The initiative, which was launched in 2022 by several leading global cosmetics and personal care companies, is now coming to fruition, following years of development and consultations among over 70 companies and associations. EcoBeautyScore (EBS) rates products from A to E according to their environmental impact over the full lifecycle of the product.
“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,” said Jean-Baptiste Massignon, Managing Director of the EcoBeautyScore Association, the not-for-profit organization that supports the project.
16 impact categories
The EBS rating is grounded in the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. It evaluates a product’s impact across 16 dimensions, including carbon emissions, water usage and resource depletion.
The variety of criteria taken into account and the robustness of the methodology make this rating system an instrument that is “both technically rigorous and easy to understand,” emphasized Laurent Gilbert, Scientific Director, EcoBeautyScore. It is also a “powerful tool for encouraging progress in the beauty industry,” he added.
European debut
In its initial phase, the EcoBeautyScore covers four categories: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and face care.
Major beauty brands such as Eucerin, Garnier, L’Oréal Paris, Neutrogena, Nivea, and Schauma have begun publishing scores in select markets across Europe and the UK. Currently, the scores are shown on the product pages online. EBSs are expected to appear on product packaging in Europe starting in late 2025.
Following its first steps in Europe, EBS is expected to gradually expand worldwide and cover the full range of beauty products. The system is open to all cosmetics and personal care brands interested to join.
“It’s 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,” concluded Jean-Baptiste Massignon.