Sustainable Gift Ideas for Skincare Lovers

Why give sustainable skincare gifts?

We’ve all been guilty of approaching gift-giving with a short-term mindset – another task to cross off in a week full of them. When we do, less thought goes into where and how the gift was made – or how what kind of lifespan it might have. This gets compounded by gift wrapping, packaging and use of single-use plastic.

So, rather than add to this needless waste, you can make a conscious effort to give sustainable gifts for the next birthday, holiday or anniversary in your life – starting with skincare. Since the majority of cosmetic products end up in landfill,¹ we need to start prioritising sustainable skincare for ourselves and our loved ones.

Eco-friendly gift ideas

While green beauty is still a work in progress, there’s plenty of ways you can cut down on waste when it comes to sustainable skincare gifts. Some of the best environmentally friendly gifts include:

• Skin-comforting and responsibly sourced ingredients
• Refillable bottles/containers
• Zero-waste products
• Recyclable beauty packaging

Another surefire way to minimise unnecessary waste is to select a skincare gift that you’re confident won’t go to waste. This helps by knowing the recipient’s personal preferences and skin concerns. While some products – like our universally loved Ultra Facial Cream – are designed to complement all skin types, we also recommend trying our routine finder for a personalised skincare approach.

Now, let’s explore a few sustainable gifts for the skincare aficionado in your life.

Skin-loving, ethically sourced ingredients

A great starting point for environmentally friendly gifts is to seek out skincare products that are formulated with ethically sourced ingredients. As part of our commitment to sustainable beauty, Kiehl’s prioritises natural or renewable ingredients. Below are some of our favourite sustainable skincare ingredients:

• Glacial glycoprotein: synthesised in labs to mimic the compound found in Arctic glaciers, this ingredient is renowned for its hydrating abilities.
• Squalane: a naturally occurring lipid found in plants and animals, there are many skincare benefits of squalane, but it is renowned for its moisturising properties. Any squalane used in Kiehl’s formulas is 100% plant derived.
• Amazonian white clay: a natural cosmetic used as a treatment for enlarged pores to help detoxify the skin. Kiehl’s uses only fairly traded Amazonian white clay.
• Calendula petals: a naturally derived ingredient to address skin dryness, redness and sensitisation and the basis for our Calendula Herbal Extract Toner. Kiehl’s calendula petals are harvested by hand and unused parts of the flower are then composted by the grower.

Refills for the Kiehl’s Devotee

Refillable skincare products should be at the top of your list of eco-friendly gift ideas since they help curb packaging waste and encourage a renewable lifestyle. At Kiehl’s, we’re proud to be a part of the refill revolution to help save resources and energy in product production.

You’ll find some of our most popular formulas available in 150ml refill pouches, including the Ultra Facial Cream and Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream (ideal for normal to oily skin). Body care enthusiasts can enjoy 1L refill pouches of the Crème de Corps, a non-greasy, cocoa butter-rich body lotion.

Zero-Waste Cleansing Bar

If you’re shopping for the true eco warrior in your family or a particularly eco-conscious colleague, we recommend a skincare product with zero waste for your next environmentally friendly gift.

Kiehl’s new cleansing bars are 96 to 100% biodegradable, giving you an eco-friendly version of some of our most revered formulas. These travel-friendly bars lather from a solid cream texture to a nourishing foam to gently cleanse the skin.

• Calendula Calming & Soothing Concentrated Cleansing Bar: derived from calendula petals, this bar helps to calm distressed skin and visibly reduce redness. Ideal for the sensitive-skinned person in your life.
• Ultra Facial Hydrating Concentrated Cleansing Bar: this best-selling formula is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, to remove impurities while keeping the skin supple and hydrated.
• Rare Earth Deep Pore Purifying Concentrated Cleansing Bar: ideal for oily skin, this 100% biodegradable bar gently exfoliates the skin without over-drying, and has five times less water than traditional Kiehl’s facial cleansers.

Gifts with Recyclable Packaging

Sustainable gifts are a wonderful way to spoil that special someone in your life with products you know they’ll love – in packaging that doesn’t come at a high environmental cost. As part of our Design Out Waste initiative, Kiehl’s is committed to achieving the following goals by 2030:

• Eliminating 100% of single-use virgin plastic
• Maximising the use of post-consumer recycled materials
• Transitioning to more reusable and refillable packaging
• Collecting another 15 million empty Kiehl’s products through the Recycle & Be Rewarded Program²

Our plastic bottles, glass bottles, droppers, pump closures, plastic tubes, sachets, containers and caps are all recyclable – making it easy for you to come up with more eco-friendly gift ideas, with Kiehl’s, when the next special occasion rolls around.

2 https://www.terracycle.com/en-AU/brigades/kiehls-recycle-and-be-rewarded-au