By Caitlin Stiles
April is a month to celebrate all things sustainable and eco-friendly. Never mind that Earth Day just passed us by last Thursday. We have one planet, and unfortunately, this is something that beauty brands tend to forget… especially hair brands.
It can be really difficult to have brilliant tresses without the planet-related guilt that comes with it. Extra plastic, harmful chemicals, and questionable ingredients are the top was the hair industry contributes to the problem of destroying our planet. However, there are brands that have dedicated their time, resources, and money to saving the environment… and our hair at the same time.
Here are five brands that are doing their part to making Earth Day every day, and are vegan and cruelty-free to boot!
pureology.com
This brand specializes in all things color-treated hair. From styling to hydrating, Pureology’s mission is to keep dyes looking vibrant no matter what we put our hair through. Most importantly, they have recently made it their mission to make their packaging sustainable. The bottles are made of 95% post-consumer recycled plastic, the cartons are 100% recycled fibers, and have even reduced paper in their marketing strategies. They have even reduced water and energy in their manufacturing!
Pacifica.com
Pacifica includes so much more than hair, like makeup, skincare, and fragrance, but this die-hard vegan brand have been expanding their hair care options. With masks, scrubs, sprays, treatments, balms, and more, no one can say that Pacifica have made splashes in hair with just simple shampoo and conditioner. A lot of their packaging is post-consumer plastic, but even better, they launched a recycling program where you can send in used bottles and product for rewards points. What they use your bottles for? Toothbrushes and razors!
lovebeautyandplanet.com
This company started with hair, and expanded into hand soaps, bath, and more. The company was founded on the principle they wanted to leave this planet exactly as they found it: their company leaves very close to a zero carbon footprint. 100% recycled plastic is used in most Love Beauty and Planet products (notice a trend?) but where Love Beauty and Planet stands apart is how active it is in the community. They have donated $750k and growing to partners in supporting a cleaner planet, and have donated 195,000 of their products to such organizations.
Aveda.com
Aveda is a household name by now, with international hair salons and of course, world famous sets and products. What’s more, they are increasingly growing their mission statement: they have recently gone completely cruelty-free. Protecting clean water, plant-derived plastic, carbon-neutral shipping, sourcing, and activism in the community are all found in their “Our Story” segment on their site. It is constantly growing: this is a brand that is continually looking to make our planet clean and beautiful.
The newest on the list, Viori Beauty takes a unique approach. This brand is completely inspired by Longsheng rice, found in Yao communities, to make hair strong, shiny, and supple. But they have no intention of taking from a community without giving back: their activism is strong, as seen on their blog, with paying fair and sustainable prices as well as giving back 5% of their profits to the community. How do they contribute to the planet? Their shampoos and conditioners are bars! They have reduced their packaging to almost nothing in this way.
Earth Day may have come and gone, but that isn’t a reason to halt our advances on keeping our planet clean and healthy. More and more beauty brands are stepping up to the plate in an industry that often depends on excess packaging and frivolous manufacturing. What other brands can we support for this cause?
Caitlin Stiles is a Colorado State University graduate with a passion for all things involving the written word, beauty, and coffee. She can often be found frequenting coffee and tea shops, working on her novels and short stories, and playing with the latest makeup trend. She resides in Fort Collins with two cats.
