Concerned about the amount of packaging, especially plastic packaging, created by skincare and beauty products?
Join the package free skincare revolution! A huge range of beauty products can be created in a solid bar format that does not require packaging. Everything from cleansers, moisturizers and deodorants, body wash and bubble bath, to shampoo and conditioner.
Check out all the zero waste beauty products you can make here – we bet some will surprise you!
10 benefits of solid, package free skincare
As natural skincare and haircare formulators, there are many reasons why it’s a great idea to make and use solid, zero waste, package free skincare and haircare products. Here are ten reasons to make the switch.
1. Package free skincare create less waste and is more sustainable
Go further than plastic free skincare and create completely package free skincare. A reduction in packaging means products are much more sustainable and environmentally friendly than traditional beauty products. There is no bottle or container that needs to be disposed of or recycled after use.
2. Most package free skincare is waterless
Most solid, package free skincare and haircare products are waterless and therefore help with the conservation of water.
A classic example is a body lotion which will typically contain around 80% water. A solid body butter bar eliminates the need for water completely. The zero waste brand Ethique estimates that one of their body butter bars saves 1300ml water.
3. Solid products are concentrated and long lasting
To create a solid package free product, no water (or very minimal water) can be included in the formulation meaning that the product will contain a high amount of other ingredients such as oils, butters and surfactants. This means that the products are very concentrated and will in many cases last longer than conventional beauty products. The zero waste brand Ethique estimates that one of their shampoo bars saves 3 x 350ml bottles of shampoo.
4. Solid, package free products contain ‘no cheap fillers’
Often water is considered a ‘filler’ (lotions can contain up to 80% water) so solid skincare products are appealing to consumers who want to avoid fillers in their products and instead just pay for nourishing, effective ingredients.
5. Solid, package free products can be 100% organic
Water cannot be organically certified. On the other hand, waterless, solid products made with organic ingredients like oils, butters, emulsifiers, surfactants and waxes, can be formulated to be 100% organic.
6. Package free skincare can be cheaper to test
Any cosmetics products that are sold to consumers need to have the appropriate testing carried out on them to ensure they are safe and stable.
Solid, anhydrous (waterless) cosmetics don’t require microbiological testing – also called Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) – as this only needs to be carried out on products containing water.
As most package free products don’t contain water, they don’t require this testing, making them much less expensive to bring to market.
7. Zero waste products have consumer appeal
Package free products can be considered zero waste as there isn’t anything that the customer needs to recycle or dispose of after use. Zero waste products are very appealing to consumers looking for sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
8. Solid products are travel friendly
For many years airlines have restricted the amount of liquids that can be carried on board a flight. As package free solid products are not liquid they are not subject to restrictions when flying, making them convenient for travelling.
9. Solid skincare is easy to make
The beauty of solid beauty products is that they are easy to make. There are no complicated processes to follow; for example you don’t need to worry about emulsification like you do with creams and lotions, or solubilizing essential oils into water-based solutions.
For most products the ingredients simply need mixing or melting and pouring into molds or shaping into bars. Easy! This means they are perfect for people new to skincare formulation or those who want to keep things simple.
10. Save money on packaging costs
The primary reason for creating and using package free skincare is undoubtedly the environmental benefits. There is also an upside to this for beauty brands, too – saving money on packaging costs. Bottles and jars are expensive components. By eliminating this type of packaging you’ll be saving your brand a significant amount of money.
Challenges for skincare formulators
As a skincare formulation school it would be remiss of us not to mention some of the challenges of formulating solid, package free skincare. Of course with the right know-how these challenges can be overcome!
1. Solid products can be more expensive to create
Zero waste cosmetics don’t contain a large proportion of water and instead use more oils, butters, surfactants and other ingredients, therefore they are likely to be more expensive to create in terms of ingredient costs.
However, you will save money on product testing and packaging costs, so while the ingredients are more expensive you’ll save money in other areas.
Package free products are concentrated so while they may cost more in terms of ingredients they are much longer lasting (they can last up to three times as long as their regular counterpart) – this is something to explain to your customers so that they appreciate the true value of your products.
2. It can be challenging to achieve a solid form that is pleasant to use
A basic requirement of a solid, package free skincare product is that it will remain in a solid state but it also needs to be pleasant to use! For example, it needs to be easy to apply, and leave a pleasant after-feel.
This means you need to carefully consider the types of oils, butters, waxes and thickeners you use. The good news is that solid products can have a wonderful skin feel and remain solid. It’s all about getting to know your ingredients and using them at the optimal percentage.
3. Storage and stability issues
Package free skincare products need to retain their solid format during use. This means they are formulated quite differently to regular beauty products with some ingredients used in larger quantities and some not at all.
Storage conditions are an important consideration with solid products. Certain package free products such as lotion bars might be difficult to create and use in hot climates without storing in a refrigerator.
In our Diploma in Zero Waste Skincare and Haircare Formulation we’ll explain how to overcome these challenges and provide lots of formulations created by our experts for you to follow.
Make your own natural package free skincare!
We are so passionate about package free skincare that we have created an entire Diploma course to teach you how to formulate zero waste beauty products.
Our brand new online Diploma in Zero Waste Skincare and Haircare Formulation teaches you to formulate a wide range of solid, package free products including solid facial cleansers and exfoliators, solid moisturizers and serums, solid deodorant, solid shower products, solid shampoo and conditioner.
We hope you’ll join us!
