How Ethical is Ethical Beauty?

• It does not measure them on being vegan, which is not the same as vegetarian. By the way, very few brands claiming to be suitable for use by Vegans are certified by an independent body.

• Very importantly to my mind, it does not measure how they treat human beings. The people who work for them, the people who's raw materials they purchase, the children who might be working in their supply chain, instead of being at school.  Nor are they measured on their record of supporting women in the workplace e.g. senior positions and equal pay. I think human welfare is just as important as animal welfare.  Do you remember a while ago there was huge coverage in the media about fashion retailers such as Primark who have very young children making their clothes.  The programme highlighted Syrian refugees, as young as 7 (!!), being forced to work a 16 hour day for less than £1.  The TV programme followed some of those children and found many in a terrible state of distress.  Marks and Spencer were highlighted, along with luxury designer brands, who claim to make inspections of these factories.  Despite they often use their social responsibility as a selling point in their marketing efforts, they claimed no knowledge of these appalling conditions and lack of human rights.??

• The largest beauty corporations, who highlight in their annual reports and advertising to their customers about their endeavours, tend to have the lowest ethical scores . They also make the most profit, are least reliant on third party manufacturers because they have their own plants and are most likely to sell in China, where submission to animal testing is mandatory.  Even if they do not test on animals, they have agreed to animal testing on their products being conducted.   They spend a lot of money telling you what a great job they are doing in these area's and how they support small communities in Africa.  They craft clever press releases that justify their actions e.g. why they sell in China or how beeswax is exempt because bee's dong get hurt. 

• Adding to my post on natural vs. chemical, natural is not necessarily sustainable or ethical, nor does it mean your skin won't react badly and nor does it mean it is more effective.

• Safety is paramount. Avoid controversial ingredients but no 'free from' statements which I think distract from what is IN the product.

• Packaging to be as recyclable as possible. With the activism in plastics and packaging, I believe manufacturers will continue to improve on this.  For example the airless pumps are not fully recyclable and it is difficult for a customer to dismantle the components and recycle the bits that are. My husband says the government should just do what Norway did. Heavily tax manufacturers who don't produce recyclable plastic. As soon as it hurt their profits, they invested in recyclable plastic. What do you think?
• Avoid over packaging e.g. carton linings (except where there is glass), carton base inserts that the product 'nests' in, cello wrapping, double walled jars etc.

• Purchase active ingredients from reputable ingredient manufacturer's who have conducted clinical trials showing evidence of results rather than anecdotal and treatment products must contain the clinically tested concentration of that ingredient.

•  Avoid animal ingredients and by-products. I've been assured by the contract manufacturer that my products are vegan friendly. I want to be scrupulously honest and say that I have not had them vegan certified because we do not have the resources to do that right now.  Not because I am trying to be vague or dupe anyone. Most small brands don't and many big brands wont.

- As a very small business, I do not have the resources to go and check every ingredient manufacturer's plant, to ensure they are operating to vegan standards. So unless they are vegan certified also, it is not airtight.  I know from experience at a very large corporate that even they, with all their resources, could not absolutely control supplies. You may remember one found their mica was sourced from the shells of shrimp when they stated they did not use animal ingredients at all.  Mind you they, and others use beeswax and say that is ok because the bee's are not harmed!

- I've worked in company's that make marketing statements about recycling and didn't even re-cycle office paper and used polystyrene cups.  I've known company's that have not given the full amount of the declared donation to the charity they, or should I say you, are supporting.  We all know brands that changed their public principles regarding no animal testing because the sales opportunity in China was more important to them.  I've been vocal, to the detriment of my own career, about it.

• Responsible destruction of excess ingredients, products etc.