Embracing a sustainable approach to our beauty routine is easier said than done. From foundation tubes to face masks, many of our favourite products can’t be put in the household recycling – and single-use plastic abounds.
Some brands have been trying to do their bit, whether that’s by introducing refillable bottles, recycled packaging or sustainably-sourced ingredients.
But with so many products on the market, seeking out the ones that are genuinely environmentally conscious can be as tricky as achieving the perfect eyeliner swoosh... on a moving train.
Enter SUST Beauty, a new website that aims to gather the best sustainable beauty brands and products into one place. Founder Zahra Broadfield, a former beauty buyer for Harvey Nichols, wants to make shopping sustainable beauty more simple, saving us from the endless scroll through existing beauty retailer’s websites to work out how green their products really are.
“I’ve worked in beauty buying for over 10 years so have tried and tested a wealth of products and worked on many of the biggest beauty moments from the launch of Tom Ford beauty to Rihanna’s Fenty and everything in between,” Broadfield tells HuffPost.
She says she was moved to quit her job and set up shop with SUST after noting the disconnect between beauty brands and retailers. She says the industry wasn’t talking about sustainability in the way it’s being discussed in fashion – and rather than waiting for brands to up their game, she recognised an opportunity to use her own voice to cheerlead for change.
SUST has a site-wide code of ethics that every featured brand must meet, from reducing its carbon footprint to using environmentally-friendly packaging and manufacturing. Broadfield also demands transparency on workforce ethics.
“I’ve trialled products, assessing them on look, feel, smell, texture,” says Broadfield. “Then efficacy: does it actually do what is say it will do? It is a good experience? Does it impress me? And the deep dive into the background: the ingredient sourcing, who makes it and where, what’s in it? Packaging, if plastic, is used where and why? I ask a lot of questions and have high expectations, but it’s really important to know your product and be upfront with customers.”
Offering an edit across skincare, makeup, haircare, bath and body, the site is currently championing smaller, niche brands such as Evolve, Neighbourhood Botanicals, Ere Perez and Mauli Rituals – all handpicked by Broadfield.
While she has launched with just 10 brands, she says she will be introducing and refining her stock every month – and welcomes feedback from fellow beauty obsessives.
Some highlights from the launch line-up: Evolve’s Hyaluronic Serum, £30, that hydrates and revives dehydrated complexions, Neighbourhood Botanicals Age Of Aquarius Hair Oil, £29, for dry and damaged tresses and The Beauty Archive Empower Illuminating Cream, £36, to dab on to cheekbones for a dewy glow.
Broadfield’s ultimate goal for the site is to be a platform for good in the beauty industry, encouraging consumers to make small changes that, collectively, will have a big impact.
“I’m not an idealist and I firmly believe that perfect can get in the way of good,” she says, “so my intention is really to help show the customer and indeed the industry, how we can all do beauty better.”
Shop SUST Beauty now at www.sustbeauty.com.
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