Ecologically responsible formulations

This article will consider a few examples of what it means to create ecologically responsible cosmetic formulas; along with tips and tricks you can use when working on your next cosmetic development. 

What does ecologically responsible mean?

It’s great to see an EcoBeautyScore Consortium being established, by both large and small players of the personal care industry. Until a scoring system is made publicly available, your cosmetic brand can get in on the action by ensuring it is ecologically responsible. 

The ecological responsibility of a cosmetic ingredient or product can be measured in terms of its ecological ‘footprint’: a total of all environmental resources used in the creation of a product and its ingredients. This includes determining the renewability of source materials, processing methods of the ingredient, processing used to create the final product, its packaging, and even shipping. It can also include ensuring responsible sourcing choices to support local or minority communities. 

Doesn’t using ‘natural’ ingredients mean the formula is ecologically ­responsible?

The short answer is: it could be, but we can’t assume it is. You actually need to find out how an ingredient is created – from its harvesting, throughout processing, and even transport – to determine just how ecologically responsible it is. You also need to consider just how renewable that ingredient is, even if it is called ‘natural’. Here are some examples:

• Iron oxides and micas used in make-up are marketed to consumers as being ‘natural’. Even if we disregard the additional processing and refining steps they go through before being used as a cosmetic ingredient, we cannot ignore the fact that they are not renewable. 
• Many esters, emulsifiers and surfactants undergo extensive heating and processing, even when sourced from natural starting materials, to become useable cosmetic ingredients. In these cases, such materials can carry a significant carbon footprint.
• A lot of ‘naturally derived’ functional materials come from palm or coconut oil starting stock. If these sources cannot be traced and certified as sustainable and responsible, their farming may have a negative impact on local communities and animal species.

The point is, we can’t ‘assume’ a cosmetic ingredient is ecologically responsible, even if it is natural, without checking its origin, renewability, and impact on the environment. 

Tips & tricks to create ecologically
responsible formulas

Don’t be discouraged if all of this sounds difficult… just be prepared to work closely with your raw material suppliers to get the information you need to make an ecological judgement – or make more ecologically conscious purchasing decisions. Here are some examples:

• Can you reduce, remove or replace the water content of your cosmetic formulas? In some cases, this may be a firm ‘no’; but across your whole product range, could it be achieved in at least a few products? Water is one of the world’s most precious resources, yet often makes up at least 80% (and sometimes more) of a cosmetic formula. This makes it an important raw material, and an expensive addition to shipping. Could your brand create one or more of the following instead: waterless formulations (bars or powder based cosmetic formulas), water replacements (using upcycled alternatives such as hydrosols) or even ‘concentrated’ formulas that can be mixed with water just before use. 
• Can you choose ecologically responsible active ingredients such as those created by fermentation or similar low energy-low waste production processes? This is one of the fastest growing sectors of the personal care market – speak with your cosmetic ingredient suppliers for their latest launches. 
• Are there community conscious choices of the cosmetic ingredients you are using, or close alternatives, where you can ‘give back’ and support more ecologically suitable sourcing? 
• Can you seek certification, such as RSPO, to be certain the emulsifiers, lipids and surfactants you are using are responsible in their sourcing and limit environmental and cultural impact?
• Can you source some of your cosmetic ingredients from more local suppliers, to reduce the carbon footprint of shipping? Have you talked to your suppliers about where they source their starting materials from also? 
• Have you minimised the packaging used, chosen recycled or upcycled packaging materials where possible, and ensured it is light to reduce the carbon footprint involved in transporting the finished product to its point of sale (or storage)?

We are seeing more and more cosmetic ingredient suppliers provide a carbon footprint, eco-score or similar rating with their ingredients these days too – choose suppliers who have this information handy, where possible, to lessen the research you have to do! 

Also remember the processing involved in the manufacture of your finished product. There may be some formulas, where the use of certain ingredients or creation of specific product forms absolutely requires heating and cooling – but could some of your future developments harness the convenience of cold-processing and cold-processable ingredients? Can your manufacturer or facility utilise green energy sources to offset some or all of what it uses in production?

Marketing your eco-score

Once you’ve determined your new and improved eco-score, how can you market it? Remember the requirement for truthfulness and evidence and claims, and be specific with your statements. Consumers love % input claims, so give them that where you can! Some examples (where you hold the appropriate evidence) could include:

• Contains 5% upcycled ingredients; 
• 5% of ingredients sourced from indigenous communities;
• 100% recycled and upcycled packaging…

… the list goes on. What ecologically responsible concepts did you find in your current formulas and finished products that you could market to your eco-savvy consumer? What ecologically responsible concepts do you want to make sure you incorporate in future developments?

If you hold the evidence, making the statement is the easy part!

Ecological responsibility is becoming
essential

The ever-increasing focus on the ecological burden consumerism places on society and the environment at large means the trend toward ecological responsibility is only going to increase. Get your cosmetic brand ready by looking at the formulas and products you already provide, and the developments in the pipeline, so you can lead the way with your eco-scoring and marketing claims. It not only future-proofs your cosmetic brand, but our planet as well.

References:

 1 www.ecobeautyscore.com