4 Ethical Beauty Brands That Are Effectively Communicating Their Purpose and Mission
Over the past year, a big-ass flashlight has been turned on and pointed directly at the beauty industry—and these businesses experienced an up to 30% decline in sales during the first half of 2020. Brands that once relied on a steady stream of customers thanks to their large name are having to reflect on their mission, their audience, and their overall purpose now that transparency, sustainability, and inclusivity are major factors for consumers.
So, what kind of beauty brands have been able to succeed and (even flourish) during 2020 and into this year?
You guessed it: the ethical ones. The ones that have been showing up for not just their audience, but for all people and communities because they know that having a meaningful brand purpose is what people really care about. With that said, here are four ethical beauty brands that consistently and effectively communicate their brand purpose in all facets of their business:
If you’re looking for ethical beauty brands, these are great places to start:
Base Coat
We first visited Base Coat Nail Salon at their location right here in Denver, and instantly fell in love with their branding, nontoxic products, and the values they share with customers. Inspired by her own experiences, Base Coat Founder Tran Wills created a salon that supported the health and well-being of everyone—and we’re HERE for it.
👊🏾Socially Conscious, 🌿Sustainable, ♀Women Owned, Asian Owned
OUI The People
Karen Young, the Founder of OUI The People says that “no brand is just a brand. Clearly. Brands inform culture and language, as beauty has done for decades.” Built on the promise of helping people feel great in the skin that they’re in, OUI The People is going against the grain with their inclusive products for all bodies.
👊🏾Socially Conscious, 🌿Sustainable, ♀Women Owned, Black Owned
Cocokind
Cocokind is disrupting the status quo within the beauty industry by embracing transparency in the products they create to the impact they have as a company (you can even find sustainability facts listed directly on their packaging!). Cocokind even has an Impact Foundation which “provides financial grants of $2,500 to $10,000 to female-identifying entrepreneurs in the health, wellness, and sustainability industries, who are focused on creating social impact through business.” We love to see it.
Asian Owned, ♀ Woman Owned, 🐰Cruelty Free, 🌿Sustainable, 👊🏾Socially Conscious
‘JENTL
During the summer of 2020, ethically social owner Brittany was researching more Black-owned brands that she could support, and found ‘JENTL, a bodycare line that specializes in whipped body butters. Her skin loved the product and their reusable packaging was inspiring, but the experience with Founder Kiana was even more special, thanks to Kiana’s incredibly sweet nature and values as a small business owner. Their next restock is on September 1st, and you don’t want to miss it.
Black Owned, ♀ Woman Owned, 🌿Sustainable, 👊🏾Socially Conscious
Beauty brands that want to have a real shot at truly connecting with their consumers (and building trust with them) need to keep these things in mind on social media and beyond.
First, don’t shy away from a difficult conversation if you’re met head-on with criticism. Even if the reality of the situation or your response is not what your audience wants, you need to meet them where they are and take accountability or offer transparency.
And second: Don’t wait for something to be brought up to begin talking about where your brand stands! How can you authentically carry on a conversation that is important to your business and its mission throughout your time on social media, and not just on a holiday via Instagram Story?
Consumers are 4-6x more likely to purchase, protect, and recommend purpose-driven companies, so showing them that you care about how your products are made, who the products are for, and the difference you’re making for your community is the first step in establishing a trusted relationship for the long term.
Data Sources: Zeno Group, McKinsey & Company
