This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
In the age of #sustainablebeauty, the question persists: how green is green beauty, really?
One of the most significant environmental issues in the beauty industry is packaging waste. According to a sustainability briefing by Positive Luxury, the sector produces at least 120 billion pieces of packaging per year, and shockingly, 95% of that waste goes unrecycled. In other words, although many products now tout recycled or refillable packaging, most of that “eco” container still ends up in the trash.
Environmental group CleanHub reinforces this problem: they point out that mixed-material containers, like plastic bottles with metal springs in their pumps, are especially difficult to recycle in standard municipal programs. CleanHub also reports that 59% of the beauty product emissions come from consumer use, underscoring that sustainability isn’t just about what happens before you buy, it’s also about how you use the product.
Recycling isn’t everywhere: Infrastructure gaps
Recycling is often seen as the silver bullet, but for beauty packaging, it’s far from simple. According to Inteskincare, only around 9% of plastic used in beauty packaging is actually recycled, largely because of contamination, and challenges in separating different materials. Woola, another source of packaging statistics, estimates that 70% of cosmetic packaging waste ends up in landfills.
These low recycling rates are not just a consumer issue, they highlight a systemic problem. Even when brands invest in “recyclable” materials, the recycling infrastructure in many places simply cannot handle complex packaging designs, or the mixed materials used in pumps, tubes, and bottles.
Greenwashing: When “eco” is marketing, not mission
Greenwashing remains rampant in skincare. Brands may highlight that a bottle has “recycled content”, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it can actually be recycled in real-world systems. CleanHub warns that some sustainability claims are more about image than real impact.
Inteskincare’s analysis also points out that almost a third of brands making eco-friendly claims fail third-party verification. These claims often rely on vague language (“clean,” “natural,” “eco”) without rigorous, transparent data backing them.
Refill systems: Progress or problem?
Refillable packaging is often lauded as a major sustainability win. Indeed, some beauty companies are increasingly launching refill systems, which in theory reduce waste and minimize resource use. But this approach has its own challenges, such as not all refill packaging is recyclable or biodegradable. For example, pouches or cartridges may contain seals, layers, or materials that make them difficult to process. Consumer behavior can undermine the benefits: if refills aren’t reused enough times, the environmental pay-off diminishes dramatically.
And storage, cleanliness, and “inconvenience” are real barriers. According to critics, many people don’t stick with refills long-term, which limits the circular potential of these systems.
Real sustainable moves and needs to improve
Despite the challenges, there are concrete, positive changes underway in the beauty world:
- Material innovation and design:
- Brands like Natura (part of Natura & Co) are pushing circularity: by 2023, 86.2% of their packaging was reusable, recyclable, or compostable, according to their sustainability report.
- Alternatives like compostable packaging (e.g., plant-based plastics or cardboard) are being developed.
- Use of recycled content:
- Aveda, for instance, has used 100% post-consumer recycled PET in some of its bottles, saving hundreds of tonnes of virgin plastic.
- Many brands are increasing the share of recycled plastic in new packaging designs.
- Transparency and commitment to circular economy:
- Some companies are now reporting to sustainability frameworks and setting realistic, measurable goals.
- Collaboration with organizations like CleanHub helps support waste collection in areas lacking infrastructure — not just “design for recycling” but “fund the collection.”
Eco-friendly skincare is not inherently a myth, real progress is being made. But the path to truly sustainable beauty isn’t simple or linear.
In short: beauty can be green, but only if brands take responsibility for every step of the product’s life from design, production, and use, to end-of-life disposal. And consumers must remain vigilant, informed, and demanding, pushing for transparency and systems-level change.
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The article above was edited by Sarah Pizarro.
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