Everything you need to know about biodegradable beauty

Sustainability within beauty is an evolving space. It’s also, for lack of a better word, vague. There are brands that are doing the work, and then there are others who use sustainability buzzwords in the wrong context or without merit, effectively greenwashing consumers into believing they’re making a sustainability-minded purchase, when in reality they aren’t.

Biodegradable beauty products (or partly-biodegradable products) are one area that can cause confusion, so as part of our 30-day sustainability initiative, we’re explaining exactly what it means, from biodegradable ingredients to packaging, and if it’s something worth considering when it comes to curating a more sustainable beauty routine.

What does biodegradable mean?

In the context of beauty, biodegradable means any ingredient or packaging item that naturally decomposes within 28 days of disposal, reducing long-term environmental accumulation (this is based on OECD 301 or equivalent tests).

What are biodegradable ingredients in beauty?

Cosmetic formulations are typically made up of many different ingredients, from natural to synthetic. Some of these are directly related to the efficacy of the product, while others might have to do with its texture, scent or longevity (i.e. preservatives).

A biodegradable ingredient is one that will be completely broken down by microorganisms in the natural environment when it is disposed of or discarded (for example, shampoo that goes into waste water). As a general rule, only organic molecules are biodegradable. In beauty, this includes plant-based oils like jojoba and coconut, natural waxes such as beeswax and carnauba, as well as naturally-derived surfactants, emulsifiers and thickeners. For instance, Kiehl’s formulates its Amino Acid Shampoo with coconut oil, jojoba oil and a plant-derived surfactant, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate.

Some beauty products might also specify a percentage of biodegradability, for example ‘98% biodegradable’. This indicates readily biodegradable ingredients within the formula (meaning 98% of the product will be completely broken down).

What about biodegradable beauty packaging?

Beauty packaging opens up an entirely different conversation about sustainability. The industry is known as a huge contributor to landfill because it encourages mass consumption, but also because traditional beauty packaging materials — such as plastic — are either not recyclable, or it’s so confusing that consumers give up and default to landfill. Part of fixing this comes down to education (read our guide to recycling your empties here) but also falls onto brands to invest in sustainable packaging innovations.

Biodegradable packaging is any packaging material that will break down in a composting environment, such as bioplastics, or those made from sugarcane, corn starch or other plat sources. It can be a tricky one to get right because biodegradable materials need to be sturdy enough to contain and protect the formula inside.

It’s worth pointing out that while biodegradable packaging is a great option, it’s not the only way to sustainably house a product. Recyclable and refillable products are also worth looking into, especially when it comes to skincare. At L’Orèal, 100% of plastic packaging will be refillable, recyclable or compostable (i.e. biodegradable) by the end of 2025.