Ask my friends—I have insanely high standards when it comes to beauty. Not only should they make me look and feel good, they should do their fair share of good, too.
I strongly suggest that you buy products that also support a good cause, or create work conditions that are humane, safe and just.
Make it a habit as well to look out for products that use ingredients certified by the UK Fairtrade Foundation, and brands that are as socially responsible as they are business-savvy.
Don’t know where to start? Here’s a sample list:
L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
One of this French brand’s bestsellers uses shea butter that’s been certified as fairly traded with women’s cooperatives in Burkina Faso since 1981. It’s not hard to see why the rich cream, which is subtly scented with jasmine and ylang-ylang oils, has become a cult favorite.
Neal’s Yard Remedies Jasmine and Ylang Ylang Body Cream
This luxurious body cream is made with fair trade-certified organic honey and apricot kernel, as well as jasmine and organic ylang-ylang. Though it takes time to absorb, it’s worth the wait. It has an immensely soft texture that lasts long. Pair it with the gorgeous shower gel and oil that can be found in the same range.
The Body Shop Almond Milk & Honey Gently Exfoliating Cream Scrub
This gentle scrub is enriched with almond oil from the Alicante region of Spain, as well as honey from the Unesco Sheka rainforest in Ethiopia. The Body Shop works with the “bee whisperers” of Beza Mar, a group dedicated to improving the livelihood of Ethiopian beekeeping communities.
Lush Peace Massage Bar
This bar includes olive oil certified by Fair for Life and cocoa butter that’s FLO fair trade-certified. The cocoa butter comes from the Peace Villages of San Jose de Apatardo in Colombia, while the oil is sourced from a women’s cooperative in Galilee, Israel. In keeping the safe ingredients intact, Lush massage bars are able to brush off the usual chemicals and preservatives found in liquid soaps.
The Limited-Edition Blue Heart Crème De La Mer
By raising awareness through its artistic packaging, this legendary cream with
nutrient-rich Miracle Broth moisturizes, improves firmness, blurs lines and makes pores less visible.
Philosophy Purity Made Simple Simple Cleanser
This one-step facial cleanser melts away dirt, oil and makeup, and helps make the world a better place. A percentage of sales from Philosophy goes to funding community-based health efforts worldwide through the Hope and Grace Initiative.
Burt’s Bees Lipstick
Buy online these intensely moisturizing and beautifully pigmented lipsticks (that double as lip balms) and help a cause. Ten percent of the company’s online revenues are donated to partners like Habitat for Humanity and the Triangle Land Conservancy.
Jane Iredale Smell the Roses Hydration Spray
Support breast cancer awareness with this limited-edition facial spritz. Made with organic Rose Damascena Flower Water, an excellent skin tonic that cleanses without disturbing your skin’s barrier. The brand’s chosen organization, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, receives 100 percent of profits from sales.
Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Healthy Glow Baked Powder
This ultra-smooth baked face powder that lends a matte sheen also helps in cancer research. In March 2014, the brand put up the Laura Mercier Ovarian Cancer Fund. One hundred percent of the profits from this powder go to research on ovarian cancer, the seventh most common cancer among women.
