How to Choose the Right Categories for the Global Green Beauty Awards

A Guide to Selecting Categories in the Global Green Beauty Awards

Choosing the right categories is an important part of entering the Global Green Beauty Awards, and it’s something many brands spend time thinking about. With categories covering natural, organic, vegan and sustainable beauty, most products will fit into more than one area, and selecting the most relevant ones helps ensure entries are judged in the right context.

A good starting point is to look at what the product is primarily designed to do. Some products clearly sit in one category, while others naturally cross into several. A moisturiser, for example, may also suit categories relating to sensitive skin, organic skincare or vegan beauty depending on its formulation and positioning.

Many brands choose to enter multiple categories where appropriate. This often works well, particularly when a product has strong sustainability credentials, innovative ingredients or recognised certifications. Entering more than one suitable category allows different aspects of a product to be considered and often increases visibility across the awards.

Green packaging and ethical categories are also worth considering. Many brands now invest heavily in reducing environmental impact through packaging design, refill systems and material choices, and these efforts can be recognised separately from the formulation itself. Categories include areas such as recyclable packaging, biodegradable packaging, packaging using recycled materials, refillable products and aluminium packaging, as well as categories recognising plastic-free, zero waste and low carbon products. Entering both a product category and a packaging or ethical category allows the product itself to be judged alongside the sustainability of its packaging and overall concept.

Looking carefully at formulation and credentials can also help when deciding where to enter. Products with significant organic content may be well suited to organic categories, while vegan-certified or plant-based formulations may fit naturally into vegan categories. Natural and green beauty categories are intended to recognise products that combine effectiveness with responsible formulation and thoughtful ingredient choices.

For the 2026 awards, a new category has been introduced in collaboration with Soil Association Certification: Best COSMOS Certified Beauty Product. This category is open to products holding valid COSMOS certification, whether COSMOS Certified Organic or COSMOS Natural, and is judged independently by technical specialists from Soil Association Certification. The introduction of this category reflects the growing importance of recognised certification within the natural and organic beauty sector.

For this category, samples are sent directly to Soil Association Certification for judging. If a product is entered both into the COSMOS category and into other Global Green Beauty Awards categories, additional samples will be required, as entries in the standard categories are assessed by the Global Green Beauty Awards judging panel, while the COSMOS category is evaluated separately by Soil Association Certification’s technical specialists. Full submission details are provided after entry so the process remains straightforward.

Reviewing past winners and shortlisted entries can also be useful when deciding where to enter. This gives a clear picture of how products are positioned and which categories may be the best fit.

The Global Green Beauty Awards are designed to recognise innovation, performance and genuine progress in sustainable beauty. Choosing suitable categories simply helps ensure products are judged alongside comparable entries and given the best opportunity to be recognised.

Entries for the 2026 Global Green Beauty Awards open on 1st May, and category descriptions can be reviewed in advance to help plan submissions.