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Header image courtesy of @coconutmatter (via Instagram)
Originally published by Danielle Roberts. Last updated by Grace Chong.
Buying eco-friendly beauty and skincare products in Hong Kong is now easier than ever. What’s even better is that there are plenty of local options to choose from to help reduce our carbon footprint. Eco-friendly skincare is not only good for the planet, but it’s also great for your skin and is made without synthetic ingredients that come in most store-bought products, which can affect your body. Here are some of the best local eco-friendly skincare and beauty products in Hong Kong.
I Never Use Foundation (INUF) was coined after the founder’s most commonly uttered line, used in chats about her skincare and make-up routine. Living in muggy and humid Hong Kong, breakouts, blackheads, and oversized pores are too common of an issue, so founder Olive Wong Chui’s skincare advice and assessments were highly sought-after by clients. I Never Use Foundation was born from those online consultations into an eco-friendly and cruelty-free skincare brand that has since branched out to include a skin spa, nail salon, recycling and refill programme, and green beauty bar.
Products toe the line between luxury and affordability, but firmly on the side of all-natural and chemical-free formulas. All products are plant-based and naturally derived with minimal to no reliance on chemical ingredients, and designed specifically for the humid and unpredictable climate of Hong Kong. Aside from clean beauty products for adults, INUF also launched the Children of the Stars (COTS) programme, developing gentle and non-irritating products for the sensitive skin of children. Its products provide nutrition for still-developing children, and is kept fragrance-free to make it an accessible choice for those with eczema or sensitive skin! In addition, eight percent of sales goes towards foundations dedicated to sick children and their families.
I Never Use Foundation, 21/F Penthouse, MW Plaza, 40 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3904 0390
Having gone through her own fair share of skin problems, such as eczema, acne scarring, and sensitive skin, founder Jessie Lau ended up turning to aromatherapy to relieve her mental stress regarding her skin. Her positive results led her down the path of herbal remedies, and she became a certified aromatherapist and professional essential oil therapist.
She founded Nude Story on “the power of the herb,” centring it around the benefits of aromatherapy and essential oils. Nude Story’s product formulation is based on an integration of aroma, herbs, and beauty science, whilst remaining natural and free of toxins, tapping into the holistic benefits of herbs, floral, and fauna to create a beneficial skincare line.
Beauty does not start with the first step of your make-up routine—it starts with good skincare! Harsh and drying soaps on our faces can lead to many of our skincare woes, only to be exacerbated by humid summers. To combat this, Wood Polar has created a line of nurturing soaps and oils, crafted with both the body and the environment in mind.
Wood Polar’s soaps, lip balm, and haircare products are all vegan-friendly and cruelty-free, and are comprised of natural, chemical-free formulas. In preparation for outdoor adventures, they have launched a line of paraben-free bug repellants. And for those concerned about the post-usage packaging, rest assured that Wood Polar sources ethically and ensures that ingredients are biodegradable and that packaging is recyclable. Wood Polar also has a line of lifestyle products, such as candles, marble dishes, and coaster sets, and literature on how to live a sustainable and green life!
Wood Polar, Shop 113, The Mills, 45 Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan
Situated in the famous PMQ building, Bathe to Basics has established itself as a powerhouse of eco-friendly, all-natural, and locally handmade skincare, beauty, and lifestyle products. Bathe to Basics makes soaps, shampoos, conditioners, face washes, oils, perfumes, bug sprays, and more, many of which can be topped up at refill stations at their shop and select eco-friendly shops across Hong Kong to reduce packaging and waste!
Bathe to Basics, locations across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
Zero Yet 100 believes that natural is better—for you and for the planet. Its line of natural deodorants is free from all the chemicals and toxins found in store-bought deodorant products, and its items are handmade with plant-based ingredients and tested for best efficacy. All the packaging is either upcycled or recyclable with plastic-free labels. ZeroYet 100 now also carries a line of face and body products, too, all made under the same principles!
With ingredients that are ethically traded from the Himalayas, Purearth aims to connect people to Mother Earth with natural, sustainable, and high-quality beauty products that also give back to social initiatives and sustainability. Purearth’s products are packaged in recyclable materials and they even offer a recycling programme that allows you to send back the empties! What’s more, all orders delivered in Hong Kong come with free shipping.
Your Daily Muse makes cold-pressed soaps and aromatherapy oils that are created with 100 percent natural ingredients and eco-friendly packaging. What makes them unique is that you can customise your soap and have it crafted for different events like weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, and more. Scents cover the gamut of sweet and soothing to refreshing and invigorating. You can also get free shipping in Hong Kong on orders over $280.
Glohs was launched in 2016 by Giselle Lee, a Hong Kong native, after her struggle with breast cancer. After becoming aware of the different chemicals and synthetics that come in many skincare and beauty products and how they can affect your health, Lee created this high-end and all-natural skincare line that aims to use organic and natural ingredients in its formulas. Glohs also wants to educate consumers about what they put on their face and body by being honest and transparent with all of their ingredients, so you know exactly what’s in your purchases.
Coconut Matter is all about sustainability and education, from the sourcing of ingredients to their composting and recycling programme. As the self-declared “post-plastic generation,” the team at Coconut Matter aims to tread lightly when creating their vegan, fair-trade, and cruelty-free products. With soft pastel colours and minimalistic designs used on their packaging, their small and compact products are perfect for the busy and on-the-go summer days ahead.
Coconut Matter, Room B, 12/F, Block II, Kingley Industrial Building, 33 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang | (+852) 9539 1151
Danielle Roberts is a Canadian freelance content and magazine writer who is living abroad in Hong Kong. She is an avid and active marathon and trail runner as well as being a voracious reader, metal-head, and cat lover. She writes on running, fitness, mental health, animals, books, and authors. Read more of her writing on her website.
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