How Sustainable Are Celebrity Skincare Brands?

Alice Hartwell

Stars making their mark (and money) in the beauty industry is nothing new. In the 2010s it was makeup lines that celebrities were choosing to capitalise on; but moving into a new decade, it appears skincare lines are all the rage.

Every time I refresh my Instagram feed there seems to be news of a new celebrity skincare launch, each promising more than the one before, but is sustainability at the forefront here? With the rise of greenwashing, eco-shopping is trickier than ever. I did a little investigation into some of the biggest celebrity skin brands to separate the sustainable “wheat from the chaff”, so you can shop consciously (and still stan your favs).

FENTY SKIN

Rihanna

Mogul, billionaire and certified bad gal Rihanna shook the makeup world with the launch of Fenty Beauty back in 2017, shortly followed by Fenty Skin. There’s no escaping the waves that Rihanna’s, frankly, revolutionary products have made in the beauty industry. This is all done while positively championing their “3 R’S”: reduce, reuse, recycle.

What makes this brand sustainable?

Refillable product packaging
Responsible ingredients and formulas
Use of limited/recycled packaging materials
Guidance materials for how to recycle parts of products that can’t be reused

Make sure to try:

THE OUTSET

Scarlett Johansson

One of the highest-paid actors in the world, Scarjo is now venturing into the world of skin. Despite its very recent launch, The Outset is already on track to be a trailblazer in the sustainable beauty space. Alongside the use of conscious and responsible ingredients, the brand’s approach to environmental conservation is one that many OG labels could learn a thing or two from.

What makes this brand sustainable?

Part of the 1% for the planet organisation
Part of the One Tree Planted non-profit
Majority of their containers are made from recycled glass
Packaging is 100% FSC-Certified paper

Make sure to try:

RHODE

Hailey Bieber

Hailey Bieber’s Rhode has been another recent celeb skincare launch, excitingly, with a huge focus on sustainability. Within a landing page detailing the brand’s eco-conscious mission, a commitment is made to “minimal skincare, minimal footprint”.

What makes this brand sustainable?

All bottles, tubes and packaging caps are made from recycled materials
Guidance for how to consciously dispose of packaging
Ability to ship back empties to be recycled on your behalf, for free
Products are shipped in zero-waste boxes that can be reused up to 12 times

Make sure to try:

ROSE INC SKINCARE

Rosie-Huntington Whiteley

Supermodel and pout goddess RHW has been dipping her toe in the world of beauty for years. After previously collaborating on a makeup range with Marks & Spencer, Rosie has now gone on to launch Rose Inc: a beauty brand encompassing its own skincare line. They state that “while we value form as well as function, our commitment is to sustainability”. 100% cruelty-free and vegan, Rose Inc is conscious to use recycled materials, prioritising the planet over flashy packaging.

What makes this brand sustainable?

Detailed descriptions of recycled materials used for each product
Simplistic packaging designs made to minimise waste
Use of at least 25% post-consumer recycled materials
FSC-certified paperboard

Make sure to try:

So, which brands don’t quite make the cut?

KYLIE SKIN

Kylie Jenner

The youngest of the Kardashian/Jenner clan, Kylie spent the latter half of the past decade making a big name in the world of beauty. With Kylie Cosmetics, Kylie Baby and now Kylie Skin, she’s a businesswoman with nearly every section of the beauty market cornered-sadly not with much consideration for sustainability.

Despite claiming to be “clean”, cruelty-free and vegan, it’s clear that Kylie Cosmetics doesn’t market itself as a sustainable company. In fact, there doesn’t even seem to be a mention of the word on the website. There also appears to be no work in the pipeline towards more eco-conscious products or packaging at this time.

SKKN BY KIM

Kim Kardashian

The head of the Kardashian dynasty added another string to her business bow with the launch of SKKN By Kim last year. While she seems to try a little harder than her younger sister when it comes to the brand’s sustainable output, this appears to be quite surface-level.

Although the products are promoted as refillable, the initial stone-like packaging they come in is not. In addition to this, the pump and refill bags also can’t be recycled. Many have claimed this comes across as false advertising. Despite stating that sustainability is a priority for the brand, the proof doesn’t seem to be in the pudding as of yet.

JLO BEAUTY

Jennifer Lopez

A true queen of glow, it didn’t take Jennifer Lopez long to launch a line of skincare so fans could harness her radiance. JLO Beauty first launched in 2021 as a luxury, science-backed skin brand. Although her products may deliver when it comes to glow, sadly eco-consciousness doesn’t seem to be a priority.

JLo Beauty clearly doesn’t market itself as a sustainable brand, with limited products possible to recycle. In response to the use of virgin plastics, their website states that “we aim to use recyclable materials where possible”. However, the brand doesn’t go into much more detail than saying that their cartons and shippers are “sustainably sourced and contain recycled materials”.