The craze for "green beauty" continues to accelerate!
Today, we are much more attached to what we put on our skin than we were yesterday. According to a study conducted by Blissim (formerly Birchbox), nearly 8 out of 10 consumers feel concerned by green beauty.
But then, what is behind this term of green beauty?
Green beauty encompasses all natural, vegan, certified organic or "clean beauty" cosmetics, a beauty that is as good for the skin as it is for the environment.
And at Yodi, this is exactly our state of mind! We want to be as close as possible to your expectations in order to offer you the products best adapted to your needs, while respecting the world of tomorrow. So, we have chosen to give YOU the floor, and to interview 4 of our Yodistas about their awareness towards a greener consumption and beauty routines.
Beauty yes, but not just any beauty
Today, as consumers, we are increasingly informed and alert to the product we buy: composition, active ingredients, concentration ... We go through everything with a fine tooth comb.
" For me, the most important thingis the composition of the ingredients and the active ingredients present in a product. I attach a lot of importance to the concentration to see if the product contains useful active ingredients or not. I don't like to have a product with too many superfluous ingredients. " introduces Aurélie, entrepreneur and founder of Lets Glow Green a podcast dedicated to the latest green trends.
A vigilance reinforced by a quest for meaning, a desire to know, but also a real concern for our health. We are now aware of the irritations that certain synthetic ingredients contained in perfumes and preservatives can cause, and we are reading labels more and more carefully. In addition, many dermatologists are noticing an increasing number of skin sensitized by pollution, stress...
" I have very reactive skin, so I have to find products that my skin accepts. For me, looking at the composition of products is a desire but above all a need for my skin " underlines Morgane, a student in business school in Annecy.
Many are waiting for proof and don't expect to be fooled, the consumer is becoming more and more expert. Deborah, a former beauty blogger turned influencer marketer explains: " I don't judge conventional brands, but I don't like brands that lie. I havea problem with a brand that says it's natural when it's not. "
We therefore have all the cards in our hands, beauty brands must now anticipate and be proactive in this transparency approach. More and more attention is being paid to the composition of the products we apply to our skin and irritant-free products are gradually becoming the new standard for natural beauty." My first concern is to know what I'm putting on my skin. When I was younger, I had several skin problems due to acne, pollution... And I tended to apply a little bit of everything on it to try to change that. Until I realized that my skin was becoming damaged by accumulating different products," adds Thomas, founder of Vanm, an eco-responsible fashion brand for women.
Real click... or gradual transition?
This transition to a greener beauty is unique to each individual. Travels, experiences, reports... All these events are likely to play a role in the path towards awareness.
For some, the birth of a child is a real trigger, as for Déborah: " I immediately wanted to go for cleaner products for my daughter but also for myself. I want to show her the example so that it becomes a natural part of her habits. " or Aurélie : " I realized that there were a lot of things that were not necessarily good for the baby. And I gradually extrapolated that to my lifestyle: what I don't do for my child I don't do for myself either. "
For others, the awareness is made in stages, gradually: " It is quite recent: 1 year ago, a friend told me about an application to scan products and see if they are good (INCI beauty). Seeing the score of my products as I went along, I got scared and since then, I decided to find clean brands without endocrine disruptors, sulfates... " explains Morgane.
For Thomas, it was also a gradual process: " During my youth, I developed a real sensitivity to the environment. All this has gradually developed and this is how I launched my project by linking nature, biodiversity and fashion. It's awhole learning process that has matured over time. "
Change your beauty routine... But not only!
In Europe, nearly 25% of us say we want to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle, consuming less but better. Taking care of ourselves today while taking care of the world tomorrow. How does this translate into everyday life?
In the cosmetic world, this awareness is twofold: consume natural products that are more respectful of the environment but also products that do us good. Understand your skin, your needs, to find an adapted beauty routine." I've always used random products, but now I'm careful. Before, I didn't really have a routine for my skin, but for the past year I've been trying to remove my makeup, wash my face morning and night and apply cream. " says Morgane.
And Morgane is not the only one to see her beauty routine change. Déborah has also implemented new gestures, new habits: " One day as a blogger, I tried oil makeup removal and my skin was great so I decided to adopt this gesture. Objectively, I always clean my skin after removing my makeup. Then I add a very moisturizing serum and a night cream. It's a real routine that I can't stop doing because I see the results and my skin is super beautiful and radiant. "
This awareness towards a greener consumption does not only affect beauty, far from it. Very often, these changes also affect our diet. And yes, what we apply to our skin is as important as what we eat! In fact, it is sometimes even a change in our eating habits that then extends to our cosmetics." First step: food because I realized that I was digesting certain foods much less well and so I started to pay attention, to stop eating meat, dairy products... This then extended to cosmetic products: sun cream, cream, shampoo... " describes Aurélie.
How to become a responsible consumer?
Contrary to what one might think, adopting responsible consumption is not necessarily easier said than done.
And since all great changes start with small gestures, it is possible to reduce our environmental impact without completely changing our habits." I no longer use plastic bags for shopping, I avoid using water bottles as much as possible, I sort my waste, I don't print any more paper... Lots of little gestures that are futile but very useful " explains Thomas.
Here are our tips if you want to adopt a more responsible consumption:
-consumelocal : consuming local and seasonal products, close to home, favors the employment of local artisans while limiting the transportation of goods.
