Left Brain Instructs…
According to this report, natural brand Organic Essence has create a completely biodegradable cosmetic package. The jar, designed to hold their Organic Essence Shea Butter
be suitable for planting in your garden.
This reminds me of the PlantLove Lipstick product we wrote about last year. That package had seeds in it that you could put in the ground and grow flowers when you were done with the lipstick. I’m not sure how Organic Essence can claim theirs is the first, but they’re from the UK. Perhaps they aren’t aware of the PlantLove product.
Biodegradable Cosmetic Packaging
One thing you might wonder is why don’t all cosmetic companies make completely biodegradable packaging? Organic Essence is certainly telling other companies to do it.
Unfortunately, it’s not so simple. The reason lipsticks and shea butter creams can be put into biodegradable package is because they don’t contain water. Oil will not degrade paper packaging. But water will. Since water is the most abundant ingredient in the majority of personal care products biodegradable packaging like this won’t work. Overtime, the products will leak and breakdown. Organic Essence realizes this because other products like their Lotion to Go and Pure Organic Soap are in standard plastic packaging.
Beauty Brains bottom line
Biodegradable packaging is a laudable goal, but don’t expect the cosmetic industry to move to it any time soon. Biodegradable materials depend on water to help break them down and this won’t work with products that are primarily water.
Loading ...
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
At the local Lobster Fest, 1 of the smoothie vendors were using biodegradable straws! Laudable, but the straw did turn soggy so you had to finish your smoothie quickly.
I suppose they claim to be the first because I guess technically they’ve made the first biodegradable jar, while the PlantLove lipstick was the first biodegradable tube… on their website it says “celebrating the world’s first biodegradable jar”.
Anyways, biodegradable packaging? If it works for a product, awesome.
I wish that cosmetic companies would use biodegradable outer cartons – or none at all. The amount of boxes and inner wrappings I throw away are ridiculous!
Many products go green now! the good news for the world.
It is understandable that not everything can be put in biodegradable packaging but Olay could certainly do something about their over-packaging!!I have quit buying their product for that reason.
@Carmen – this is a great point! I find many companies use way too much packaging. Apple computer is possibly the worst offender.