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The health of soil is not only intrinsic to the planet’s biodiversity, but our physical and mental wellbeing too. Here, environmentalists and activists Lily Cole, Arizona Muse and Noëlla Coursaris Musunka discuss the role
the beauty industry has to play to help ‘save Earth’s skin’
Look one
photographer: Pip Bourdillon | WORDS: LISA OXENHAM
A
living layer teeming with microorganisms, soil plays a crucial role in our health, and that of the planet. Alarmingly, this fundamental part of our ecosystem faces rapid degradation, with the equivalent of 30 football
The beauty and personal-care industry is on the brink of exceeding a staggering £500 billion in revenue by 2024, largely propelled by the ‘fast beauty’ movement. This surge, significantly boosted by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, has led to a shopping frenzy. The sector’s revenue was estimated at approximately £437 billion in 2023, much of which often ends up in landfill.
Lily Cole, a former model turned environmental activist, is passionate about highlighting the impact of unchecked consumerism. “I was hit by the realisation that the fashion industry, and, by extension, beauty, fundamentally depends on agriculture, shaping a narrative that swings between negative exploitation and positive sustainability,” she says.
Cole’s book Who Cares Wins champions the idea of focusing on positive change-makers. And, in addressing the environmental footprint of consumerism, Cole urges a shift towards sustainable, regenerative agricultural practices: “By altering how we approach agriculture, and supporting eco-friendly products and practices, we can transform a major environmental issue into a viable solution – with each of us playing a role through our daily choices.”
Fighting fast beauty
pitches lost every minute, exacerbated by unsustainable farming practices.
Fortunately, regenerative agriculture – and responsible beauty brands like Weleda, which is working to prioritise the sustainability of its products – are providing a beacon of hope.
Now in its third year, Weleda’s Save Earth’s Skin campaign highlights the need to care for our soil just as we would our own skin. It’s a sentiment that Arizona Muse – Model and Founder of DIRT Charity, which is working in collaboration with Weleda’s campaign – shares. “A compelling way to communicate the urgency is [through] the narrative that soil is the ‘skin of the Earth’,” she says.
As part of an exclusive conversation for Marie Claire, Muse joined Lily Cole, model and environmentalist; Noëlla Coursaris Musunka, model and founder of the Malaika school, community centre and clean-water programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Pauline Cox, microbiome specialist; Jayn Sterland, Weleda UK Managing Director; and Weleda biodynamic gardener Jennifer Ruge to explore how the beauty industry contributes to the problem, but can also make a positive impact to help save our soil.
‘By altering how we approach agriculture,
and supporting eco-friendly products and
practices, we can transform a major
environmental issue into a viable solution’
She also criticises the current model of consumption, which maximises sales and profit. “We need to embrace a mindset of quality over quantity; appreciating the value of the material world and making conscious choices that align with sustainable living,” she adds.
The beauty industry’s environmental footprint often remains in the shadow of the fashion industry, despite its substantial impact. Jayn Sterland, Weleda UK Managing Director, exposes the reliance on synthetic chemicals derived from petrochemicals, which pose significant risks to both our ecosystems and our health. For example, ‘liquid plastics’ often found in cosmetics, threaten aquatic life and soil health, she says, contaminating our environment when washed off.
Indeed, from packaging that burdens landfills to the soil-damaging effects of synthetic ingredients, the industry’s footprint is extensive. Highlighting the contrast between synthetic and organic beauty products, Muse says: “When skincare is derived from petrochemical ingredients, it harms not only the earth from where they’re extracted but also the water bodies they enter – microorganisms in water are forced to consume these toxins.”
Plant-powered skincare
According to Sterland, brands play a crucial role through their agricultural choices. Excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, for example, not only pollutes the soil but also compromises water quality. Weleda’s approach – emphasising soil and human health while fostering biodiversity – showcases the feasibility of using sustainable methods. And, with the UK facing a stark decline in biodiversity (one in six species are near extinction) Weleda’s century-long commitment to sustainability is inspiring the industry to reassess its practices.
Navigating the maze of greenwashing poses a significant challenge and, with beauty brands frequently touting products as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’, consumers face the daunting task of discerning genuine claims from marketing nonsense. To counteract greenwashing, it’s crucial to look beyond enticing labels, and seek out products backed by transparent ingredient lists and solid certifications, including those from NATRUE, the Soil Association and Demeter.
“Greenwashing can stem from good intentions gone awry or from deliberate misinformation” adds Muse. “It's imperative that claims made on packaging or online are substantiated with clear explanations.”
The power of provenance
Pauline Cox, a renowned microbiome expert, believes soil plays a critical role in the health of our planet and the wellbeing of people.
“There is a concerning trend with consumers prioritising immediate benefits over
the long-term sustainability of our planet – a practice that not only jeopardises environmental health but also poses significant risks to human health by degrading the air, water, and soil we rely on for sustenance, medicine, and overall wellbeing,”
she says.
Highlighting the direct impact of soil health on human health, Cox points out that the majority of our food comes from soil – therefore, soil’s condition directly affects the nutritional quality of our food. Industrial farming and excessive use of plastics contribute to soil contamination, leading to the disruption of the gut microbiome and causing inflammation in the body.
