"Carbon Neutral" and "Carbon-Negative" Beauty
Supporting a carbon neutral beauty brand means purchasing products from a brand that actively works to reduce its carbon footprint, or the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by a person or entity. To be carbon neutral means to offset your release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by contributing to causes around that world that help tackle climate change.
Carbon negative brands are similar, except they offset the carbon they produce, in addition removing extra carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in an effort to help reverse climate change.
"PCR" or "Post-Consumer Plastics"
Post-consumer recycled plastics (or PCR) are materials made out of recycled everyday items. The difference between these kinds of products and recyclable beauty products is that PCR material can't be recycled again since it's already made from recycled materials. Several brands are jumping on the PCR train since investing in this type of packaging helps to reduce a company's carbon footprint.
"B Corp Certification"
A company that's B Corp certified is one that finds a balance between purpose and profit, and consistently considers how its practices may affect its workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. As explained in a previous POPSUGAR article, the B Corp certification is an initiative created by B Lab, a global nonprofit started by three people who left their careers in business and private equity to make it easier for mission-driven companies to have a positive impact (which is continually improved upon overtime) on people and the planet. The ultimate aim of B Lab is to use the power of business to address social and environmental issues.
Any company hoping to become certified will be assessed exam-style in five areas: governance, workers, customers, community, and the environment. The exam in question includes 4,000 questions about how each company conducts business, and to receive the certification, businesses are required to score a minimum of 80 points across all categories. Davines, Dr. Bronner, Ethique, Beautycounter, and The Body Shop are just a few of our favourite B Corp certified beauty brands.
"Fair Trade"
Fair trade is when workers in developing countries are paid fair prices for their products by those in developed countries, ensuring that the sellers can create their goods sustainably and pay those who work for them fair wages as well. It essentially means paying enough for goods and services so that those who provide those goods are making enough money to live comfortably in their respective countries. For a company to be fair trade certified, they also must be able to ensure that their employees are working under safe and healthy conditions.
An example of a popular fair trade beauty brand is Alaffia, which sells products like unrefined shea butter and African black soap that are both handcrafted by women's cooperatives in Africa using traditional methods before being finished at the company's US headquarters in Olympia, WA. Once the products are sold, the proceeds are immediately returned to Togo, founder Olowo-n'djo Tchala's home country, to help fund a number of initiatives like maternal health, education, reforestation, and sustainability. The goal is to alleviate poverty, encourage gender equality, and ultimately protect women, whom Tchala said are the backbone of West African communities in a previous interview with POPSUGAR.