Luxury Skincare that is Conscious, Sustainable


In recent years, with multiple trends coming and going in the luxury skincare industry, one is withstanding the face of time - being environment-friendly and socially conscious. Two skincare brands are showing that caring about the environment and its inhabitants is more than just a trend

By: Jessica Bond 

Posted on: October 18, 2018

Kiehl's Calendula mask with aloe veraPresident Donald Trump might think that climate change is a hoax, it certainly doesn’t seem so. The increased frequency of life threatening hurricanes and earthquakes shattering the Earth are just one example of the effect of climate change. The world is scrambling to do their bit in decelerating the effects. Children are being taught how to sow and nurture a plant. Adults are studying how recycling and reducing garbage can be achieved at home. And brands are changing their production formulas and operation methods to reverse the skeletonising of Earth. 

The luxury beauty industry is doing its bit as well. Long being infamous for its ingredients, chemical-rich formulations and adverse long-term impact on skins and the environment, the luxury beauty industry has buckled itself up. And within the plethora of examples available, Kiehl’s and Osmia are two skincare brands that are working to change the stigma around the skincare industry, whether it is by being completely transparent about the ingredients in their products or by being involved in social initiatives to contribute to the community. 

Commitment to community
Dating back to 1851, American skincare brand Kiehl’s has been committed to offering the best products to its consumers while showing commitment to making the community that they serve better. Mr. Santosh Kumar, Brand Head at Kiehl’s India believes that showing loyalty to the consumers is a key way to help a brand survive. “Kiehl’s products are formulated and tested to do what we say they will show results for,” Mr. Kumar said. “By doing so we have gained customer loyalty over the years which is very important for a brand to survive.” 

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective serumOver the years, Kiehl’s has also been involved in three causes, including being environmentally conscious and caring for the wellbeing of its consumers. “A worthwhile firm must have a purpose for its existence. Not only the everyday work-a-day purpose to earn a just profit, but beyond that, to improve in some way the quality of the community to which we are committed,” Mr. Kumar said.

By being involved with causes that help with issues such as AIDS, the environment and children, the brand is able to make difference in their consumers' lives and strengthen the brand’s image. Tackling some of the most challenging issues that are affecting the world today, Kiehl’s is setting an example for future skincare brands to take initiative to be more environmentally conscious. At LuxuryFacts, we have always been impressed with their grassroot initiatives and have written much about them in the past

Respecting the land
While Kiehl’s may be one of the oldest skincare brands making a difference for the environment, newcomer Osmia Organics is looking to make a name for itself in the next generation of all-natural skincare. Dr. Sarah Villafranco, the founder of Osmia, believes that the brand tries to be as environmentally conscious as possible. “From raw ingredients to packaging to our packing materials, we consider the environmental impact and how we can minimize it,” she said. “We also plant a tree for every order, in an effort to give back actively to the earth, rather than simply doing less harm.” 

Osmia Organics Natural Skincare products

When creating the Osmia brand, Dr. Villafranco, believed that taking the initiative to be environmentally conscious was the only thing to do. “We really didn’t consider any other option - being environmentally conscious is the foundation on which we have based our entire mission, to inspire people to live in health and joy, with a softer impact on the planet.” 

Osmia Organics Natural SoapsAll Osmia boxes are made with recyclable, FSC certified paper, and their ink is non-toxic, soy-based. Osmia’s bath containers are 100% recycled cardboard tubes with recyclable metal tops, while their soap wrapping paper is partially-recycled and chlorine-free. Osmia also switched to printed glass wherever possible in 2016, which is, of course, fully recyclable. Their airless pumps are Ecocert-approved and 100% recyclable (there’s no metal spring in them to prevent them from entering the recycling stream).

Using completely organic ingredients, their products are known for their effectiveness. Current range on the website shows Pumpkin facial soap (of course!), Rose Clay facial soap and Himalayan Body Buff (made from pink salt from the Himalayas combined with organic essential oils of Bulgarian lavender and Canadian fir).

Having a lasting impression on the skincare industry is essential for these skincare brands. Osmia and Kiehl’s are hoping that their products affect their consumers more than skin deep. Regardless of how long the brand has been in the industry, it is never too late or soon for the brand to have a lasting impression on their consumers’ lives in more ways than one. 

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