Sustainability and natural ingredients in the cosmetics industry are in vogue. In itself a positive development to which we at Saint Charles have always remained true since the beginning of our brand. If it weren't for greenwashing, where shower gel, toothpaste, deodorant and co. are sold as "green", but behind them are extremely questionable ingredients or companies. Natural ingredients are increasingly being touted and various certificates promise a green, clean conscience. However, it is worth taking a closer look at the certification, ingredients list and packaging - because not everything that is green is actually lived sustainability.
Feature No. 1: Concentration of natural ingredients
Many brands in the cosmetics industry have recently been focusing on natural ingredients in new products. In communication, everything is being done to build an image that is as natural as possible. However, the concentration of these "natural ingredients" is often limited to a minimum and the remaining ingredients are composed of excipients and preservatives.
Therefore, it should always be paid attention to how high the concentration of natural ingredients. Many companies now live transparency and often indicate directly on the packaging the percentage of natural ingredients.
Characteristic No. 2: Avoidance of critical ingredients
In order to be able to produce products more cheaply or to make them foam or smell better, demonstrably critical substances are often used in cosmetic products. This is questionable in several respects. Apart from the health aspects, such as the harmfulness to the skin barrier of mineral oil derivatives or irritating fragrances, the criticism also concerns ecological points, such as the clearing of the rainforest for palm oil plantations. Microplastic - partly as liquid microplastic - is also found in many conventional cosmetic products, which ends up on our plates again via detours in the wastewater.
The renunciation of artificial preservatives and fragrances and the use of exclusively palm oil- and mineral oil-free excipients without fillers is therefore a major concern.
Feature #3: Sustainable packaging
Although many companies are taking an important step in the direction of sustainable packaging, it is precisely in the case of alternatives that thought should be given to whether they are actually more ecologically sound. For example, "green plastic" often requires large areas of cultivation for raw materials such as sugar cane. This "green plastic" is often produced from renewable raw materials, but is not biodegradable and just as durable and ultimately no better than conventional plastic.
Companies that take sustainability seriously try everywhere possible to do without plastic and use recyclable glass containers. For products where this is not possible for safety reasons (e.g. in the shower for shower baths), they rely on 100% recycled PET.
Green cosmetics from DieNikolai
These three characteristics provide information about whether "green cosmetics" are just greenwashing, or whether people actually care about the environment and sustainability. A long-standing regional partner in the cosmetics sector is dieNikolai. DieNikolai relies exclusively on high-quality resources and a love of nature. Certified by Demeter, the regional brand from the Wachau region meets the strictest requirements in biodynamics and can thus proudly count itself a pioneer in terms of quality. The majority of the ingredients used come from the company's own biodynamic vineyards with up to 96% biodynamic ingredients. Regional raw materials always have priority - because real effectiveness often grows right on our doorstep.
We hope we have been able to give you an insight into the comprehensive topic of sustainability. By using sustainable products, you can minimize the ecological footprint in the bathroom and thus protect the environment.
