Sustainability has become a social media buzzword.
Since April 2018, nearly 75,000 Instagram posts by beauty influencers have mentioned sustainability topics, according to Traackr. Posts mentioning eco-friendly beauty increased by 58 percent within the past year.
While mentions of the term “organic” decreased by 6 percent since 2019, posts mentioning the terms “sustainable,” “recyclable” and “plastic-free” have increased by 58 percent, 84 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Engagement on posts mentioning “sustainable,” “eco-friendly beauty” and “plastic-free” increased by at least 50 percent, with engagement on posts mentioning “recyclable” up 202 percent, according to Traackr.
In the past month, the most-searched “best natural” beauty products were deodorant, face moisturizer, face wash, skin care and body wash, according to Google. The most-searched facial oils were coconut, Vitamin E, jojoba, tea tree and olive.
Milk Makeup was the brand most commonly mentioned alongside phrases such as “eco-friendly,” “sustainable,” “recyclable” and “environmentally friendly” for the first quarter of 2020, according to Tribe Dynamics. Milk generated nearly $400,000 in EMV, followed by Revolution Beauty, Huda Beauty, Maybelline, Marc Jacobs Beauty, ColourPop, Tarte, Kat Von D, Morphe and Anastasia Beverly Hills.
In March, when U.S. consumers began sheltering in place due to the coronavirus, mentions of decluttering beauty surged 105 percent compared to February, according to Traackr.
Social Standard, which analyzes online conversations about beauty, also found that consumers have begun favoring safety and hygiene over the environment during COVID-19. Conversations featuring the word “disposable” ballooned 284 percent, while mentions of “single use” increased by 18 percent in March.