5 Mindful Practices for a More Sustainable Beauty Routine

Step 1: Become Conscious of Packaging

• Today, high-performance hair care and environmental responsibility go hand-in-hand. There’s a big push around the beauty industry to redesign packaging to use less raw material and replace new plastic with PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic. These PCR plastics are given second lives to reduce associated CO2 emissions and divert plastic waste from landfills. By switching to 100% Post-Consumer Recycled plastic for our signature bottles—Hydra Source and Color Last, we’ve been able to divert waste from landfills. Specifically, saving under 30 tons of virgin plastic annually. To bring more to our consumers, we also offer refill pouches so that fan favorite products can be replenished without buying additional bottles.

Step 2: Rethink Ingredients

• Choose botanically sourced formulas. Many traditional beauty ingredients historically put pressure on marine life. That’s why vegan matters! Vegan means no animal-derived ingredients or by-products all while providing the same benefits. All Biolage collections, from Hydra Source, Full Rescue to Scalp Sync are all vegan. Under the Leaping Bunny Program, we also ensure the entire supply chain—from lab to the shower– meets rigorous non-animal testing standards. Inspired by nature since 1990, we’ve committed to a holistic, ethical, and high-performance sustainable beauty by pioneering the use of vegan alternatives through Green Science. Below are just a few examples of traditional ingredients, their animal sources and their sustainable vegan alternatives:
  • Squalene smoothens and softens hair fibers. From animals, it comes from shark liver but as a vegan alternative, it comes from olives/sugarcane. We use distilled olive squalene in the Strength Recovery Collection to deliver strength and leave hair smoother and shinier.
  • Keratin is often called the “building block” of hair and is critical in repair, strength, smoothness, manageability and shine. It comes from animal hair/horns but has vegan alternatives coming from soy, wheat, and corn proteins. To manage fine hair for an instant boost of volume and lift, the Volume Boost Collection is made with micro-filtered soy protein and polymers for just that.
  • Collagen is a “must-have” ingredient for battling fine or thinning hair. It comes from animal skin/scales, but its vegan alternative comes from plant-based amino acids like soy, rice or wheat, as well as synthetic yeast. After coloring, hair becomes dry or brittle so it’s important to strengthen and restore hydration. The award winning Color Last Collection in infused with vegan ingredients like soybean oil to help prevent color fade while adding back shine.
  • Beeswax is a versatile ingredient prized for its ability to provide structure, protection, and long-lasting moisture. It is produced by honeybees, but the same benefits can be had without impacting bee colonies through the vegan alternative of Candelilla or Carnauba Wax. Many styling products like waxes or pomades rely on these ingredients to provide structure, shine and hold to hair.

Step 3: Recognize “Drain Waste”

• It’s important to remember that the end of a product’s life cycle doesn’t stop in the shower but actually continues once rinsed down the drain. Looking for product with high biodegradability ensures they’re broken down naturally in water systems. This means ingredients “disappear” because nature can digest them. Part of being vegan from start to finish means that Biolage formulas are broken down once down the drain.

Step 4: Speed Up Your Showers & Rinses or Embrace “Second-Day” Hair

• Water is a finite resource, so we can reduce water waste by taking quicker showers or washing less frequently. Lower water demand means less water needs to be diverted from rivers and lakes, which prevents habitat loss for aquatic life. To save on water, try styling hair in a sleek updo and locking it in with the Biolage Finishing hairspray to keep it manageable without the need for a full rinse.

Step 5: Unplug and Air-Dry

• Reduce energy consumption by skipping the blow dryer! While this seems like a small personal choice, the collective impact is significant for the planet. Make air-drying easier by prepping damp hair with Biolage All-In-One Multi-Benefit Spray to control frizz. To help speed up the natural drying process, you can also try incorporating a highly absorbent microfiber towel to remove the bulk of water.

Sustainability is about mindful adjustments, not overnight protection. Whether you’re a loyal Biolage consumer or a lover of all things beauty, every behavioral change leads to large environmental gains. We can then enjoy professional hair results in the shower, while ensuring the planet isn't paying the price once that product disappears down the drain.