What’s Next In Sustainable & Clean Beauty? 3 Top Takeaways From An Expert

As much as we’d like to think our recycling efforts are working, reports show that less than 10% of recycled materials1 actually end up being so. That’s a staggering (and sobering) 90% of packaging that ends up in landfills. Says Ubias, “unfortunately most things are wish-cycled. Unless you’re doing everything the exact right way, it's the same as putting it in the garbage bin.” First and foremost, this is a larger systemic problem that needs to be addressed by governments and various industries working together. 

But in the meantime, for smaller brands and everyday folks who genuinely want to help reduce their footprint, this can feel extremely disheartening. What can be done in the face of statistics like this? Ubias asks, “How can we encourage people to repurpose packaging instead of just recycling it?” 

Biodegradability is a buzzy beauty term that—at this time—lacks regulation. There are no set standards that need to be met in order for a brand to call a product, packaging, or formulation “biodegradable,” in the same way that “clean,” “natural,” or “hypoallergenic” aren’t regulated terms.

This doesn’t mean that any brand who uses it is greenwashing their products—in fact, lots of great brands have created truly biodegradable packaging or formulation options. However, it does mean that the consumer should be aware of this nuance, and brands themselves should offer clarity about exactly what they mean when they use it. 

“I am very encouraged to see a lot of companies doing the right thing by doing biodegradability testing,” she says. “Unfortunately, I think a lot of that data is still not fully baked enough into the process, but I see the shift happening.”

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If we want a more sustainable beauty industry, it needs to be more sustainable for all. That’s why inclusivity is an important part of this broader conversation. 

And one area that the industry’s been lacking is ensuring that clinical trials are representative of all skin tones. “I love to continue to see this shift towards more inclusivity, including the way that we look at clinical trials. So for clinical trials, you'll have the Fitzpatrick scale of one to six of skin tones, One will be your fairest, and six will be your deepest,” she explains. “When you looked at clinical trials, even up to three years ago, the default for the folks that structure these studies was that the deepest tones used to be three or four. That’s excluding up to half to the folks that actually exist in the world. You can’t answer the question of ‘Did it work for them?’—or more importantly, is it safe for people on that end of the spectrum.” 

Want more insights into what sustainable beauty looks like? Tune in. 

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