Have you been tempted to dip your toe in the green beauty trend yet?

Of the fads that come and go in the industry, this looks to be one that's here to stay. Demand for organic products free of nasty chemicals and boasting animal-friendly credentials is through the roof, making this a massive growth area. It's now projected that the global organic beauty market will be worth $22bn by 2024. This means that you can expect to see more and more products claiming to be good for the planet on shelves - but there are some things to look out for.  

'Greenwashing'

This is a marketing term that simply means a brand or company exaggerating how environmentally-friendly a product is in order to drive sales. Given how much consumers are loving natural beauty bits right now, there's a big incentive for brands to slap words like 'organic' or 'vegan' on their packaging.  

How do you know what's actually legit?

Look for certification - products that really are vegan, organic or cruelty-free will have a symbol on the packaging. Companies have to go out of their way to get this certification, so don't just see a green buzzword on the box or bottle and assume that something really is what it claims to be Be aware that different credentials mean different things. 'Cosmos Organic' certification, for example, means a product is made up of 95 per cent organic ingredients, cruelty free, sustainably sourced and traceable. The 'Natural Cosmetic' label means it has a minimum of 50 per cent of all plant-based ingredients in the formula and a minimum of five per cent of all ingredients by weight must come from organic farming.  

Vegan V. cruelty-free

You may think that these are all the one as they're often used interchangeably but there is a difference. The word 'vegan' refers to a product's ingredients. Vegan products do not contain any animal products or animal-derived ingredients. The product may however be tested on animals. 'Cruelty-free' then refers to the testing process in making a product. It means that neither the ingredients nor the finished product has been tested on animals. A cruelty-free product could therefore contain animal-derived ingredients like beeswax, honey, gelatine or collagen. If you're concerned about both testing and animal ingredients, look for certification for both.  

Bits we love

If you're trying to be sustainable with your beauty routine, the very best thing you can do is use up what you already have before getting anything new. If you are buying, here are some gorgeous natural products we rate that are a little better for the planet than your usual bits.  

Kinvara 24Hr Rosehip Face Serum, €32.95

This is both vegan and cruelty-free. Kinvara products are manufactured in Ireland and the UK so they're not building up a massive carbon footprint before they get to you .   Tata Harper Restorative Eye Creme, €100 This stuff is super-luxurious, comes in a gorge recyclable glass bottle and is cruelty-free and vegan. Get it in Ireland from Arnotts.   Nunuaia Nourishing Radiance Serum, €79 Another Irish product, this stuff is certified organic and cruelty-free. It's chock full of vitamins, fatty acids and anti-oxidants and leaves skin bright and fresh-looking.  

Aveda Rosemary Mint Bath Bar, €16

This contains some organic ingredients and smells INCREDIBLE - but our favourite thing is that it comes in recycled paper packaging.

  Ren Clean Screen Mineral SPF 30 €36 Certified cruelty-free, vegan, made with naturally-derived ingredients and it comes in recyclable packaging. Happy days.  

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During May, Her will be doing some more #ConsciousBits. Over the month, we'll be learning how to re-use more than we buy, examining the sheer amount of waste the planet produces, and considering the many, many benefits of sustainable fashion choices.  We'll also be chatting to some people who have made sustainability a priority, while setting ourselves a few environmentally conscious challenges along the way.  Change is daunting and we're not perfect, but we can always try to do our bit. Our conscious bit.  You can follow the rest of the #ConsciousBits series here or follow our Instagram account for more related content.  Want to get in touch? Email us at anna@her.ie