Soil, soul, and sustainability
‘There is a concerning trend with consumers prioritising immediate benefits over the long-term sustainability of our planet’
Exploring the connection between the gut and skin microbiomes, she explains how both play protective roles and interact with the environment, highlighting how disturbances in the gut microbiome can manifest as skin conditions, such as psoriasis and acne. “This showcases our body’s response to internal and external challenges,” she adds.
Weleda’s interest in ethical and community-driven initiatives led the brand to learn more about Noëlla Coursaris Musunka and the Malaika school in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Malaika stands as a beacon of progression, providing free education to 430 girls, with a curriculum that includes agriculture. This innovative approach not only teaches girls about cultivating land but also ensures they receive two nourishing meals a day, directly addressing food insecurity and enhancing their learning experience.
“We had a dual focus: to utilise the land’s bounty to sustain the school’s needs, and to uphold a duty towards the wider community and the environment. We are committed to respecting the Earth as our most vital resource. We highlight the integral role of healthy soil in food production, community welfare, and sustainable development,” says Coursaris Musunka.
Breaking new ground
Her holistic approach to education and agriculture mirrors Weleda’s own practices, particularly in its community projects like the women’s cooperative in Morocco.
Here, the cultivation of Damascene roses not only ensures a fair wage for women, but also provides practical support with a kindergarten for their young children being built on site.
In a call to action for more Earth-friendly beauty choices, Weleda Biodynamic Gardener Jennifer Ruge emphasises the pivotal role in preserving ecosystems – and the need to invest in superior products. “There is a necessity for sustainable agriculture to safeguard food sources and biodiversity… and organic farming not only halts but reverses soil degradation,” she says, adding that 90% of soil could experience severe erosion by 2050 if current farming methods persist.
Ruge urges individuals to cultivate a deeper bond with nature, too. She believes in the transformative power of appreciating and interacting with the soil – and honouring its indispensable value in sustaining life on Earth.
Natural selection
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*PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO PRICE CHANGES AND AVAILABILITY
WELEDA / ARIZONA MUSE / LILY COLE/ NOELLA COURSARIS / PAULINE COX
EDITOR IN CHIEF: ANDREA THOMPSON
Film & Shoot Director: LISA OXENHAM
VIDEO DIRECTOR: AARON ELVIS KYLE
VIDEO EDITOR: CINEMATIC COLLECTIVE
Photographer: Pip Bourdillon
Photographer assistant: Dominic Walsh
PRODUCER: YASMIN COKE
SCRIPT WRITER: Charly Sommers
DOP: LIAM WHITE
MAKE-UP ARTIST: SJANIEL TURRELL
STYLIST: MODELS’ OWN
LOCATION: WELEDA UK
ART EDITOR: OLIVER BOURNE
CHIEF SUB EDITOR: NICOLA MOYNE
Sustainable beauty brand, Weleda, is partnering with Arizona Muse and her soil regeneration DIRT charity (dirt.charity) to tackle the crisis facing soil, the skin of the Earth. Weleda’s Save Earth’s Skin campaign highlights the importance of healthy soil and encourages people to make soil-friendly choices to protect it. During the month of April Weleda will donate 5% of sales of all its products sold through Superdrug, weleda.co.uk, and Weleda Wellbeing Advisors directly to DIRT to fund soil health projects around the world. For more information visit #saveearthsskin and weleda.co.uk/save-earths-skin
Organisations leading the charge in promoting soil health through ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, fair labour practices, and community-driven initiatives to
drive sustainability and protect biodiversity across the beauty sector include:
Sustainable Beauty Coalition aims to accelerate sustainability in the beauty industry
through collaboration, green initiatives, and decoding industry jargon for shoppers.
British Beauty Council is a not-for-profit organisation advocating for the British beauty
industry, promoting sustainability, policy influence, growth, and talent development
through collaboration and research initiatives.
Provenance is a transparency tech-platform that verifies sustainability, cruelty-free,
recycling, and carbon footprint claims in the beauty industry, aiming to empower
eco-conscious beauty shoppers with trustworthy information.
B Corp refers to businesses accredited by B Lab for meeting high social and environmental standards. B Corp Beauty Coalition is a group of B Corp beauty companies collaborating globally to prioritise sustainability, innovation, and responsible practices in the beauty industry, aiming to deliver genuine benefits to shoppers, communities, suppliers, and the planet.
Biodynamic Association (BDA) is a UK-based organisation promoting biodynamics in
agriculture, offering certification, education, and fostering a community dedicated to
sustainable and regenerative food and farming practices.
NATRUE is a non-profit international association based in Brussels that set an
internationally-recognised standard for natural and organic cosmetics certification.
The Power of soil
SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK
Lily Cole, model and environmentalist
Arizona Muse, Model and Founder of DIRT Charity
Noella Coursaris Musunka, model and founder of Malaika school
LILY COLE, pauline cox and Noëlla Coursaris Musunka
‘We highlight the integral role of healthy soil in
food production, community welfare, and sustainable development’
- Lily cole
- Arizona Muse
- Noella Coursaris Musunka
LILY COLE, Noëlla Coursaris Musunka and Arizona MusE