Chooseproducts without packaging or with recyclable packaging : by buying products in bulk or by the cut, you buy only what you need. For liquid products, dairy products and others, choose glass packaging instead. And above all, avoid double packaging.
-prefer totravel on foot, by bicycle or by public transport
-learnto better manage your products : sort your waste, and whenever possible, try to give a second life to your products. For example, rather than getting rid of a failing electronic equipment, you can entrust it to associations that will recondition it. For textiles, many platforms like Vinted are now set up to allow us to give a second life to our clothes.
It is a new rhythm that is gradually being put in place, in order to consume less but better." I cannot say that I am a vegetarian, that I am careful and buy products that do not respect the planet and the world of tomorrow. " concludes Aurélie " It is the accumulation of all these small gestures that is very important for me, always in this idea of consume intelligently. "
What to expect from green brands?
The commitment
Today we are looking for commitment. And this, from A to Z: from the concept of the product to the sourcing and tracing of ingredients." For me, a beauty brand today must have a clean formulation, natural ingredients and active ingredients, paying attention to their concentration. Above all, traceability is crucial, and having passionate founders who source well to have a "sustainable" product explains Aurélie." Making a product today means making a product that is good for tomorrow while taking into account its environmental footprint. A brand will not be if it is not green and responsible . This is what sustainable development is all about today: meeting our needs today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
We demand transparency. INCI deciphering applications have become a real bête noire for beauty brands. According to Morgane, " For me, a green brand must openly show the composition of products without hiding anything. It'sall about transparency with a real commitment, real evidence and not "green washing" as many do. "
A recyclable packaging
This commitment is not only reflected in the composition of the products but also in their packaging.
As our resources become more and more limited, waste and increased waste are frowned upon. Therefore, zero waste lifestyles are on the rise.
Recycling, upcyling, solid cosmetics, biodegradable ingredients... Consumer demand is growing." I am deeply embarrassed by a brand with a great composition and formulation but which uses a plastic container and not recyclable. It's all about consistency. We must take care of ourselves while taking care of the planet " adds Déborah.
Transparency
For brands to be as sincere and credible as possible, their communication must also be clear and transparent: " What I like about a brand is its real commitment, its transparency ", Thomas emphasizes." Clear communication so that you know from A to Z what's going on. A real commitment behind the company's doors, not just for fashion and trends. A real ecological background, a company philosophy, not just a nice image. "
Spontaneity, freshness, dynamism: a perfect cocktail to catch the eye of the consumer: " I pay a lot of attention to the state of mind of the brand and its environment. It's a bit like a couple, the brand has to match my way of consumption. I need to adhere to the ethics of the brand, to its philosophy " insists Aurélie.
An eco-responsible brand must now :
- offer formulas with ingredients identified as healthy and good by the consumer,
- be transparent about the formulas,
- favouring manufacturing processes that are as environmentally friendly as possible ,
- have apositive impact on the environment.
Their opinion on Yodi
The innovation of YODI products is to have succeeded in formulating products without water. The absence of water preserves the native qualities of the active ingredients or cosmetic formulation both during their production and transportation. Our products are therefore preservative-free.
" The idea of not using water in the product itself but rather the water we use ourselves in the shower, I love! And what's nice is the playfulness of switching from powder to cleansing milk. It'sa pleasure to discover innovations like this one," says Thomas." I like the idea of doing good for your skin while doing good for the planet. "
At Yodi, we focus on efficiency and quality. Our goal is to offer products designed with as little plastic as possible and support the zero waste movement." The innovation of the powder is great, the containers are great! The principle of the returnable capsules and the recyclable aluminum bottle is great. " says Deborah.
And yes, we chose to use aluminum bottles, infinitely recyclable, PP caps (recyclable) and wood cellulose labels." What I like most is all the work done around ethics, commitment, eco-design and traceability. The packaging is worked, there is little plastic. This is very important today and it will be even more important tomorrow," says Aurélie.
Each active ingredient has been traced and sourced. All ingredients in our products are listed on the front of the bottles." I love the 100% green and transparent aspect. I think it's really great to be able to know exactly what ingredients are in the products, how many there are. To really know the composition of the product " concludes Morgane." There is a real work on both the composition and the concept. "
Conscious beauty
Reinventing beauty consumption through innovative, effective, natural and committed products. Take care of yourself while also taking care of others. Consuming beauty products while promoting environmental protection. This is our vision of conscious beauty at Yodi. However, underneath these two words, there are multiple interpretations:
" Beauty that makes good products for today but also for tomorrow and for future generations. The question is: Tomorrow what will be my impact on the environment and on the planet? Knowing what product I have in my hands. " describes Aurélie.
For Morgane it is about " products with a good composition and especially respectful of the body, brands that do not do "green washing", which have a real eco-responsible commitment. "
Thomas explains: " For me, it is above all an awareness for both the consumer and the brands. For the consumer, it is about knowing what we put on our skin, what we use. For the brand, it is about transparency, explaining what is in the composition of the product but also what is behind the products: the commitment, the values and the vision of the brand. "
Déborah prefers to talk about " beauty in consciousness, as if we intellectualized the beauty ritual to please ourselves. "
Clean formulation, eco-designed packaging, transparency and commitment: these are the key words of tomorrow's green brands.