Inside the Ethical Beauty Boom Beauty and self-care have always held power beyond appearance, offering healing and identity. Now, a new wave of ethical beauty brands is addressing mental health, community support, and environmental care. During the pandemic, professionals like makeup artist Lee Pycroft blended therapy with makeovers, while barber Tom Chapman trained hair pros to spot mental health risks through the Lions Barber Collective.
Paul Gerrard’s Happy Paul created mood-boosting vegan skincare, with profits supporting mental health charities. Charities like Beauty Banks, founded by industry insiders, tackle hygiene poverty, ensuring basic products reach those in need. Environmental concerns are also central. Brands like Weleda, Davines, and Lush focus on regenerative farming, biodiversity, and eco-friendly sourcing.
Emerging companies push boundaries — Kjaer Weis uses refillable cases, BYBI reuses bottles, and Haeckels crafts skincare from seaweed and biodegradable materials. Solid formulations by Pachamamai and Ethique reduce water waste and plastic use. The ethical beauty market, worth $34.5 billion in 2018, is set to hit $54.5 billion by 2027, proving purpose-driven beauty is more than a trend — it’s a movement.
