How to reduce beauty’s effect on the planet from home

Global beauty brand Garnier collaborates with National Geographic to help tackle climate change from our homes

(Image credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Global beauty brand Garnier collaborates with National Geographic to help tackle climate change from our homes

From plastic packaging and microbeads to ocean pollution and deforestation, the beauty industry has a lot to answer for when it comes to climate change. Although these issues might seem too big to solve from your bathroom, there’s a lot we can do to limit the effect of our beauty buys on the planet. Garnier and National Geographic are here to make the job even easier with their new video series Can Beauty Go Greener

The planet-conscious powerhouses have joined forces to bring beauty lovers’ attention to their carbon footprints. A Life Cycle Analysis carried out by Garnier shows that 80% of shampoo’s pollution enters the atmosphere in the bathroom and the brands’ Sustainability Research shows that only 6% of people actively take day-to-day action to protect the planet.

Garnier cradle to cradle

Garnier

These statistics prove that despite lots of us wanting to do our bit for the climate crisis, it doesn’t translate to our actions. And, we don’t blame you. Lots of the information that we find online about the future of the planet is daunting and difficult to understand.

Adrien Koskas, Garnier Global President says: “Sustainability can be an intimidating topic and we aim to make it truly accessible. Through the work of National Geographic CreativeWorks, we aim to give our consumers access to top experts and their advice for living greener every day.”

garnier green beauty

Garnier

The educational campaign is designed to highlight the positive effects of sustainable consumption through short video documentaries and articles that share expert knowledge and real-world advice. Spanning beauty’s entire supply chain from formula to packaging, the campaign encompasses Garnier’s dedication to cleaning up its production process.

Garnier has always been at the forefront of eco-friendly beauty. Since 2005, the brand has cut water usage by 53% and reduced its CO2 emissions by 69%. On top of this, they have engaged with more than 700 communities with green ingredients sourcing programmes.

As part of the brand’s promise to empower 250 million customers to live greener by 2025, the collaboration harnesses the knowledge of National Geographic Explorers. In the video series, the Explorers, who are experts in fields like marine biology, green science, and sustainable packaging, plunge viewers into their world and make sense of their expertise in seconds.

You can view the first video here:

http://youtu.be/yFKuJwcG1qE

The National Geographic's CreativeWorks team provides the perfect partner for Garnier to ask questions, unpick and understand all the beauty-related areas of sustainability. The platform, which is a product of Nat Geo and The Walt Disney Company, is dedicated to giving everyone easy access to the world’s leading environmental experts.

“We are proud to work with Garnier. Bringing the passion and storytelling talent of National Geographic’s Explorers to help tell Garnier’s stories, while inviting people to understand their impact on the world and imagine new possibilities is what we do best at National Geographic,” explains Nadine Heggie, VP Brand Partnerships at National Geographic.

The documentaries and articles are dropping on the National Geographic website over the coming months. If you want to brush up on your sustainable beauty knowledge now, there are already brilliant resources online which will empower you to take #OneGreenStep every day.

Lisa Oxenham

Lisa Oxenham is a trailblazing beauty editor, journalist, stylist, and creative director with over 20 years of transformative impact in the beauty industry. As the Beauty and Style Director at Marie Claire UK, she orchestrates high-profile shoots with celebrities and influencers, creating visually stunning and globally resonant content.

A passionate advocate for sustainability, Lisa serves on the Advisory Board for the British Beauty Council's Sustainable Beauty Coalition and the Media Advisory Board. She is also an ambassador for the Soil Association certification and the Amazon Research Institute. Through her "In The Loop" column, she keeps readers informed about the latest advancements in sustainable beauty and supports brands that champion environmental causes, emphasising the need for the beauty industry to reset its priorities.

Lisa's influence extends beyond words; she directs inspiring short films on sustainability and challenges in the beauty industry and is a sought-after public speaker. Recently recognised in the Who’s Who in Natural Beauty 2023, she also champions mental health and eco-conscious practices, demonstrating that glamour and environmental responsibility can coexist beautifully.