What Are Your Favorite Green Cosmetic Products?

According to industry forecasters, by 2024 the world will be spending $390 billion on cosmetic products—including make-up, fragrance, and items for skin, hair, personal care, and oral care. It sounds like an impossible number, but with the average woman using 12 different beauty products every day—along with what men use—it really adds up. 

If we were all going into our gardens and plucking botanicals to create our own formulas, it wouldn't be so bad. But when we factor in non-sustainable ingredient sourcing, complicated supply chains, plastic packaging, wastewater and ecosystem pollution, and all the other issues, things from an environmental perspective start to look problematic. Bonus points for the potential health effects from questionable synthetic ingredients and a confounding lack of federal regulation (in the United States, at least) of such.

Embracing our natural selves and reducing demand could go a long way in minimizing the impact on people and the planet, but given our 6,000-year-long love affair with cosmetics, it’s safe to assume they’re not going anywhere. Which is why it’s been a relief to see such great movement toward sustainable cosmetic products. Whether it's multinational brands refiguring packaging or indie direct-to-consumer companies formulating all-natural products, the industry is responding to consumers' calls for safe, eco-friendly products. It is these movers and shakers and the products they make that we will be celebrating in our Best of Green awards for green beauty and personal care.

To help us along in this endeavor, we are partnering with our friends at Byrdie, one of the largest beauty sites on the internet with over 9 million readers a month. With Treehugger's authority in sustainability and Byrdie's deep expertise in all things beauty, we will find the best of the best when it comes to sustainable products that we can all feel great about using.

And here's where you come in. We are opening nominations up to the public, and we would love to hear about your favorite sustainable products that fall into the following categories:

• Skin Care
• Haircare
• Body Care
• Oral Care
• Make-Up
• Best Companies

For our winners we will be looking for products that shine in one or more of the following ways:

• They are formulated with low-hazard ingredients.
• They use sustainably/ethically sourced ingredients.
• They are cruelty-free and vegan.
• They are a waterless formulation.
• They are multi-purpose.
• They use green packaging, for example, compostable or refillable.
• They are plastic-free.
• The company gives back.

Leave a comment below (or on one of our social media platforms) with your favorite product and a brief description and we will do the rest. Check back in late June to see the winners—and thank you for your input!