What Makes a Great Green Beauty Product?

Medik8, Tata Harper, Weleda, Delilah and The Organic Pharmacy have very different brand identities, product ranges and approaches to beauty. Yet all have received Gold awards from the Global Green Beauty Awards. We are going to look into some of the reasons why these different brands won gold with their green and clean beauty products. From brand wins to packaging wins to their ingredients, each brand has looked at how they can be more eco in their own way.

Although these winners come from very different parts of the beauty industry, they have something in common. Sustainability may have earned them a place in the Global Green Beauty Awards, but none of them succeeded on sustainability alone. Product performance, ingredient quality, packaging and a clear brand vision all played a part.

Why Medik8 won Best Green Skincare brand

Medik8 received Gold for Best Green Skincare Brand, an award that recognises a brand’s wider approach to sustainability rather than a single product.

Through Medik8 Made, a programme aligned with B Corp principles, the company focuses on reducing carbon emissions, acting responsibly towards the environment and supporting people and communities through its wider operations.

Over the years, we’ve seen more brands take this broader view. Sustainability is becoming part of how businesses operate rather than something attached to a single launch or marketing campaign. The brands that attract attention in categories such as Best Green Skincare Brand are often those making changes across multiple areas of their business rather than focusing on one environmental initiative.

Packaging Has Become Part of the Story

Delilah’s In Bloom Radiant Blush received Gold for Best Packaging Using Recycled Materials. The brand has invested in more sustainable packaging, with components such as tubes, bottles and pumps re-engineered to include Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) plastic. This helps reduce the demand for virgin plastic while making use of materials that have already been recycled.

Delilah’s environmental initiatives extend beyond packaging. The company operates a carbon offset programme and its packaging carries the World Land Trust symbol as part of its wider sustainability efforts.

A few years ago, packaging rarely featured heavily in award submissions. Today, many brands provide detailed information about recycled materials, refill systems and wider environmental commitments. It has become an important part of how beauty brands approach sustainability.

Refillable Products Are Raising the Bar

Tata Harper’s Water-Lock Moisturizer received Gold for Best Refillable Product.

Refillable beauty has become one of the fastest-growing areas of the industry, but products still need to earn a place in consumers’ routines.

The Water-Lock Moisturizer is clinically proven to leave skin looking smoother, bouncier and more hydrated after just one use, with instrumental testing showing a 71% increase in hydration. In a consumer assessment, all participants agreed that their skin looked plumper, felt more hydrated and appeared bouncier after application.

Sustainability alone is rarely enough to impress judges. The products that score highly are usually the ones that combine strong performance with practical ways of reducing their environmental impact.

Organic Skincare Continues to Perform Well

Weleda’s White Rose & White Tea Night Cream received Gold for Best Organic Night Cream. Organic skincare remains one of the busiest areas of the awards, covering everything from cleansers and facial oils to serums and overnight treatments. The category continues to attract brands that combine botanical ingredients with modern product development.

Weleda has spent decades building its reputation in natural skincare, and products such as White Rose & White Tea Night Cream demonstrate why organic beauty remains an important part of the industry.

Ingredients Still Matter

The Organic Pharmacy’s Carrot Butter Cleanser won Gold for Best Organic Cleansing Butter. Formulated with carrot, rosemary and calendula, the ECOCERT-certified cleanser is rich in antioxidants and designed to deeply cleanse the skin without clogging pores. It removes makeup and daily impurities while leaving skin feeling refreshed and comfortable.

Awards categories focused on organic beauty continue to attract some of the strongest entries. Ingredient quality, formulation and product performance remain just as important as certification and sustainability credentials.

Entries Are Now Open for the 2026 Global Green Beauty Awards

Looking back at recent winners, it’s easy to see how much green beauty has changed. Brands are thinking beyond ingredients alone and paying closer attention to packaging, refillability, sourcing and wider environmental commitments.

With entries now open for the 2026 Global Green Beauty Awards, we’re looking forward to seeing how brands continue to push the category forward. Every year brings new ideas, new ingredients and new approaches, which is one of the reasons judging remains so interesting.

Whether the next standout products focus on refillable packaging, innovative formulations, organic ingredients or broader sustainability initiatives, one thing remains consistent: the strongest entries combine environmental responsibility with products that people genuinely want to use.