Cosmetics With A Conscience: How Burt’s Bees Is Leading The Way In Sustainable Skincare

From the beehive to your beauty shelf, Burt’s Bees has long stood for more than just effective natural skincare. Behind every balm and serum lies a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and community empowerment. At the heart of this mission is Abena Antwi, Burt’s Bees’ Research Director, who plays a key role in shaping the brand’s eco-conscious future.

We sat down with Abena to chat about the brand’s responsible sourcing efforts—including its impactful work with women-led shea communities in West Africa—and how Burt’s Bees continues to set the standard for clean beauty with purpose. —Noa Nichol

Can you share more about Burt’s Bees’ global community initiatives and how they align with the brand’s mission to protect the planet?

Burt’s Bees is deeply committed to global community initiatives that align with our mission to protect the planet. We ensure that our ingredients are responsibly sourced, supporting local communities and promoting sustainable practices. Additionally, we actively participate in projects aimed at conserving natural habitats and biodiversity, such as bee conservation efforts. We prioritize eco-friendly packaging solutions to reduce waste and minimize environmental impact. Furthermore, we are dedicated to achieving carbon neutrality by reducing emissions and investing in renewable energy projects.

How does Burt’s Bees ensure the highest standards of natural formulations while maintaining product efficacy?

At Burt’s Bees we ensure the highest standards of natural formulations while maintaining product efficacy by using ingredients that are, on average, 99.6% natural origin. We adhere to rigorous global standards, avoid synthetic ingredients, and provide transparency about their product contents. Additionally, we are committed to responsible and sustainable raw material sourcing. We trace and monitor raw materials from over 120 sites in 25 countries, ensuring ethical and sustainable practices. This combination of practices helps them deliver effective, high-quality natural products

What upcoming innovations or product launches is Burt’s Bees most excited about in the realm of clean and sustainable beauty?

We are excited about several upcoming innovations in clean and sustainable beauty. We are focusing on achieving net zero plastic, which includes reducing virgin packaging materials and striving for 100% recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging. Additionally, we are exploring biotech ingredients, upcycling materials, and high-recycling post-consumer packaging to further enhance sustainability. These efforts reflect our commitment to clean beauty that is safe for both the environment and people.

What are your top 3 favourite Burt’s Bees products and what makes them so special to you?

1. These products are special to me because they combine my personal stories, ethical sourcing, and effective formulations.
2. Burt’s Bees Cream to Powder: This innovative formula was developed when my son was born, as I wanted to avoid using talc powder.  My first patented natural powder goes on as a cream and transforms into powder, offering a safe and effective alternative.
3. Shea Lip Serum: This product contains shea butter sourced from Ghana, empowering women in West Africa, which is your home country. The serum provides excellent hydration and nourishment for the lips.
4. OG Lip Balm: A classic favorite that hydrates the lips for a long time without causing irritation or dryness. It’s loved for its reliable and soothing properties.

The new Shea + Hyaluronic Acid Lip Plumping Serum is great. How does Burt’s Bees balance innovation and sustainability in product development?

At Burt’s Bees, we balance innovation and sustainability by using natural ingredients, reducing virgin packaging materials, and ensuring most of our packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable. We also engage in community initiatives like the SheKeeper partnership in Ghana, which supports women in shea processing. As part of Clorox, we align with broader environmental, social, and governance goals, reflecting our commitment to both product innovation and sustainable practices.

Burt’s Bees has been a pioneer in responsible sourcing, particularly with shea butter. Our partnership with women-run shea communities in West Africa is making a lasting impact. Through the SheKeeper program, a $2 million, three-year initiative, we empower women by introducing beekeeping alongside shea processing. This diversification helps increase income sources and provides new career paths for women in these communities.

Additionally, Burt’s Bees has constructed warehouses and processing centers, trained thousands of women in efficient cooking and shea kernel processing and supported cooperative development. These efforts enhance the infrastructure and skills within the communities, fostering resilience and growth. By integrating beekeeping, the program promotes biodiversity and sustainable practices. Beekeeping not only boosts shea yields through pollination but also provides additional products like honey and beeswax.

Traditionally, beekeeping is a male-dominated field, but SheKeeper places women at the center of this practice, challenging gender norms and promoting gender equality. Overall, Burt’s Bees’ partnership with these communities is a powerful example of how responsible sourcing can drive positive change economically, socially, and environmentally.

As consumers become more ingredient-conscious, how does Burt’s Bees ensure that its lip care formulations remain as close to 100% natural origin as possible while also maintaining high performance?

We are committed to using natural ingredients in our lip care products to meet the growing demand for ingredient-conscious formulations: Natural Ingredients: we use ingredients like beeswax, vitamin E, and peppermint oil, which are known for their moisturizing and conditioning properties These ingredients are responsibly sourced and free from parabens, phthalates, petrolatum. Sustainable Sourcing: We prioritize sustainably sourced ingredients, ensuring that our products are not only effective but also environmentally friendly. Rigorous Testing conducts extensive testing to ensure our products perform well while maintaining their natural integrity. Transparency: We provide detailed ingredient lists and information about our sourcing practices, allowing consumers to make informed choices.