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Have you ever come across a ‘Certified B Corp’ logo on your favourite skincare products? Have you ever wondered what it meant?
Of course, there are many brands that claim to be sustainable. But when greenwashing is so prevalent, how can we tell which brands are actually walking the walk?
That’s where B Corp comes in.
What is a B Corp?
B Corps are businesses that work as a force for good, balancing profit with their overall impact on the world.
B Corp certification is awarded to companies who meet the highest standards of environmental and social performance. But becoming a B Corp is not quite as easy as filling out a questionnaire and slapping a badge on your website…
The process is rigorous and can, in some cases, take years to complete. As a first step, companies must analyse their impact on the environment, their customers, their suppliers, their employees and the wider community by undertaking the B Impact Assessment.
A score over 80 (out of a possible 200 points) in this assessment qualifies a company for B Corp certification. The assessment is then reviewed and verified by B Lab, a non-profit looking to build a more sustainable economy, before the company can then officially call themselves a B Corp.
It’s not a one-time thing either! A business must renew its certification every three years to maintain its B Corp status.
B Corp certified skincare brands:
Facetheory
Facetheory became a B Corp in 2022. With high-quality formulations that are cruelty-free and contain sustainably sourced ingredients, it’s not surprising that just a year later the brand won Best Vegan Skincare Brand in the Marie Claire UK 2023 Sustainability Awards too.
All Facetheory products are Leaping Bunny and PETA approved. Though perhaps the coolest thing about these products is their packaging.
Facetheory has phased out the use of plastic so all of their products come in either amber glass jars or aluminium tubes – both of which can be recycled. The brand also offsets the shipping of all orders.
Medik8
A fairly new member of the B Corp family, Medik8 gained B Corp status in December 2023.
The brand is committed to achieving Net Zero by 2040 and has put measures in place to minimise their carbon emissions. This includes reducing airfreight and using 100% renewable energy to power their operations.
Medik8 has also started changing some of their packaging to make it more sustainable. Their Clarity Peptides Serum, for example, is fully recyclable.
To reduce even more plastic, the brand has introduced refill options across their entire skincare offering.
L’Occitane
L’Occitane joined the B Corp community in August 2023. Their efforts to deliver for people and planet didn’t just start then though…
The brand has been building fair trade partnerships with female shea producers in Burkina Faso since the 1980s, providing them with a sustainable livelihood and supporting the local economy.
L’Occitane strives to use sustainably sourced ingredients only, and works with nature preservation charities to protect the biodiversity of the areas they get their ingredients from.
Oh, and let’s not forget that L’Occitane has refill fountains in many of their UK stores, cutting down the amount of plastic waste they produce by a significant amount.
Sunday Riley
Sunday Riley became a B Corp way back in 2020, so it’s no wonder that the brand has some seriously impressive environmental credentials.
They have a Zero Waste Oil Process which means that byproducts from the manufacturing of their oils are still put to good use. Rather than discarding them, these excess materials are instead turned into things like nutritional supplements, plant protein for animals and natural fertiliser.
Sunday Riley also offsets all of their freight shipments and, with the help of Green Worms, has become Plastic Neutral. This essentially means that they recover as much plastic from the environment as they produce for their packaging.
Cultured Biomecare
Cultured Biomecare’s ‘Kind to Biome, Kind to Planet’ mantra completely shapes the way the business operates.
Their packaging – both the bottles and outer cartons – is fully recyclable and printed on using eco-friendly vegetable ink.
All their formulations are also 100% vegan and cruelty-free, and have been Leaping Bunny approved.
BYBI
BYBI is a true pioneer of ‘pro-planet beauty’. In early 2022 they launched the world’s first carbon negative skincare product, Glowcurrant Booster, which removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits.
B Corp certification swiftly followed with the brand scoring 94.8 in their first impact assessment.
BYBI also holds an annual ‘Susty Summit’ where the brand’s founders, Elsie and Dominika, and a panel of (usually female) guest speakers come together to discuss sustainability in the beauty world.
Elemis
Luxury skincare company Elemis achieved B Corp certification in January 2023 with an impressive impact score of 93.
The brand is on a mission to be ‘the most sustainable premium British skincare brand’ and their website sets out exactly how they’re doing that.
They’ve ditched single use spatulas on products like their Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, eliminating an estimated 1.7 tonnes of plastic every year. They’ve also switched to 100% sustainably sourced card and paper packaging which is fully recyclable.
When it comes to doing good for the community, Elemis runs an Employee Volunteer Programme where staff get one day off a year to volunteer for a charity of their choice. They also ensure that all their employees are paid a real Living Wage.
The Inkey List
Like Elemis, The Inkey List officially gained B Corp status in January 2023, an achievement which was two years in the making.
Even before becoming a B Corp, the brand was carbon net zero certified, meaning they offset all emissions produced from the manufacturing and distribution of their products.
But their environmental efforts don’t just stop there.
The Inkey List’s packaging is 100% recycle ready. You just need to rinse out any excess product, then both the bottle and cap can be recycled. The brand also ensures that their bottles and tubes are made out of at least 50% recycled plastic.
You might not be aware that The Inkey List runs their own Impact Fund too. In partnership with Ashoka, they’ve been working to support youth-led grassroots organisations across the world.
UpCircle
When I think of sustainable skincare, UpCircle is one of the first beauty brands that comes to mind. They’ve been a B Corp since November 2022, scoring 96.3 in their impact assessment.
Building a circular economy is at the core of what UpCircle does – just look at the name! They’re keen to make sure that their products don’t just get used once and thrown away, which is why they offer a refill scheme where you can send in your empty containers to be refilled and returned.
If the sustainability aspect wasn’t tempting enough, it’s worth knowing you get 20% discount on all refills!
Typology
Typology is a frontrunner in the sustainable beauty field, becoming a B Corp in early 2021.
The company is very strict on what they use in their formulations, avoiding animal-derived materials, endocrine disruptors, and ingredients that come from the exploitation of children, animals and those in unethical working conditions.
On top of this, Typology’s stance on overconsumption is pretty clear. Their #BlackForGood initiative has been running for over four years. Brands who join are asked to donate a percentage of their profits on Black Friday to a charity (or charities) of their choice.
Pai
Pai has been B Corp certified since August 2022. They scored 87 in their first assessment, lifting them 10 points higher than the beauty B Corp average.
Keen to cut down on waste, over 55% of Pai’s packaging is glass (which can be recycled over and over again). For products that come in plastic packaging, the brand takes care of these with their own recycling scheme.
Pai is also a long-time supporter of mental health charities, raising over £75,000 to help promote a deeper understanding of mental health issues.
You can read more about Pai’s mission in their 2023 Goodness Report.
Have you tried any of these beauty B Corps? Do you think all skincare brands should be aiming for B Corp certification? Let me know your thoughts 😊
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