When it comes to sustainability, younger generations tend to be labelled either careless or activists. A recent survey by the British Beauty Council, and UNiDAYS (3,533 UK students from January 5th to 7th, 2026) revealed that students have a strong interest in being conscientious about beauty consumption.

Behind the polished storefronts, aspirational branding and high-performing products, lies a far unsustainable reality. Excessive packaging, opaque supply chains, product waste –  the sector’s environmental footprint is still at odds with its carefully curated image.

The beauty industry is a source of joy for so many of us, helping people to look and feel their best. However, this currently comes at the cost of our planet. According to The Courage to Change report we produce more than 120bn units of packaging globally, much of which goes to landfill. In fact, 70% of our industry’s plastic waste is not recycled. We can and must do better. We urgently need to reimagine and rethink for the future.