What sustainability means for indie beauty brands today

Sustainability shows up everywhere in beauty, from product claims to retail requirements. Yet what it truly means for a brand isn’t always clear. For beauty brands ready to grow with intention, it starts by defining what sustainability means for your brand. 

So, what is sustainable beauty? In this post, we’ll unpack what sustainability means for beauty brands today. You’ll learn how it differs from clean beauty, what it actually involves, and how you can take meaningful steps forward.

What is sustainable beauty?

Sustainable beauty is about how a product impacts the environment and people across its entire lifecycle. This includes everything from how ingredients are sourced to how products are manufactured, packaged, transported, and disposed of. The focus has long been on reducing carbon footprints, but brands are increasingly incorporating “beyond carbon” initiatives to address water conservation, circularity, social equity, and waste reduction throughout the value chain. Brands like Seadrop, for example, are rethinking product formats entirely with waterless skincare tablets, proving that innovation and sustainability can go hand in hand.

Clean beauty, on the other hand, is typically defined by what products are free from, such as parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, or other ingredients deemed harmful. Honest Beauty, for example, maintains a well-known “NO List™” of over 3,500 ingredients it avoids in its formulations, focusing primarily on ingredient safety and consumer health. Similarly, Tower 28 Beauty has a “No-No List” that excludes potentially harmful ingredients to ensure transparency and safe products.

While the two concepts overlap, they are not interchangeable. A brand can be clean but not sustainable. For example, using safe ingredients in excessive or single-use packaging. Conversely, a makeup or skincare product can be sustainably packaged and ethically produced, but fail to meet clean ingredient standards.

To build a sustainable beauty brand, it helps to be clear about what you stand for. When your values are front and center, you’re more likely to earn trust, stay relevant, and connect with people who care about the products you’re creating.

What sustainability encompasses

Here are five key areas indie beauty brands should consider when defining and building a sustainability strategy:

1. Better Materials & Packaging

• Use recycled, recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, or refillable packaging materials
• Source materials responsibly with the full product lifecycle in mind

2. Responsible Supply Chains

• Ensure fair labor practices, safe working conditions, and ethical sourcing of raw materials
• Build supplier relationships that reflect your brand values

3. Circular Product Design

• Design products for durability, reuse, or circularity
• Eliminate unnecessary packaging and reduce product-related waste

4. Reducing Energy & Emissions

• Lower carbon emissions across production, transport, and operations
• Choose renewable energy and prioritize local sourcing

5. Prioritizing Social Impact

• Support communities you source from through meaningful initiatives
• Substantiate your clean and sustainable product claims with credible evidence

Together, these areas form the foundation of a truly sustainable beauty business.

Why having a clear sustainability strategy matters

Sustainability isn’t just about doing good. It’s a smart, strategic move that shapes how your brand grows, connects, and competes in today’s market.

• Attract loyal customers who care about how products are made and the impact they have on the environment and people.
• Attract and retain talent by hiring those who reflect your brand values to ensure that sustainability is embedded into your culture and everyday decisions.
• Meet growing retailer requirements from Sephora, Ulta, and others, opening doors to new markets, valuable partnerships, and sales channels.
• Create value across your supply chain by making intentional choices around materials, packaging, and partners.
• Future-proof your brand against tightening regulations and evolving consumer expectations.
• Communicate authentic stories that resonate deeply with your audience, driving word-of-mouth and brand advocacy, rooted in impact.

When you integrate sustainability into your brand strategy, the benefits show up across your operations, your people, and your bottom line.

Why indie beauty brands are uniquely positioned

Indie beauty brands are often better positioned to integrate sustainability in ways that scale with them. Smaller brands frequently benefit from what McKinsey describes as an “aura of credibility,” especially when they make sustainability-related claims. With faster feedback loops, a strong brand purpose, and close customer connection, they can help define what the future of responsible beauty looks like.

According to NielsenIQ, by focusing on unique products, authentic values, and responding to emerging trends, indie beauty and personal care brands are growing at 15.7% YOY, outpacing the 9.9% rate of the broader beauty market. 

You don’t need to wait for scale to make a difference. Designing in sustainability from the beginning is core to how we believe businesses can grow and be profitable, all while mitigating risks. The brands that embrace sustainability fully will lead the industry forward.

📩 Want help defining what sustainability means for your brand? Let’s build a sustainability strategy that earns trust, drives lasting growth, and elevates your beauty brand’s impact. Explore my services or get in touch→

Disclaimer: None of the brands mentioned here have sponsored this post. I simply admire their efforts and wanted to share for inspiration.