I recently read a post from the wonderful Sarita of Edible Facial that begged the question — What price will you pay for beauty?

While you might think it’s about injections or some other crazy thing we do for vanity’s sake, the post was actually an insightful look into why green beauty products are, often times, more expensive than drugstore and more mainstream brands. The truth of the matter is that when you go green, whether it’s in beauty or fashion, you’re purchasing a whole lot more than just a small bottle of serum or a cute pair of vegan shoes. In some small way, you’re helping change the world.

A whole lot more goes into a green product than just organic materials and eco-friendly packaging.

Sarita’s post focused mainly on the effects of purchasing organic beauty and it was so eloquently written that it inspired me to share my own take on things because, like Sarita, I frequently converse with readers who continuously say green beauty products are too expensive, that they would rather buy cheap drugstore products, and that organic beauty just isn’t worth the price tag.

One thing they might not realize is that a whole lot more goes into a green product than just organic materials and eco-friendly packaging.

Sure, you’re getting those things, but you might not know that you’re also helping people around the world get fair wages and support their families, donating to global initiatives to help improve the planet and the lives of humans and animals alike, ensuring that the products you own and brands you support are helping instead of harming the environment (keeping animals from lab testing facilities by not supporting it), and purchasing a quality product that’s safe for your body and often superior in results than cheaper mainstream brands. Since the benefits of purchasing green products is often overshadowed by the price tag, I thought I would share just a few things that you benefit from when you decide to buy the more expensive green product instead of fast fashion or beauty.

What You’re Really Getting When You Go Green

Brands that Care About You (and the world)

If a brand bothers to go green, it means they care about you (the consumer) as well as the earth and animals around us. They usually take a much greater interest in both your health and the impact of their products. This means that their products are safer to use, more effective, higher quality, and are created using more ethical and eco friendly practices.

Your Health (and Beauty) 

No matter what, natural beauty products will always be safer to use. They use ingredients that work in synergy with your skin, their ingredients are found in nature, and are chosen based on their efficacy and safety for humans, animals and the environment. This means product formulations are specifically formulated with safe ingredients that have been shown to be effective for your skin, hair, nails, etc.

Fair Wages and Happier Lives 

Fair wages, a better local economy, and support for people who need it are just a few things you’re giving when you purchase from a green brand. This could mean your local economy or the economy of someone in a struggling country where fair wages and good jobs are hard to come by. By purchasing green, you’re ensuring they are treated fairly, humanely, and paid a fair wage.

Global Initiatives 

Many companies are not only helping to bring fair wages to people of the world through their brand directly, but some also help indirectly by donating a portion of profits to a variety of charities and other programs like Drink Up (fresh drinking water), Woman2Woman, UNICEF, etc.

No More Animal Testing 

So many brands are cruelty-free and some are even vegan (no animal ingredients or at all) which means more love for our furry friends, the environment, and less lab testing. By purchasing from a cruelty-free brand, you’re essentially giving your vote against lab testing. You may not realize it, but when enough people stop buying from non-cruelty-free brands, it sends a wave through businesses and forces them to change their business practices. Money talks as they say and nothing speaks louder than money; it’s a sad, but true fact of the world.

Happy Trees 

Most green brands utilize sustainable ingredients (meaning they don’t cut down the rain forest or use endangered species of plants) and eco conscious packaging. This means some of your organic beauty products are completely biodegradable which minimizes your carbon footprint. On top of that, others use natural and eco materials including soy inks, bamboo boxes, and reusable containers which you can keep and use for other things once they’re finished instead of just trashing them and having them end up in landfills.

Minimal Carbon Footprint 

On top of using eco conscious packaging and materials, some companies take things a step further by utilizing eco-friendly and energy efficient manufacturing processes. Many brands hand craft their products in small batches to minimize their impact while others utilize wind and solar power to bring their carbon impact to a completely carbon neutral state (no negative effect on their environment or pollution).

Going green with my beauty routine was one of the best decisions I could’ve made for my skin and health and I’m now in the process of switching my wardrobe over to more ethical and eco-friendly picks as well.

If you find that you’re trying to make a change and you feel overwhelmed, just remember to take one step at a time. I didn’t change my beauty routine all in one fell swoop (because that cost is too damn high!). I did it one product at a time.

Changing my beauty routine has had numerous wonderful side effects that I never could’ve predicted. I’m much more aware and conscious of my personal impact on the planet, human lives, and my own health.

I make a conscious effort to eat locally and from ethical companies only. I try to use my voting power and don’t purchase from brands who practice unethical business practices or don’t care about animals or the environment. On top of that, I find myself thinking of new ways to be more eco conscious in ways that won’t cost me money like reusing old containers, using an eco water bottle, and making more ethical fashion choices.

If you want to make a difference, you don’t have to do a thousand and one things, you just have to take the first step.

Everything else will follow and the results and overall impact will surprise you. The next time you buy green, you can smile and feel happy that you’ll know exactly what you’re getting and giving back to the world every time.

Shop My Top Green Beauty Picks:

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*Affiliate links in post; Not all links are affiliate.