The Best Environmentally Friendly Perfume Brands

Best Environmentally Friendly Perfume Brands

 

Most of us are concerned about the environment. When we shop, we often think about the impact our purchases have on the environment and our health. That’s a good thing.

 

To keep up with new buying trends, leading perfume brands are changing how they manufacture products and source their ingredients.

 

Packaging also plays a role. More sustainable sources are used when producing paper materials for the beauty industry. As consumers, we have a vital role to play. Recycling materials correctly is important. Alternatively, you can also think about ways in which you can reuse materials.

 

On this page, we are taking a closer look at the best environmentally friendly perfume brands. We also discover if there is such a thing as vegan perfumes.

 

What Is A Vegan Perfume?

 

A vegan perfume is a perfume which does not contain any components sourced from an animal origin. Unless your perfume is 100% free from animal products, it can’t brand itself as vegan.

 

This also applies to animal testing. Vegan products can’t be tested on animals.

 

How Do I Know My Perfume Is 100% Vegan?

 

Ensuring that your perfume or face cream was vegan used to be challenging. Most consumers found themselves reading through endless small print looking for ingredients such as lanolin, carmine, collagen and beeswax. Even silk is a product derived from animals.

 

Shopping for genuine vegan cosmetics and perfumes is much easier now. When you want to make sure your product is 100% vegan, look out for official logos from reputable vegan organisations. The most common ones include PETA, Leaping Bunny, Vegan Society and Certified Vegan.

 

Why Are Most Perfume Brands Not Vegan?

 

Many high street, discount supermarkets and perfume brands test their products on animals. Not only do they test the finished product on animals. They also often test ingredients that make the finished product on animals.

 

Often, animal-derived components are cheaper to use. They don’t have to go through long extraction and distillation processes as many natural, vegan products do.

 

This is why many perfumes and cosmetics are not vegan and cruelty-free. Also, it is not the brand which is certified vegan - it is the product.

 

How Do I Know My Perfume Is Environmentally Friendly?

 

First of all, let’s clear one thing up. Not all perfumes and cosmetics that are vegan are 100% environmentally friendly.

 

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to vegan and environmentally friendly. We still struggle to make many products and packaging materials completely environmentally friendly.

 

When it comes to perfumes, look for b

rands that only use essentials from flowers and plants. This means their manufacturing is more sustainable.

 

Packaging is another issue. Many brands are now beginning to use eco-friendly materials including biodegradable containers and recycled glass.

 

Are Cheap Perfumes Environmentally Friendly?

 

Most of the time, they are not. The ingredients and materials which are used when manufacturing popular “clones” are not vegan and environmentally friendly.

 

Using natural materials and vegan ingredients is more expensive. Making a cost-effective product using natural and sustainable materials and selling it for a low price is a non-starter.

 

Many cheap perfumes and skincare ranges are loaded with parabens derived from the petrochemical industry.

 

When you look at them under a microscope, they look like small crystals. When we apply the products, these microcrystals stay on our skin. In a worst-case scenario, they cause serious skin damage.

 

What Brands Offer Vegan Fragrances?

 

An increasing number of brands are adding vegan ranges or doing their best to go 100% vegan. Needless to say, they don’t want to compromise on quality.

 

To many consumers, changes are taking ages. However, to ensure the integrity of the product, baby steps are the right way forward. I am sure all of us would rather retain our classic brands and fragrances than lose them.

 

Top brands offering vegan and environmental products are Sean John, Estee Lauder and Paco Rabanne. To the ever-growing list, you can also add Jean Paul Gaultier, Chloe, Diesel and Calvin Klein.

 

Let’s take a closer look at what these popular brands are doing as far as vegan fragrances and environmentally friendly products go.

 

Sean John and Estee Lauder

 

The perfumes Sean John is now promoted and manufactured by the Estee Lauder group of companies.

 

The company’s vegan statement is vague. According to PEPA, it is not clear whether the company tests on animals or not.

 

One thing is for sure, Estee Lauder is working towards a better environment. They make carbon-neutral shipping a priority and advocate responsible sourcing.

 

However, the Sean John brand which is part of the group does not test on animals. It is certified by PETA as cruelty-free. The vegan symbol is featured on Sean John’s fragrances for men.

 

Paco Rabanne

 

None of the products manufactured in-house by Paco Rabanne are tested on animals. That includes Lady Million one of its more popular fragrances. Invictus is also manufactured in-house.

 

As far as environmental products go, Paco Rabanne is one of the early industry leaders.

 

Paco Rabanne's record goes back to 1997 when it produced its first recyclable aluminium bottle. The company is working towards making all containers environmentally friendly.

 

The same goes for its paper packaging. All of Paco Rabanne’s outer packaging is 100% recyclable and produced using FSC paper.

 

Chloe

 

Not all of Chloe’s products are vegan. However, if you would like to make a vegan choice from this brand, opt for Chloé Eau de Parfum Naturelle and Chloe Nomade.

 

Chloe is a major player when it comes to both fashion and perfume. As a brand, it is working progressively towards making its apparel and perfume sustainable.

