New global benchmark for sustainability communication in cosmetics and personal care sector

EcoBeautyScore is a the global, science based environmental scoring system for cosmetics and personal care products, which has launched across Europe.

Pioneering beauty brands, including Eucerin, Garnier, L’Oréal Paris, Neutrogena, Nivea, Schauma, and others, have started to publish scores in select markets across Europe and UK. 

Developed over three years by the EcoBeautyScore Association, in collaboration with over 70 cosmetics and personal care companies and associations, the scoring system offers brands and retailers a clear, transparent and consistent way to measure and communicate the environmental footprint of beauty products. Rooted in the EU’s product environmental footprint (PEF) methodology, EcoBeautyScore rates products from A to E according to their impact on land, water and air over the full lifecycle of the product.

It is projected that consumers will spend more than $150 billion on beauty and personal care products in Europe in 2025, with demand for more sustainable options on the rise. However, half of European consumers are sceptical of brands’ sustainability claims, suspecting they don’t accurately reflect the real environmental impact of products. 

It is against this backdrop that the new initiative offers a timely and practical solution, translating complexity into a scientifically robust, yet accessible scoring system. The rigorous measurement process evaluates a product’s impact on the environment across its entire lifecycle, analysing everything from ingredient sourcing and packaging materials to how a product is used and disposed of by the consumer. 

The methodology and platform have been reviewed and verified by external experts, and brands using the scoring system will be regularly audited and certified by an independent third party. Consumer demand for this kind of transparency is already strong. In a global study of more than 9000 consumers across China, the US, France and Brazil, more than two-thirds say the EcoBeautyScore label builds trust, and the majority intend to take the EBS score into consideration for purchases.

Jean-Baptiste Massignon, managing director of the EcoBeautyScore Association, commented: ‘EcoBeautyScore gives the beauty industry the transparency tool it has long been missing. For the first time, brands can communicate their environmental impact in a way that is science based, consistent and easy for consumers to understand. Through a simple to use scoring platform, companies have access to a wealth of data about the environmental hotspots of their products, making it accessible for brands of all sizes, no matter their sustainability expertise. 

‘It is encouraging to see pioneering companies begin publishing their scores, it marks an important milestone of collective openness and accountability across the sector. We know this won’t happen overnight, but this is how progress starts: with a shared framework, honest data and a commitment to informing better choices for the planet.’

After years of development and testing, the system is now live, starting with four product categories: shampoo, conditioner, body wash and face care products. It is open to all cosmetics and personal care manufacturers, with early adopters already publishing scores and more expected in the coming months. The system is free to trial and comes with onboarding support for brands of all sizes. Launching first in Europe, it will gradually expand worldwide and cover the full range of beauty products.

Laurent Gilbert, scientific director, commented: ‘Calculating the environmental impact of a beauty product is an inherently complex process that has traditionally required expert analysis. What we have done with EcoBeautyScore is distil that complexity into a scientifically robust, yet accessible scoring platform.

‘Grounded in the methodology recognised by the European Commission as the most effective to measure environmental footprint, it evaluates a product’s impact across 16 dimensions, including carbon emissions, water use and resource depletion. This level of detail gives brands and retailers a clear understanding of areas for improvement, while providing consumers with a simple, transparent score to guide more sustainable choices. It is both technically rigorous and easy to understand, and that combination is what makes it a powerful tool for driving progress in the beauty industry.’