Clean and Green Skincare—Part 2

Part 1 of this article introduced us to the various elements composing a typical cosmetic formula, and ingredients often omitted from cleanly produced skincare products. We will now turn our attention to explore the key “life cycle” elements involved in creating a clean skincare product; examples of ingredient alternatives being explored or currently used in clean products; and, finally, resources and approaches one can consider to identify clean skincare more easily.

Clean Packaging: Clean skincare from a sustainable “life cycle” perspective

An emerging facet which can also define clean skincare is the notion that a clean product is one which also incorporates elements of sustainability in its creation and disposal. Sustainability has been characterized as the ability to develop a product which can serve the current needs of the population without compromising the ability of future generation from being able to meet their own needs.¹ Sustainability is considered the intersection between three primary factors: environmental, social, and economic. ² The environmental dimension pertains to the notions of preserving natural capital, upholding the integrity of both the ecosystem and biodiversity. Integrating recyclable materials into product packaging is an example of this. The social dimension involves the notion of maintaining equity, cultural identity, and accessibility. Put in practice, if raw ingredients are sourced from a particular region, and via its local population, is this being done so in an ethical way? Are fair trade practices in place? Is it being achieved without hindering that region’s local economy or environment? Finally, the economic aspect involves the financial feasibility, both in general and in the context of establishing both environmental and social sustainability. An example can be the financial benefits for a manufacturer integrating green practices, including reduced costs owing to improved energy and water utilization, increased transportation efficiency leading to reduced fuel costs (this may be amplified as fully electric transport trucks become commonplace), and reducing packaging costs by adjusting the amount of packaging materials used. ³

The table below reviews the primary components of a skincare product’s life cycle, and what each entail or must consider, principally from the viewpoint of creating a clean product.

Key Elements of a Clean Product Lifecycle⁴

Clean skincare in action: examples of green ingredient alternatives and manufacturing

As altruistic it is to work toward clean skincare development, it is essential to remember how this is still a work in progress. It is not the case whereby a traditionally used cosmetic ingredient can simply be “swapped out” and replaced by one which is natural/organic/clean. Much goes into formula creation, and the ability of one ingredient to efficiently interact with all other ingredients in the formula can be a monumental task for professional skincare formulators. Having said this, several sustainable ingredients are finding their way into clean and green skincare products. Here are a few examples of those being developed or currently in use.

Hemisqualane In the realm of emollient moisturizers, squalane is a stabilized derivative of squalene, a natural compound found in animals and plants. Originally sourced from deep-sea sharks, more sustainable sourcing has focused on obtaining it from plant sources, such as amaranth oil. Another sustainable form is that of hemisqualane, a “biobased” form derived from the fermentation of sugarcane. ^5,6

Alternative surfactants: In addition to the wide variety of traditional surfactant options available for use in skin cleansers, for example, several sustainable options have come to the market in recent years. These include alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) and other sugar-based surfactants, as well as amino acid–based surfactants. APGs are produced by reacting a fatty acid from, for example, coconut oil, with glucose, which can be sourced from corn or potato. These easily biodegradable, sugar-based agents provide good foam production and skin-cleansing ability, while also being typically well-tolerated. Examples include lauryl glucoside, coco glucoside, and caprylyl/capryl glucoside. Sugar-based surfactant examples include sucrose esters and glucose esters.^7,8 Amino-acid surfactants are themselves finding their way into cleansing formulas for the same purpose. They are typically noted for being gentle on the skin, providing a good degree of moisturization, maintaining the skin barrier by not removing lipid matrix components, and being biodegradable and obtained from sustainable sources. ⁹ Examples include potassium cocoyl glycinate, sodium lauroyl glutamate, and sodium cocoyl methyl beta-alanine. ¹⁰

Environmentally friendly physical exfoliators:

For a long time, plastic microbeads were utilized as physical exfoliators in face and body washes/scrubs for the effect of skin exfoliation. Unfortunately, these microbeads were often composed of plastic polymers which were water-insoluble, were nonbiodegradable, and could absorb pollutants which were transferred into bird and aquatic life when inadvertently consumed. Many regions have since banned their use. Fortunately, numerous sustainable alternatives are available, many of which you will now see on the market in such products. These include biodegradable microbeads made from cellulose; natural-sourced agents like crushed shells, barks, or nuts from walnut, almond, or apricot; organic microbeads made from sugar; and, finally, mineral microbeads made from silica, bentonite, pumice, salt, or quartz sand. ^11,12

Resources to guide clean-product selection

Without fully established definitions pertaining to the production of clean skincare for which manufacturers must abide, consumers are somewhat reliant on trusting company claims. Fortunately, a growing number of resources are available which seek to clarify and more easily identify those cosmetic and personal-care products meeting their given criteria for creating a clean and sustainable skincare product.

Although much work remains in terms of better elucidating the health and environmental effects of certain cosmetic ingredients, the establishment of more transparent labelling requirements, as well as integrating ingredients and products developed through green and sustainable manufacturing processes, this realm of clean skincare products is finally obtaining the popularity and focus it deserves. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder for how manufacturers and consumers alike should strive toward the common goal of creating and using products which are effective, safe, and ultimately sustainable.