Around the globe, makeup is used daily. Whether one is heading to a formal event, or simply a day at work, using cosmetics has been a means of enhancing physical appearances. However, as a result, the use and production rate of said cosmetics have risen alarmingly. Thus, our environment has suffered from a heavy impact caused by the manufacturing of makeup products.
In order to produce enough makeup to satisfy today’s cosmetic market, several ingredients are necessary, primarily water. The cosmetic market not only consumes millions of tons of water every year, they also contribute to ocean pollution as unused makeup contaminates water bodies. Several areas on Earth are severely affected by droughts, and this drastic impact partially caused by makeup is unnecessary as well as ecologically detrimental. Furthermore, another ingredient, found in around 70% of makeup products, is some form of palm oil. This natural ingredient, albeit skin-friendly, massively contributes to deforestation. In places like Southeast Asia where palm oil is cultivated, it is estimated that areas the size of 300 football fields are cleared away every hour simply to build room for palm oil farms. Not only does this decrease the population of trees, animals like the Sumatran tiger suffer from habitat loss and are driven to the point of extinction.
Addressing these issues, alongside several others, scientists have turned to biotechnology to craft a more environmentally sustainable line of cosmetics. White biotechnology (or white biotech), is a branch of biotechnology that concentrates on employing microorganisms and biological processes to improve skincare. This ongoing research is pivotal within the cosmetic industry as they now have a means of producing their products without as much damage to natural ecosystems. So how does white biotech decrease the environmental impact regular cosmetic production has caused in the first place?
White biotechnology aims to decrease the usage of natural resources and omittance of greenhouse gas emissions. To do this, scientists utilize raw and renewable materials, such as agricultural byproducts, to create the cosmetics. This way, ingredients like palm oil won’t have to be incessantly cultivated to meet the industry demand. Additionally, with the reduction of using natural ingredients, cosmetics brands won’t have to resort to animal testing as much. Relying on lab-grown ingredients uplifts cruelty-free practices.
White biotech is not only saving our planet, but also improving the quality of cosmetics. Oftentimes, harvesting ingredients directly from nature can vary their properties, resulting in inconsistent product outcomes. Now, within labs, manufacturers can strictly control the invariability of things like skincare formulations. With these new precise methods of making cosmetics, customers have more freedom to personalize their products to better suit their skin types. For example, biotechnology provides genetic analyses and skin assessments so we have a better understanding of what kind of makeup products to buy for our skin. Additionally, cosmetic companies can now introduce new products that cater to a wider and more diverse audience using the data put together by these tests and experiments.
Overall, white biotechnology has made significant contributions to the cosmetics industry and will continue to do so for years to come.
References
Altieri, Elisa. “The Future of Valorization: A Sustainable Approach to Tomorrow's Cosmetics.” BeautyMatter, 5 May 2024, https://beautymatter.com/articles/a-sustainable-approach-to-tomorrows-cosmetics. Accessed 27 July 2024.
Davidson, Tamara. “What is the Environmental Impact of the Beauty Industry?” CleanHub's Blog, 3 July 2024, https://blog.cleanhub.com/beauty-industry-environmental-impact. Accessed 27 July 2024.
guide, step. “Biotech Beauty: A New Era in Skincare and Cosmetic Science.” Clinikally, 25 November 2023, https://www.clinikally.com/blogs/news/biotech-beauty-a-new-era-in-skincare-and-cosmetic-science. Accessed 26 July 2024.
Comments