Skincare and sustainability aren’t always synonymous, but the brilliant beauty brands awarded in the ‘Sustainability’ category of the Marie Claire UK Skin Awards are on a mission to change that for good.

Putting as much thought into how they can protect our planet as they do the efficacy of their game-changing products, these trailblazing brands are making the world a better place, one skincare staple at a time.

Best Environmentally-Friendly Packaging

Winner: KLORIS Restore 25mg CBD Bath Block (Magnesium), £15

Founded by three friends, KLORIS CBD was created out of frustration at the lack of ethical, reliable and science-backed CBD products available on the market. KLORIS prides itself on harnessing the healing power of nature, combined with good science, ethical business and respect for the environment. Case in point: KLORIS’ Restore Bath Block. Using minimal packaging and materials that have low environmental impact, the outer casing is 100% recyclable, with 95% of KLORIS’ entire product offering and postage materials having been designed to be biodegradable, too.

Highly Commended: Plus Body Wash, £12

Best Ethical Skin Initiative

Winner: L’OCCITANE Shea Butter, £32 & L’OCCITANE’s Commitment to Empowering Women

Since its 1976 launch, L’OCCITANE has continued to build its brand on fairness, respect for the planet, generosity, emancipation, vision and talent. Its ethical commitments to people and the planet form the foundations of the brand. One of its most iconic products is its nourishing Shea Butter. L’OCCITANE works closely with Burkinabe women in rural areas of Burkina Faso, to help them earn a living by transforming the fruits of the shea tree into butter for the brand. In partnership with The L’OCCITANE Foundation, they provide educational support and training opportunities to encourage their growth.

Best Natural Formula

Winner: ishga Anti-oxidant Marine Cream, £75

ishga has created a revolutionary organic moisturiser with its Anti-oxidant Marine Face Cream. Formulated with a powerful blend of ingredients from the brand’s own unique seaweed extract, it’s also packed with Shea butter (to boost moisture levels) and fucus serratus extract (to provide protection against environmental damage to the skin by neutralising free radicals). ‘I love the natural formula of the marine cream. It feels so soft on the skin,’ remarked Awards judge Jasmine Hemsley. Rose Gallagher agreed, saying, ‘It’s ideal for under make-up or those make-up free days. If applying under make-up, I recommend leaving 10 minutes between the cream and your first makeup product.’

Highly Commended: Sudtana Makrut Lime, Turmeric & Jasmine Rice Detoxifying Herbal Facial Mask; Hydrating Wildcrafted Botanical Mist; Sacha Inchi, Ginger & Turmeric Repairing Oil, £24.95

Best Organic Brand

Winner: Dr. Hauschka

Dr. Hauschka continues to be at the forefront of natural and organic beauty, with its 100% natural products – free from silicones, PEGs, synthetic preservatives, dyes and fragrances. Not only that, but all of the brand’s products are certified by NATRUE, the International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association that promotes natural and organic cosmetics worldwide, and the benefits to consumers. Judge Sherrille Riley rated the brand highly for its ‘great formula with active ingredients to soften, smooth and hydrate the skin’.

Highly Commended: Kjaer Weis

Best Progress Towards Circularity

Winner: Caudalie Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting Vinoperfect, £46

Sustainability has been in Caudalie’s DNA from the very beginning, owing to the brand’s clean and natural formulas and eco-friendly packaging. Recently, they co-launched the 100% Plastic Collect project based in Thailand, which aims to connect companies around the world with local communities in heavily polluted areas to encourage plastic waste collection for recycling and reuse. Not only that, but the brand’s new and improved radiance serum offers a more effective, natural and clean formulation that boasts a 98% natural ingredients list. Caudalie is also aiming for all packaging to be made from recycled materials that are recyclable or refillable by 2022, as well as trying to obtain a plastic neutral certification. Watch this space.

Best Sustainable Brand

Winner: Dr. Hauschka

‘[Dr. Hauschka’s] use of both biodynamic and wildcrafted ingredients means its products have a far-reaching and long-term sustainability impact,’ says Skin Awards judge Jasmine Hemsley. Treating sustainability as an indispensable part of its brand ethos, Dr. Hauschka takes its ingredients from controlled organic cultivation and under fair trade conditions, alongside using rain water (where possible) and easy-to-recycle packaging materials. It also conserves resources, has used 100% certified green electricity for years, provides company bicycles, pays its employees’ public transport fares, and provides a carpooling platform. That’s a pretty impressive roll call, if you ask us. Overall, the brand’s sustainability efforts were rated highly by the judges and Ruby Hammer MBE praised the brand for being ‘another long-standing brand with an eye for looking after the planet with its legacy’.

Highly Commended: The Body Shop

Best Vegan Brand

Winner: Tropic

Tropic is highly recognised for its continued efforts towards helping create a healthier, greener and more empowered world. Even Tropic HQ in London, where all of its skincare products are made with sustainably sourced tropical ingredients, is powered by 100% renewable energy. ‘Tropic’s commitment to a natural and organic formulation and overall sustainability makes them my top pick for best vegan brand,’ says judge Jasmine Hemsley. The brand continues to champion only the best natural and effective formulas, sustainability and beauty with a conscience, with judge Lisa Oxenham also praising the brand’s efforts ‘to protect biodiversity and wildlife’.

Highly Commended: Scientia

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