Garnier’s Skinactive line has achieved Cradle to Cradle Certification for five products, and it is the first mass market skin care brand to earn the distinction. 

All five Garnier SkinActive products achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver, with four products reaching Platinum for the Material Health attribute — and all products achieved Gold for Material Re-utilization. Certified products are required to show continuous improvement every two years.

The announcement was made during this year’s Sustainable Brands conference in Vancouver, B.C. in conjunction with the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and MBDC, the creators of the Cradle to Cradle Design Framework and assessors of L’Oréal products.

Garnier is L’Oréal USA’s third brand — after Bioloage and Kiehls — to earn the certification for its products, which shows the company’s growing commitment to sustainability. 

Danielle Azoulay, Head of CSR & Sustainability for L’Oréal USA, says, “We know our consumers value sustainability and to us that means demonstrating sustainability leadership across the value chain, from formulation to manufacturing to renewable resources to social fairness. We are thrilled that Garnier is the third brand in our portfolio to achieve this major milestone and look forward to continuing to integrate this best-in-class certification across L’Oréal USA’s products.”

William McDonough, co-founder of MBDC, the originators of the Cradle to Cradle Certified program and assessors of the certified Garnier products, says, “L’Oréal continues to set an incredible example for how the beauty industry can make our world a better place. Their commitment to design, develop and take to market Cradle to Cradle Certified products not only empowers customers to choose products that are good for the world, but also encourages other businesses to follow suit. L’Oréal is, in effect, inviting their industry to join them in collaborative advantage as they seek the highest standard.”

Sustainable Packaging & Production Methods

The Garnier Skinactive product line earned this certification based on an evaluation of material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship and social fairness practices.

The line is manufactured at L’Oréal USA’s facility in Franklin, New Jersey, which is powered with 100 percent renewable electricity. It features optimized vessel cleaning systems that have led to a reduction in water consumption.

Sustainable packaging was a priority for all of the newly certified Garnier Skincative products, which include: Deep Pore Facial Cleanser with Green Tea; Refreshing Facial Cleanser with Aloe Juice; Soothing Cleansing Milk with Rose Water; Deep Pore Exfoliating Face Scrub with Green Tea; and Refreshing Cream Cleanser with Aloe Juice.

The packaging for the Deep Pore Exfoliating Face Scrub with Green Tea is made from 50 percent PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic. The packaging of all three of Garnier’s certified cleansers are made from 30 percent PCR plastic. 

An On-Going Commitment

The certifications are the result of L’Oréal USA’s global commitment to innovate, produce and develop sustainably through its global sustainability program, Sharing Beauty With All. 

Lewis Perkins, President of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, which administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program, says, “As the largest beauty company in the world, L’Oréal has taken the responsibility of sustainability seriously…By using the Cradle to Cradle Certified product standard as a framework for the continuous improvement of the material health and impact of its products, L’Oréal is leading the beauty industry towards greater transparency and trust with its consumers.”

Through Sharing Beauty With All, L’Oréal USA is committed to reducing environmental impacts throughout the product lifecycle.

To further these efforts, the company has developed its Sustainable Product Optimization Tool (SPOT) to improve the environmental and social profile of its products. SPOT focuses on five elements of product sustainability: packaging, formula, ingredient sourcing, manufacturing, and social benefit. In 2017, L’Oréal integrated SPOT into the design and launch process of its entire brand portfolio.