Why the Beauty Industry Sucks: Packaging, Marketing, and Supply Chain Solutions (Part Two)

Welcome to part 2 of my mini-series on the beauty industry. In the last episode, we talked about all the issues with the beauty industry, and I’ll be honest, it wasn’t super cheerful. So for this episode, we are changing things up and discussing the different solutions currently available for all the problems we mentioned.

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Transcript

Brianne: Kia ora kaitiaki, and welcome to Now That's What I Call Green. I'm your host, Brianne West—an environmentalist and entrepreneur trying to get you as excited about our planet as I am. I'm all about using science to make the world a better place—without the judgment, and making it fun. And of course, we’ll be chatting about some of the most amazing creatures we share our planet with.

If you're looking to navigate everything green—or not so green—you've come to the right place.

Kia ora kaitiaki, welcome back.

Last time, we talked about some of the biggest issues in the beauty industry—overconsumption, plastic waste, dodgy supply chains, and of course, the marketing nonsense that makes us buy it all. It wasn’t the most cheerful conversation, but today, we’re focusing on solutions.

This episode is all about the exciting innovations happening in beauty right now—the ones that are actually making the industry a little bit more beautiful.

Some brands and movements are making real progress. From circular beauty systems that cut down on waste to sustainable ingredient sourcing that doesn’t destroy rainforests (or exploit people), there are better ways to do things. And, of course, there’s a bit of green chemistry in there—because I love science.

I’ve spent years working in this industry, so I’ve seen the worst. But I’ve also seen the best. And while we’re definitely not there yet, I’m excited to share some of the good stuff that’s happening.

The Reality of Circular Beauty

You’ve probably heard the term circular economy—or at least seen the advertising. It sounds like the perfect solution to the beauty industry’s waste problem, right? The idea is to design products that generate minimal waste—by reusing packaging, eliminating it entirely, or making sure it’s recyclable or compostable.

But here’s the catch—most of the circular beauty solutions you’ve heard of? They don’t actually work very well.

Refillable Packaging: Great in Theory, Failing in Practice

Refill stations, refillable makeup compacts, and reusable skincare bottles sound fantastic. But reality check? Less than 5% of consumers use refill programs regularly.

That’s not a number I made up—it’s been shown in multiple studies. Sure, smaller, hyper-local businesses with dedicated audiences do better. But when it comes to scaling, most of us just don’t bother refilling our bottles.

So what happens? All that chunky, supposedly sustainable, refillable packaging ends up as single-use waste anyway.

Some brands have tried to make it easier with refillable makeup compacts (where you replace just the powder or pan), and these have better adoption rates. But overall? Changing consumer behavior is really hard.

Biodegradable Packaging: A Step in the Right Direction?

This is what we did at Ethique—designing products so they could be packaged in home-compostable cardboard. But some brands are pushing even further with:

• Cornstarch-based materials (although some contain PLA, which is technically plastic).
• Bamboo and mushroom-based packaging.
• Seaweed-based materials.

It’s really cool stuff—but there’s a catch.

Biodegradable materials only actually biodegrade when disposed of properly. And right now? Most people don’t have access to the right composting facilities. So these materials could still end up in landfills, where nothing breaks down properly.

Mono-Material Packaging: A No-Brainer

Beauty brands could make recycling way easier by using one type of material per product (instead of mixing plastic, metal, and other materials).

For example, 100% aluminum packaging is infinitely recyclable. But most brands don’t do this because they prioritize aesthetics over function.

Solid Beauty Products: Cutting Packaging Altogether

Now, I’m biased here (obviously), but solid beauty products are still one of the best ways to eliminate packaging altogether.

A single shampoo bar can replace up to three plastic bottles of liquid shampoo—without needing a plastic container.

When I launched Ethique, this was a core focus, and I’m so happy to see more brands jumping on board. Even the big players—like Garnier and L’Oréal—are getting in on the shampoo bar trend.

That said, some brands are still wrapping their bars in plastic—which is just missing the whole damn point.

Sustainable Sourcing: What’s Actually Ethical?

Last episode, I talked about how dodgy beauty supply chains can be—especially with ingredients like palm oil, shea butter, and mica.

So, what’s actually being done to fix this?

Palm Oil: The Good, The Bad, and The Alternatives

We all know unsustainable palm oil is terrible—leading to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and human rights abuses.

But not all palm oil is created equal.

The RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certification is one of the biggest attempts to regulate palm oil production. It claims to prevent deforestation and protect workers. But does it actually? Not always.

I initially made Ethique 100% palm oil-free because RSPO had too many loopholes. Some brands are now exploring microbial fermentation to create palm oil alternatives—basically growing the oil in a lab, with zero deforestation.

This is frickin’ cool. But I worry that the "natural at all costs" crowd will push back on it, just like they did with GMOs.

(By the way, GMOs? Super complicated topic. I’ll do a full episode on that soon.)

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing: The Bare Minimum

Shea butter and cocoa butter are beauty industry staples. They’re also mostly harvested by women in West Africa, who—unsurprisingly—are paid far less than a living wage.

Fair Trade certification ensures these workers are paid fairly and work in safe conditions.

And yet? Most beauty brands still don’t bother.

Let’s be clear—if a company isn’t sourcing its ingredients ethically, they’re exploiting people.

If someone asks, “But how will brands afford to pay workers fairly?” I have two questions for you:

1. Why does our desire for lip balm trump someone else’s right to a fair wage?
2. Have you seen how profitable these companies are? They can afford it. They just choose not to.

Green Chemistry: The Future of Beauty

This is where things get really exciting.

At its core, green chemistry is about creating beauty products that are safer for the planet, humans, and animals—while minimizing waste and pollution.

Some key innovations:

• Biodegradable ingredients that break down naturally.
• Waterless beauty products that eliminate unnecessary water use (think powders, balms, and bars).
• Lab-created synthetic mica—which removes child labor from the supply chain.

Of course, people hear “synthetic” and freak out. Reminder: everything is made of chemicals. Including you.

Final Thoughts: What Can You Do?

If you want to make better choices in beauty:
✔ Buy less. Overconsumption is the biggest issue in this industry.
✔ Choose transparent brands. If they don’t disclose sourcing and sustainability efforts, they’re probably hiding something.
✔ Pick better packaging. Look for mono-materials or zero-waste options.
✔ Support ethical sourcing. Look for Fair Trade and RSPO certifications—but also research them critically.
✔ Beware of greenwashing. "Clean" and "natural" don’t always mean sustainable.

At the end of the day, we have more power than we think.

Kia ora kaitiaki, and as always, if you have questions or thoughts—get in touch. Until next time, ma te wa.