 years ago. Founder, Rachel Robertson, was led by her passion for the planet and built her brand on the foundations of eco-conscious practices even before the concept was trending.
“The skin care industry has always been notoriously bad for waste and pollution, and this was something that we didn’t want to contribute too. When I first launched Prologic, ‘sustainability’ and ‘environmentally responsible’ weren’t words that were commonly used, and vegan skin care was not a thing,” says Rachel.
Every aspect of Prologic’s manufacturing process works to reduce its carbon footprint including packaging. But it is the brands ingredient sourcing that sets its efforts apart.
“Prologic Skin Care manufactures in a certified CGMP laboratory so the laboratory has to meet standards and practices set by the World Health Organization.
“One of the key aspects of this, is the sourcing of raw ingredients which needs to be both ethical and sustainable. Documentation needs to show exactly how the ingredient was harvested, including working and pay conditions for harvesters, along with a sustainability planting plan to establish re growth and stop over farming. It preserves biological diversity while ensuring sustainable, economic viability,” shares Rachel.
And Prologic’s work doesn’t stop within their own business. Rachel is very active in championing sustainability within the wider industry and more specifically with stockists.
“I write many articles on sustainably for our industry giving clinic owners ideas of changes they can make within their own clinics. We also run post graduate courses for our stockists giving them resources and ideas of sustainable companies to work with.
“It’s not the one big change you make, it’s the 100 little changes you make.”
Another pioneer of eco-luxury, Augustinus Bader doesn’t let the glamour of its star-studded line-up of devotees get in the way of its focus on environmental responsibility.
The brands products may be driven by sophisticated science but its ethos is rooted in the preservation of the planet.
What’s left out of formulations is equally as championed as what goes in. Responsibly sourced botanical ingredients and clean actives work synergistically with the proprietary TFC8 complex creating formulations that work for both the skin, and efforts to maintain the natural ecosystem.
It bio engineers actives where appropriate to reduce its impact on the natural environment and all products are 100% free of parabens, fragrance, SLS, SLES, and DEA, heavy metals, talc, petrolatum, paraffin, mineral oil, and do not contain unnecessary preservatives, solvents, and emulsifiers.
Even its packaging is ECOCERT/COSMOS certified where possible with an estimated 80% of its primary containers being fully recyclable.
Closer to home, Australian brand, Dermalist, champions sustainability without skimping on efficacy.
Its clinical skincare range heavily features a line-up of science driven actives. What you won’t find inside its bottles, made from 90% recyclable materials, by the way, is any animal products or ingredients that’s production negatively effects the environment.
Founder, Stefanie Milla, believes sustainability is about more than fitting trends, but rather protecting our planet into the future.
“At Dermalist, we believe that if businesses don’t collectively start to source, manufacture and deliver their products and services in more ethical, sustainable ways than our environment will deteriorate. Marginalised communities will continue to be exploited and business models themselves may become unsustainable due to a scarcity of natural resources,” shares Stefanie.
Dermalist is one of very few brands who are also championing refillable packaging helping to prevent packaging waste heading into landfill.
“We offer eco-friendly refills for our serums so that our customers can hold onto the outer packaging of our double walled airless pumps and replace only the inner cartridge. Importantly, these refills are offered at a reduced price point to encourage and reward our customers for reducing their packaging waste and they have actually been really popular!”
As more clinical brands turn toward sustainability, it brings more choice to clinic owners looking to reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing the client experience. And we must say, it’s a great thing to witness.
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