Ethical Consumer
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Health and Beauty

We make it easy to find the most ethical health and beauty products. Our shopping guides investigate a range of issues such as animal testing, plastic pollution, palm oil and toxic chemicals so you can find the most responsible companies and brands. We also cover unethical practices in the cosmetics industry, and spotlight the most sustainable brands in our news and features. 

Image: Lipstick

Issues

We have focused on three major issues that crop up in this industry; the controversial sourcing of Mica, the use of toxic ingredients and animal testing.

There has been an explosion of green beauty brands. We celebrate these brands and help you avoid the greenwash:

Also of interest

  • Ethical Shampoo

    Person with grey hair having hair washed over sink by someone else
    Find natural, organic, vegan and cruelty free shampoos. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 86 brands of shampoo. In this guide to ethical shampoo we take a look at the ethics of shampoo companies, from major brands like Head & Shoulders and L'Oréal, to smaller eco brands, along with highstreet brands like Boots and Superdrug. We give our recommended buys and what to avoid. 
    Read more

  • Skincare

    Image: Skincare
    Finding natural, organic and vegan skincare. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 88 brands of skincare, with recommended buys and brands to avoid.  In this guide to ethical skincare, we take a look at the ethics of skincare companies, from big brands like Clarins, Garnier, Nivea and Simple, to high street brands like Books, Lush and Superdrug, along with a range smaller eco brands. 
    Read more

  • Make-Up

    Person using makeup
    Finding natural and cruelty-free makeup and cosmetics. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 56 makeup brands, with recommended buys and what to avoid. In this guide to ethical makeup we take a look at the ethics of cosmetics companies  from major international brands like Estée Lauder and L'Oréal, high street shops like Boots and Superdrug, as well as smaller eco brands.  Unsurprisingly, there is a huge difference in our ethical ratings between these brands!
    Read more

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Shopping guides

Image representing the Deodorant shopping guide

Deodorant

Finding ethical, natural and eco friendly deodorants, with recommended brands and ones to avoid.

We look at the problem with the terms natural and organic, which brands avoid animal testing, what harmful chemicals may be in deodorants and rate 49 brands for their ethical and environmental records.

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Image representing the Ethical and Eco Nappies shopping guide

Ethical and Eco Nappies

Finding eco friendly nappies: ratings for 20 nappy brands, with recommended buys and what to avoid.

Is there such thing as a biodegradable nappy? What's the most sustainable option? We rate major nappy brands as well as small eco brands. We look at disposable, biodegradable and reusable nappies, composting, plastics, toxic chemicals, and timber and bamboo sourcing. 

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Image representing the Ethical Perfume & Aftershave shopping guide

Ethical Perfume & Aftershave

In this guide we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 70 brands of perfume and aftershave.

We also look at vegan brands, toxic ingredients, animal testing, shine a spotlight on the ethics of L’Oréal and give our Best Buy recommendations. 

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Image representing the Ethical Shampoo shopping guide

Ethical Shampoo

Find natural, organic, vegan and cruelty free shampoos. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 86 brands of shampoo.

In this guide to ethical shampoo we take a look at the ethics of shampoo companies, from major brands like Head & Shoulders and L'Oréal, to smaller eco brands, along with highstreet brands like Boots and Superdrug. We give our recommended buys and what to avoid. 

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Image representing the Ethical Soap shopping guide

Ethical Soap

Find natural and cruelty free soap. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 53 brands of soap bars and liquid handwash, with recommended buys and what to avoid.

In this guide to ethical soap, we look at the ethics of soap companies, from the big brands like Dove, Palmolive, Pears and Simple to high street shops like Boots and Superdrug, as well as smaller eco brands .

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Image representing the Ethical Toilet Paper shopping guide

Ethical Toilet Paper

Finding ethical and eco-friendly toilet paper. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 20 toilet paper brands, with recommended buys and what to avoid.

In this guide we look at the issues in the toilet tissue market. We discuss whether bamboo toilet paper is more eco friendly than virgin paper, and how they compare with toilet paper made from 100% post consumer waste material.

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Image representing the Ethical Vitamins and supplements shopping guide

Ethical Vitamins and supplements

Finding ethical vitamins and supplements. Ethical and environmental ratings for 23 brands, with recommended buys and brands to avoid.

In this guide we explore the issues around vitamins, minerals and supplements and compare the major brand names with smaller companies to find the most ethical. 

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Image representing the Make-Up shopping guide

Make-Up

Finding natural and cruelty-free makeup and cosmetics. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 56 makeup brands, with recommended buys and what to avoid.

In this guide to ethical makeup we take a look at the ethics of cosmetics companies  from major international brands like Estée Lauder and L'Oréal, high street shops like Boots and Superdrug, as well as smaller eco brands.  Unsurprisingly, there is a huge difference in our ethical ratings between these brands!

View guide
Image representing the Over the counter medicines shopping guide

Over the counter medicines

In this guide we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 71 over-the-counter medicine brands, like painkillers and cough and cold remedies.

We also look at animal testing and tax avoidance, shine a spotlight on the ethics of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and give our recommended buys.

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Image representing the Sanitary Products shopping guide

Sanitary Products

How to find sustainable period products, with ratings for 39 period product brands.

We look at cotton sourcing, tax avoidance and animal testing, shine a spotlight on the ethics of Aisle (formerly Lunapads) and give our recommended buys. 

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Image representing the Shower Gel shopping guide

Shower Gel

In this guide we investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 61 shower gel brands.

We also look at animal testing, toxic chemicals, shine a spotlight on the ethics of Lush and give our recommended buys.

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Image representing the Skincare shopping guide

Skincare

Finding natural, organic and vegan skincare. Ethical and sustainability ratings for 88 brands of skincare, with recommended buys and brands to avoid. 

In this guide to ethical skincare, we take a look at the ethics of skincare companies, from big brands like Clarins, Garnier, Nivea and Simple, to high street brands like Books, Lush and Superdrug, along with a range smaller eco brands. 

View guide
Image representing the Sunscreens shopping guide

Sunscreens

We investigate, score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 32 sunscreen brands

Chemical versus mineral sunscreen, vegan suncream, eco-friendly and reef-safe sunscreen, non toxic sun lotions, the SPF labelling system, and our recommended buys. 

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Image representing the Toothpaste shopping guide

Toothpaste

Finding natural, organic and vegan toothpaste: ratings for 40 brands of toothpaste, with recommended brands and brands to avoid. 

We rate the big toothpaste brands like Colgate and Sensodyne, how to avoid plastic packaging, and which brands sell vegan toothpaste. 

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