This Report explores how US beauty and personal care consumers are redefining “clean” and “sustainable” beyond environmental claims, demanding products that deliver performance, safety and transparency. Today’s consumer expects efficacy and ethical production without compromising convenience or affordability. Generational differences are highlighted, with younger consumers placing higher value on transparency and brand ethics, while older generations focus more on product reliability.
Through definition-based questioning and segmentation, this Report breaks down consumer understanding of “clean” and “sustainable” categories, identifying varying levels of awareness and commitment. With an increasingly multi-layered approach, consumers demand products that align with their values and deliver proven results. Brands must adapt their strategies to address these evolving expectations all while contending with macro cost pressures and competing discretionary spending categories and educating and promoting awareness of sustainable living.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Examination of macro market trends and their influence on purchasing and consumption patterns in “clean” and “sustainable” BPC
- Integration of “clean,” “sustainable” and functional claims across the domestic market
- Varying definitions of “clean” and “sustainable” across demographics
- Consumer engagement and purchase frequency within “clean” and “sustainable” product sub-categories
- Price sensitivity and its impact on purchasing decisions
- Consumer attitudes, behaviors and adoption of sustainable practices, innovations and lifestyles
Mintel examines the ever-evolving BPC category, focusing on consumer purchasing habits, awareness and commitments related to "clean" and "sustainable" products.
Carson Kitzmiller, Senior Analyst, Beauty & Personal Care
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want and why
- Opportunities
- Reframe sustainability to be personal, smart and positive
- Embed sustainability into everyday routines
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Real GDP bounced back in Q2, but momentum is expected to stall in the months ahead
- Graph 1: quarterly real GDP growth, 2021-25
- Annual inflation held steady in July, as tariff-sensitive categories showed modest price movements for the month
- Graph 2: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-25
- Retail sales remain strong, but tariff-driven price hikes will test the spending resilience of consumers amid the incoming holiday season
- Graph 3: retail sales, 2024-25
- Consumer sentiment dipped as near-term inflation expectations worsen
- Graph 4: consumer sentiment index, 2022-25
- Domestic regulation: MoCRA continues, “Safer Beauty Bill Package” proposed and state regulation ramps up
- Prepare for expanded enforcement
- EU regulations: Green Claims Directive targets greenwashing
- Market drivers
- Some adults are spending less on BPC overall, regardless of sustainable attributes
- Environmental responsibility prioritized in food/beverage categories
- Graph 5: category that is easiest to shop sustainably, 2025
- Graph 6: category most important to shop sustainably, 2025
- In global context, US consumers’ sustainability motivations not significantly higher
- Graph 7: attributes that would make consumers interested in a BPC product, 2025
- Affordability and essentialness are top reasons for NOT purchasing sustainable beauty
- Graph 8: reasons for not choosing sustainable BPC products, 2025
- However, teen attitudes toward eco impact show promise
- Graph 9: environmental attitudes among tweens/teens, by age, 2025
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INNOVATION AND CLAIM STRATEGIES
- Sustainable claim inclusion grows over a two-year period
- Graph 10: select sustainable claim inclusions across BPC launches, 2022-24
- While still niche, human ethicality and carbon neutral claims see significant growth
- Graph 11: percent change in inclusion of select sustainable claims across BPC launches, 2022-24
- “Clean” claims are still widespread
- Graph 12: select “clean” claim inclusions across BPC launches, 2022-24
- Most “clean” claims saw decline over last two years
- Graph 13: percent change in inclusion of select “clean” claims across BPC launches, 2022-24
- BPC launches are focused on efficacy, convenience and sensitivity claims
- Graph 14: select claim inclusions across BPC launches, 2022-24
- Efficacy must be foundational to engage younger clean and sustainable consumers
- Graph 15: percent change in inclusion of select claims across BPC launches, 2022-24
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS: “CLEAN” BEAUTY
- Consumer fast facts
- Defining “Clean”
- Defining “clean” is still broad
- Graph 16: clean beauty definitions, 2023-2025
- Clean definitions similar across clean and “non-clean” BPC users
- Graph 17: clean beauty definitions, 2023-25
- Effectiveness is foundational for younger generations
- Graph 18: clean beauty definitions, by generation, 2025
- Clean beauty super-users need more than ingredient justification
- Graph 19: defining “clean,” by clean beauty purchasing repertoire, 2025
