Checking labels, researching ingredients and making sure what’s put on our body doesn’t harm us in any way isn’t just a trend. It’s a way of life. And beauty is a big part of the movement. But there’s more to being eco-friendly than safe, natural ingredients. Some of these things include evaluating how a brand’s packaging impacts the earth, their philosophy on recycling, using solar power and how and where they source their ingredients. A combination of these things, and more, goes into choosing this year’s Eco Beauty Award Finalists.

To tally up their respective sustainability actions, and who ranks highest, CEW partners with Givaudan, the world’s leading flavour and fragrances company, and largest purchaser of raw materials (the ingredients that makes beauty products smell so good), using criteria developed by sustainability expert, The Natural Step. Brands are scored on a scale of one to five on how they have implemented measurable change through the lens of certain sustainability principles, and this score determines the Finalists. The winner is chosen by the Eco Beauty Award Finalist Voting Committee. Here, we spotlight two finalists, Clean Reserve and Jurlique. Stay tuned for a spotlight on Teadora and EO Products, also Eco Finalists.

Clean Reserve

Clean Reserve’s philosophy is to create high-quality scents using pure ingredients, where even the alcohol used in formulas is derived from corn and is not synthetic. Their goal is to be the first sustainable bespoke fragrance, with special care taken in regard to not only the juice, but to packaging and sourcing materials, as well. 
 
Some of the characteristics that helped Clean Reserve get to the Finalist corner:

 
  • Clean Reserve uses a manufacturing facility that uses 100 percent solar power.
  • The brand sources local and organic ingredients, and several fragrances include Ecocert materials and use fair trade ingredients.

Packaging is biodegradable with a protective cellophane wrap that is compostable and derived from corn; caps are sourced from Spain and use wood from certified sustainably managed forests; boxes are handmade and biodegradable.


Jurlique

Jurlique is probably best known for its certified biodynamic farm, a farming method that goes beyond organic farming, where all plants are free from artificial fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and are harvested naturally at their peak. The Australian-based company specializes in natural botanical skin care products.

Here, some of the brand’s philosophies that helped place it as a Finalist:

  • Products do not contain mineral or petroleum oils; preservatives are sustainably sourced.

  • About 30 percent of energy comes from renewable energy; glass bottles, caps and boxes are 100 percent recyclable.
  • A packaging take back program encourages consumers to recycle as much as possible. At flagship stores, when a customer returns Jurlique bottles or tubes for recycling, they get a discount.