 

This includes several initiatives such as reducing the use of water and responsible sourcing. It is committing itself to using more recycled wool in its clothing range.

 

Chloe is also one of the few companies that is focusing on fair trade. As part of any company’s environmental policy, this is a huge leap forward.

 

Jean Paul Gaultier

 

Jean Paul Gaultier has always been seen as an innovator. Its fragrance La Belle Eau de Parfum is vegan.

 

According to the company’s sources, Jean Paul is working toward an achievable and responsible approach. So far, it has managed to make some serious strides and should be proud of itself.

 

When you research the brand, you will find that 55% of its glass use is derived from recyclable sources and 66% of its use of metal comes from recycled materials as well.

 

This makes Jean Paul one of the industry leaders when it comes to environmentally friendly manufacturing protocols.

 

Calvin Klein

 

Calvin Klein is also making inroads as far as its environmental impact and approach to veganism goes. Its first vegan fragrance, CK Everyone is now available.

 

Many of the products within its clothing range are now made from organic cotton.

In the future, the company is also hoping to use captured carbon emissions to produce ethanol. This is a huge step forward and many other companies would like to adopt this idea.

 

Diesel

 

Diesel is another brand which has realised consumers are becoming increasingly aware of environmental standards.

 

D by Diesel Eau de Toilette is its first vegan fragrance.

 

Sustainability-sourced ingredients are on top of the company’s agenda. It is hoping to make sustainability-sourced ingredients part of its manufacturing process as soon as possible.

 

Are Companies Reacting Slowly?

 

To many of us, it seems that leading brands are reacting slowly. That is not the case.

 

The fragrance and cosmetics industry is faced with many challenges. First of all, they need to look for quality sustainable raw materials.

 

With everything we throw away, you would have thought it would be easy to find materials to use. But, this is not the case.

 

One of the main problems is that there is a shortage of suitable recycled materials. Much of what we discard is not recycled in such a way it is suitable to be repurposed.

 

For instance, there is a lack of quality paper. This is one of the reasons many companies turn to FSC packaging.

 

Responsible stewardship of our forests does not only lead to a better environment. It only creates jobs which is important.

 

As far as glass and metal recycling goes, we need to get better at it. First of all, we need to recycle more and add it to the industry chain.

 

Number two, we need to recycle glass and metal in such a way it can be reused.

 

A few countries including the Scandinavian countries are market leaders when it comes to reusing glass, plastic and metals. The world needs to look to them.

 

Did you know that most Volvo and Scania lorries are broken down to their base components once their days on the road are over? The materials are then repurposed and used again in other vehicles.

 

Can we do the same with perfume bottles? This is one of the alternatives and companies are beginning to look at this.

 

Perhaps in the future, collection points will be established to which we can return spent perfume bottles and cosmetic containers.

 

An alternative is refillable bottles. This is something Mugler is taking a look at and gearing up its manufacturing process towards.

 

Of course, the refillable packaging needs to be easy to recycle.

 

A lot of thought is going into recycling processes in all industries at the moment.

What Parts Of Your Perfume Bottle Can Be Recycled?

 

The bottle itself can often be recycled.

 

The plastic nozzle and metal upper part of the bottle are challenging to recycle. If you are thinking about recycling your perfume bottle, you should remove the nozzle and metal parts.

 

If you can, try to remove labels and place them in the general rubbish. White vinegar is one of the natural products that can help you remove labels.

 

Once you have done that, you can place it in the glass recycling. An alternative is to repurpose the bottle.

 

Clinique and The Environment

 

By 2025, the Clinique brand will be 75% environmentally friendly.

 

What does this mean? It means at least 75% of its packaging will be reusable, recyclable or repurposable.

 

As it stands, Clinique is one of the leading brands which is paraben, phthalate and fragrance-free. This is fantastic progress and a good reason to buy products from the brand.

 

Shopping List

 

I am aware that we have given you a lot of information on this page. You are probably considering your options right now.

 

To wrap it up, let me give you a short shopping list as far as vegan perfumes go.

 

Sean John

Chloe Nomade Eau De Parfum

Chloé Eau de Parfum Naturelle

Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle Eau de Parfum

Paco Rabanne Lady Million

Paco Rabanne Invictus

CK Everyone Eau De Toilette

D by Diesel Eau de Toilette

 

The list of available is bound to continue to grow. I hope to post regular industry updates to help you make more informed buying choices.

 

If you are looking for a mainstream brand offering paraben-free and phthalate products, don’t forget about Clinique. The brand has come a long way in recent years. It is now one of my favourite cosmetics brands. I use many Clinique products daily.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Replacing ingredients in products is not easy. Brands are working on finding sustainable resources which are also fair trade. It is going to take time.

 

Product quality and integrity are important. Most brands know they risk losing their customers if they swap quality ingredients for inferior ones.

 

At the same time, they know consumers are opting for natural alternatives such as vegan perfumes and cosmetics. This is why major players in the industry are spending a large part of their budget researching alternatives.

 

The answer is that we are getting there. In the meantime, all of us can do more to recycle, repurpose and perhaps put pressure on brands so they head in an environmentally friendly direction.