While I enjoy so many aspects of being a beauty editor, I can't help but wonder sometimes if simply doing my job is contributing to excess waste on the planet. Whether it's the mailers I receive in the double digits every week or the stack of unused beauty products sitting on my table, I know there has to be some way I can commit to reducing my carbon footprint. The beauty industry has certainly made strides in terms of becoming more sustainable, but it still has a long way to go. It seems like every day a new brand is created or going viral on TikTok, and frankly, some of them aren't adding anything new to the market. In fact, the beauty industry is constantly growing so much worldwide that it's one of the main industries that needs a serious push on improving environmental impact.
Luckily, I've taken note of the brands offering solutions. One particular sustainability effort I've noticed in the past few years is the offering of single-dose skincare capsules rather than traditional bottles. While this isn't exactly new, more brands are adopting them, and it makes me wonder if this trend will fast become the norm for skincare packaging.
There's so much to love about this approach to skincare, but one great thing about single-dose capsules is that they keep you from overusing product. It ensures you use the proper dose every single time so you waste no product and don't have to play guessing games about how much to use. Another major reason skincare capsules are bound to take off is that they're far more sustainable than plastic bottles. It's an active step toward creating less waste in the beauty industry.
While some brands are really making this effort, Circē Skincare founder Patricia Finn explained why more brands may not be hopping on board just yet. "Capsule products offer a number of benefits for skincare. The issue that can make them harder to employ for some brands is that they are expensive to make," she says. "Filling a plastic bottle with a water-based cleanser is substantially less expensive than waterless products in individual-use forms. Additionally, achieving beautiful product aesthetics can be harder in capsule forms."
Because the sense of urgency for more sustainable practices in the beauty industry has grown over the past few years, many brands have taken to creating biodegradable capsules. Many are vegetable-based or use other natural ingredients so that they'll break down without any harsh effects on the environment.
Active skincare ingredients like vitamin C and retinol aren't the easiest to formulate with. In this case, putting them into capsules may actually help them work better—especially vitamin C, which is notoriously unstable. Many ingredients are also sensitive to temperature, pH, light, and oxidation, and encapsulating them can protect them against breakdown. Traditional bottles can potentially cause ingredients to lose potency over time, so another point for capsules!
As Finn mentioned, capsules aren't the cheapest approach, and in a capitalist society, I know that companies are always looking for ways to save money. But I'm hopeful that skincare capsules will continue to gain momentum over the next few years and we can move toward a more sustainable beauty industry.
For all the best encapsulated formulas to shop, keep scrolling!
Shop the Best Skincare Capsules
Rather than make use of biodegradable capsules for its skincare offering, Circē opted to create a simple single-dose cleanser with no encasing that's activated by water. What's unique about it is that it offers more than your average cleanser. "Our Cleansing Capsules offer a 'mini facial' in one perfectly dosed pod," says Finn. "It's a waterless formula that functions as a complex treatment product versus a traditional, simple, water-based cleanser. The capsule has houttuynia cordata powder for effective yet light exfoliation and offers a dual cleanse with both jojoba-seed oil and a gentle coconut-derived surfactant. Plus, this formula has microbiome-supporting ingredients to help maintain a healthy skin barrier."
Finn says that creating a waterless formula can significantly reduce water usage during production. "This also impacts shipping because you aren't paying to ship water," she explains. "Additionally, we package the PhytoFacials Cleansing Capsules in a glass jar, reducing the amount of plastic that's used in the product's manufacturing."
Aesthetician-formulated brand Eve Lom offers single-dose capsules for its über-popular cleansing oil. The capsules are 100% biodegradable, and the formula itself is made with an array of essential omega fatty acids and the brand's signature blend of botanical oils. What's even better is that it also offers a travel set that comes with a refillable case, making it an easy and sustainable way to jet off with your beauty routine.
Single-dose packaging keeps light and air out to ensure the product stays its freshest. These retinol capsules from Elizabeth Arden are effective yet gentle with a blend of phytoceramides, vitamin E, and hydroxypinacolone retinoate, the most potent form of retinol offered without a prescription.
Vitamin C is another ingredient that does well in capsulated form because it means less exposure to air and light, which can degrade its effectiveness. These capsules from Exuviance contain 20% vitamin C along with amino acids that volumize the skin and promote collagen production. It's a simple formula that delivers maximum results.
RoC is a highly rated drugstore brand that offers both single-dose retinol capsules and advanced hydration serum capsules. The hydration capsules are completely biodegradable and filled with hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and coconut oil to draw moisture to the skin's surface and plump fine lines and wrinkles. As a bonus, if you buy the product on Amazon, it comes with a seven-day trial pack of the brand's retinol capsules.
Beauty Pie is a brand that aims for more price transparency and sustainability in the beauty industry. It offers several great capsule options for its products, but this vitamin C and E treatment is a favorite. The simple formula is great for anyone who likes a no-frills skincare routine. I also love that the brand offers concentrated ceramide capsules to really infuse the skin with extra hydration.
Neutrogena's single-dose formula targets fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, and a loss of elasticity. It's a lightweight, nongreasy, silicone-free formula that's perfect for acne-prone and oily skin.
Apparently, skincare isn't the only thing being encapsulated these days—hair products are too. These plant-based capsules from Remilia contain an oil blend along with keratin amino acids, silk protein, and vitamin B5 to smooth the hair and add instant shine.
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