The make-up of ethical beauty

What is ethical beauty
There are many subheadings that come under ‘ethical beauty’ and make up its identity. The following are some of the most important factors of what makes a product ethical:

No animal testing, cruelty free.  In 2019, Australia banned animal testing however, ingredients that can be tested on animals can still be used in products.¹  

Ensuring no ingredients are tested on animals will determine if a product is ethical or not.¹

Sustainably sourced ingredients.  Ethically and sustainably sourcing materials ensures the land of which ingredients are taken from are left in the same condition it was on, not ruining or damaging the land or plants.²

Eco-friendly packaging.  Sustainable packaging aids in reducing the globe’s waste by using materials that can be recycled or binned in a sustainable way as to not further destroy the planet.³

B Corporation certified.If a company is B Corp certified, it means the business is meeting high performance, accountability and transparency on factors from employee benefits to charitable giving.⁴

Found in the pharmacy
Priceline Pharmacy in Australia contains a special edit online that rounds out its stocked vegan-friendly, cruelty-free products that they claim are not only good for humans but animals too.⁵

The following brands are:
Kind Cosmetics. A beauty and skincare collection that is certified cruelty-free, all natural, made with 100 percent compostable packaging and is Australian owned. The brand is also a partner to i=change, and gives $1 of every purchase to charity.

The Quick Flick.  Another Australian-owned brand that boasts in creating vegan and cruelty-free make up and suncare products. Their products are completely non-toxic and palm oil free.

Models Prefer. The aim of this brand is to create products that will last in someone’s beauty routine for a long time rather than completely have to buy new ones. The brand also stock a range of vegan-friendly products.

E.L.F Cosmetics. ELF is a brand that stocks ethical and affordable beauty products in addition to stocking cruelty-free items made without animal derived ingredients, phlates or parabens.

Aussies are known to choose the clean ingredients and ethical way over anything else, so be sure to check all of the beauty brands in a pharmacy out to add to this list.

Eco-friendly product check list 

1. Spot the symbols on its packaging.  The organisations make it easy, look for the bunny ears to symbolise if a product is cruelty free, the ‘B’ with a circle around it to certify if it is B Corporation validated, and the Australian symbol to confirm it is Aussie made.
2. Do the research.  The world is our oyster and so is knowledge. Doing a quick Google on a brand to check it’s ‘About’ info will give you the information require on the brand’s background.
3. Check the ingredients list. As a PA, take the time to familiarise yourself with some of the main ingredients found in skincare and beauty products. You’re not expected to be a dictionary on each ingredient but if you’re able to identify the main nasties and beneficial ingredients you will be able to detect harmful products.

Reference list: 

1. Animals Australia, N.A., Animal testing and experimentation. animalsaustralia.org/our-work/animal-testing/background/
2. Spend Edge, 2023. Ethical sourcing of cosmetic products. spendedge.com/blogs/ethical-sourcing-cosmetic-products-2/
3. Paramount Global, 2023. 4 Types of Eco-friendly food packaging. paramountglobal.com/knowledge/eco-friendly-packaging-materials/
4. B Corp, N.A. About B Corp Certification. bcorporation.net/en-us/certification/
5. Priceline Pharmacy, N.A., Cruelty free and ethical cosmetics. priceline.com.au/beauty/cruelty-free-and-ethical-cosmetics

This article was first published in RPA April emagazine