- Purchasing “clean,” product priorities and the role of price
- High-frequency hygiene items see higher “clean” usage engagement
- Graph 20: BPC purchasing in the last 12 months, by traditional or clean version of sub-category, 2025
- Graph 21: clean beauty purchasing, repertoire, 2025
- Clean purchasing continues vary by age
- Graph 22: “clean” BPC sub-category purchasing in the last 12 months, by age, 2025
- Science-backed and eco claim definers more likely to be using clean
- Graph 23: “clean” BPC sub-category purchasing in the last 12 months, by select definitions of “clean,” 2025
- Prove functional and safety benefits to skeptics
- Graph 24: “clean” BPC sub-category purchasing in the last 12 months, by select definitions of “clean,” 2025
- Facial skincare is the top-ranked category users choose as “clean”
- Graph 25: clean purchasing priorities by subcategory (ranked – up to 3), 2025
- Highly engaged “clean” users show more willingness to spend up
- Graph 26: impacts of price on clean beauty purchasing, by clean beauty sub-category purchasing – repertoire, 2025
- Ingredient definers are more likely to say price doesn’t influence decisions
- Graph 27: impacts of price on clean beauty purchasing, by select “clean” definitions, 2025
- Make clean a protective choice for families
- Graph 28: impacts of price on clean beauty purchasing, by parental status, 2025
- Attitudes toward “clean”
- Clean beauty users feel committed to “clean”
- Use certification as a bridge between values and performance
- Graph 29: looking for certifications, by select “clean” definitions, 2025
- Future-proof brand reputation through EcoBeautyScores
- Demystify the category through digestable content
- Graph 30: agreement on overwhelming amount of conflicting information about BPC ingredients online, by BPC product purchase types, 2025
- Ulta taps Novi to validate its Conscious Beauty initiatives
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS: SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY
- Consumer fast facts
- Defining sustainable in BPC
- Environmental preservation leads consumer definitions
- Females 45+ drive sustainability definitions across all fronts
- Graph 31: defining sustainable, by gender and age, 2025
- Purchasing “sustainable,” motivations and the role of price
- Sustainable purchasing is widespread in some capacity
- Graph 32: purchasing frequency of BPC products that offer sustainable features, by age, 2025
- Refill for retention, recycle for reach
- Graph 33: types of sustainable beauty products purchased, by frequency of sustainable beauty product purchasing, 2025
- Build refill systems across categories
- Graph 34: BPC launches with refill/refillable claim, by select BPC sub-category, 2014-24
- L’Oreal’s “Join the Refill Movement” unites its brands to promote sustainable practices
- Those purchasing sustainable products less frequently are less likely to spend up
- Graph 35: impacts of price on sustainable purchasing decisions, by frequency of sustainable purchasing, 2025
- Financial situations likely influencing sustainable purchasing
- Graph 36: types of sustainable beauty products purchased, by financial situation, 2025
- Graph 37: frequency of sustainable beauty purchasing, by financial situations, 2025
- Those willing to spend dive into refill systems
- Graph 38: sustainable BPC product purchasing type, by willingness to spend up on sustainable products, 2025
- Promote the value of refill systems across pricing tiers
- Graph 39: BPC launches with refill/refillable claim, by beauty price positioning, 2014-24
- Personal impact the top motivator for sustainable purchasing
- Make an impact, but make it communal
- Graph 40: sustainable BPC purchasing motivations, by gender and age, 2025
- The future is fixable with Philips
- Make personal wellness an entry point to the category
- Graph 41: sustainable BPC purchasing motivations, by frequency of sustainable purchasing, 2025
- Despite similar motivations, HHI may approach sustainable purchasing differently
- Graph 42: select sustainable BPC purchasing motivations, by household income, 2025
- Connect sustainable attributes and personal safety
- Graph 43: select sustainable BPC purchasing motivations, by impacts of pricing on sustainable purchasing decisions, 2025
- Reframe the value of sustainable beauty for non-users
- Graph 44: barriers to purchasing sustainable BPC by non-users, by gender, 2025
- Make sustainability savvy, not sacrificial
- Graph 45: barriers to purchasing sustainable BPC among non-users, by select household income levels, 2025
- Attitudes toward sustainable BPC
- Celebrate easy, established sustainable behaviors
- “Hitting pan”: a viral sustainability angle
- Under 45s drive openess to sustainable innovations
- Graph 46: select sustainable attitudes and behaviors, by age, 2025
- Sustainability is a lifestyle, not just a purchase
- Graph 47: select sustainable product usage and purchasing behaviors, by sustainable purchasing frequency, 2025
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
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