Why Beauty Brands Love Food Waste

Food waste is gaining popularity among beauty brands. 

The average household in the UK throws away the equivalent of six meals every week, according to a report published by Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap), the environmental campaign group. According to WRAP, this equates to a monthly savings of £60 for a household. However, this isn’t just a problem at home. According to the United Nations, the world’s population is expected to grow from 7.6 billion to 9.8 billion by 2050 – and with it, our food waste is predicted to swell. 

Waste occurs throughout the food supply chain, from the farm to processing, distribution, food service and retail. Reducing food waste can increase the efficiency of the food supply chain and bring economic benefits, including lower costs for businesses and lower prices for consumers. 

And seemingly, more brands are recognising the benefits of transforming waste into new products. French perfume brand Etat Libre d'Orange is the first brand to launch ‘I Am Trash’, a perfume created by upcycling (the process of  repurposing discarded ingredients and by waste). A fragrant statement about our consumerism and throwaway culture, perhaps. Its key ingredients are upcycled fragrance industry waste such as wilted flower petals and previously distilled wood chips as well as discarded fruits from food production.

And other beauty brands are following the trend. In April, sustainable skin-care brand Circumference launched an olive leaf extract cleanser, sourced directly from leftover leaves in the olive oil-making process. This cleanser is their second product to be part of Circumference’s “Waste-Not Sourcing Initiative.” The brand debuted their first product, a moisturiser made from leftover grape leaves from the wine industry, in 2020 – it is currently the brand’s top seller. 

Leftover ingredients are frequently discussed under the umbrella of sustainability, in that food waste can construct a circular system. As sustainability has become a key topic of interest in recent  years, brands are making a conscious effort to demonstrate to their customers concrete examples of how they are looking beyond packaging for novel solutions towards a sustainable economy. While using leftover foods as ingredients may make sense for professedly zero-waste brands like Circumference and Etat Libre d'Orange, the question is how larger brands can scale this and maintain consistency in production.  We anticipate large scale collaborations between  cosmetic brands,food and beverage manufacturers on the horizon. For an industry that is, perhaps fairly,accused of having a negative impact on the environment – through plastic packaging or problematic ingredients  – it’s invigorating to know that beauty is finally becoming part of the solution.