Environmental Impact
Skincare products often harm the environment. Sustainable skincare is the solution.
How Skincare Contributes to Pollution
The beauty industry is a major contributor to plastic pollution, with most products packaged in single-use plastics. Much of this packaging is non-recyclable and ends up in landfills or oceans. While recycling efforts exist, the vast majority of plastic waste is either incinerated or discarded improperly, contributing to pollution and environmental degradation. The global loss in value from plastic packaging waste is in the tens of billions annually due to inefficiencies in sorting and processing.
At Lumanitas, we are committed to minimizing our environmental footprint by focusing on sustainable skincare: sourcing “ugly” produce and rescued food, using minimal packaging, and formulating with safe, biodegradable ingredients.
What We Leave Out: Harmful Ingredients & Wasteful Packaging
Many personal care products contain ingredients that negatively impact both human health and the environment:
Microplastics & Polyethylene Beads
- These tiny plastic particles pollute oceans and rivers, getting ingested by zooplankton, fish, and sea mammals.
- Once in the water, they are nearly impossible to remove.
Parabens
- Synthetic preservatives commonly used in cosmetics.
- Endocrine disruptors that can interfere with hormone function.
- Bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms, disrupting ecosystems.
Triclosan & Antimicrobial Agents
- Found in many personal care products, but not effectively filtered from wastewater.
- Contributes to antibiotic resistance, a growing public health threat.
- Accumulates in waterways, harming aquatic life.
Palm Oil
- Frequently sourced through deforestation, destroying rainforests and reducing biodiversity.
- Threatens endangered species and eliminates plants with unique medicinal properties.
- Rainforests are critical to carbon absorption and air purification—losing them worsens climate change.
At Lumanitas, we never use these harmful ingredients. Instead, we prioritize biodegradable, skin-safe alternatives that work with nature, not against it.
Wasteful Packaging: A Growing Problem
In 2018, U.S. landfills received 27 million tons of plastic waste, representing 18.5% of all waste landfilled that year. The beauty industry is responsible for millions of tons of this waste, often because packaging is non-recyclable and excessive.
Working towards solutions by normalizing minimal packaging in the beauty industry is one of the ways the beauty industry can do better:
- Excessive packaging—including extra layers of wrap, oversized containers, unnecessary caps, low-quality add-ons like mirrors or brushes—all these materials drive up cost and worsen waste.
Non-Recyclable Plastics
- Many cosmetics and personal care products use unique or mixed plastics, making their packaging non-recyclable.
- If consumers don’t recycle properly (rinsing out containers, removing non-recyclable components), these plastics end up in landfills or as pollution in oceans and ecosystems.
Conscious Consumption: Why Less is More
The best way to reduce beauty waste? Use fewer, better products.
Lumanitas Super-food Facials include only functional, research-backed ingredients, and no added oils, parabens, or antimicrobials. By eliminating unnecessary packaging and problematic ingredients, we help reduce waste at every level. Some other ways Lumanitas reduces waste:
Upcycling “Ugly” Produce
- A staggering amount of produce is discarded just because it’s misshapen! We rescue imperfect fruits and vegetables from local retailers whenever possible.
- Rather than throwing things like rinds, skins, peels and pits in the garbage, we work with a local organization to compost these items, allowing them to become nutrient-rich soil rather than sources of methane in a landfill.
Sourcing Rescued Food Ingredients
- Many foods are safe and high-quality even after their “sell by” date.
- We seek out surplus ingredients that would otherwise be discarded.
- Small-batch production ensures freshness while reducing food waste.
Thoughtful Packaging Choices
- We use #5 recyclable cups and unlined (but cute!) cardboard boxes.
- Corn-based, compostable packing peanuts reduce landfill waste (you can also reuse them – they make great bedding for small pets, a cushioning layer for storing sharp or fragile items, and as seed starters for growing plants).
- Reusable ice packs minimize the environmental footprint of our shipping. (We suggest using a softened ice pack after you enjoy a Lumanitas Facial to further reduce puffiness around your eyes.)
The Reality of Plastic Waste & What We Can Do
Less than 9% of all plastic in the U.S. actually get recycled—a percentage that is in further decline as we invest less in facilities to process these materials. While eliminating plastic isn’t realistic, we can all make a difference by:
- Using fewer products and buying only what we truly need.
- Supporting brands that minimize packaging and use sustainable materials.
- Choosing biodegradable ingredients those that cause environmental harm.
- Reusing and recycling whenever possible.
At Lumanitas, we take every possible step to lessen our impact while still delivering unique, luxurious, microbiome-friendly skincare.
Join us in making skincare a force for good.
