Sustainable Beauty Boom Forces Brands to Prove Their Green Claims
The demand for sustainable beauty is growing fast. Shoppers now look for progressive login makeup and eco-friendly products more than ever before. This shift has pushed brands to adopt clearer standards and greener practices across Europe.
The cosmetics industry is responding with stricter certifications and waste-cutting innovations. But with rising interest comes the risk of misleading claims, making it harder for consumers to spot truly ethical choices.
The journey of a cosmetic product—from raw materials to packaging and transport—affects its environmental footprint. Many brands now highlight their sustainability efforts, but not all claims hold up under scrutiny. Genuine natural and organic cosmetics avoid petroleum-based ingredients and openly share their sourcing criteria. They also rely on certified organic farming or sustainable wild harvesting for a large share of their components.
Certifications play a key role in verifying these promises. Labels like COSMOS, NATRUE, and BDIH enforce strict rules, banning harmful ingredients and animal testing. A vegan label goes further than just cruelty-free claims—it ensures no animal-derived ingredients are used at all. Yet some brands use custom logos or vague wording that doesn't match the actual ingredients listed on the INCI, a practice known as greenwashing.
Europe leads the way in sustainable beauty, holding 33.84% of the global market in 2024. Brands such as Lavera (PETA-certified and bio-grown in Germany), Benecos (BDIH-certified), and UND GRETEL (COSMOS-certified) have expanded their reach over the past three years. Others, like Catrice (100% vegan and PETA-certified) and PHB Ethical Beauty, now appear in major drugstores such as Rossmann and dm, as well as online platforms. This growth follows the EU's ban on animal testing and a surge in vegan trends.
To cut waste, many companies now offer refillable systems and solid products. These changes encourage shoppers to buy less but choose better, reducing packaging and transport emissions over time.
The rise of certified vegan and sustainable cosmetics reflects a broader change in consumer habits. Brands with recognised seals—like COSMOS, NATRUE, or BDIH—are gaining ground in stores and online. At the same time, the push for transparency and waste reduction continues to reshape the industry.
For shoppers, this means more options but also a need to check labels carefully. The INCI list remains the best tool for verifying what's really inside a product.
