An Inside Look at Biossance’s Commitment to Minimizing Our Environmental Impact
Every product we create is formulated and packaged with the planet in mind. While you may already be familiar with our recyclable and PCR packaging, our commitment to sustainability starts long before the bottle.
From the way we formulate our products, to how we source our ingredients and manufacture our award-winning formulas, we take care to insure that we’re providing maximum efficacy while doing everything we can to create a more beautiful future.
Our Consciously Created Formulas
Our biotech roots serve as the foundation for every one of our formulas, inspiring us to seek out the most innovative, effective ingredients while honoring our commitment to mindful stewardship of the environment.
It’s common industry practice to brainstorm a product idea, then hand off the formula concept to a contract manufacturer for formulation. We’re different because we formulate in-house, giving us unparalleled control over our ingredients and how they’re sourced.
“We formulate all Biossance products in-house because we want to know exactly what’s going into them,” says Kendall Johnson, Associate Director of Product Development. “We do our due diligence to ensure we have transparency of every ingredient origin that we source to ensure the highest quality with the least environmental impact.”
One of the most exciting things about being a biotech beauty company is that the technology is constantly evolving. Our scientists are constantly researching emerging skincare technology to ensure that we are pioneering the search for ingredients on the cutting edge of both efficacy and .
“We’re really passionate about that piece,” says Kendall. “We meet with our suppliers weekly, work with the Society of Cosmetic Chemists – I’m on the board here in California -- and ensure that we’re always going the extra mile to incorporate innovative, new technologies that also accommodate our formulation principles.”
Our Commitment to Ocean Conservation
Did you know that squalene was originally sourced from shark liver? This is a key reason we celebrate our superhero ingredient, sugarcane-derived squalane.
Healthy shark populations are essential to thriving marine ecosystems. As apex predators, sharks keep the entire food web in balance, boosting biodiversity and helping to preserve crucial marine habitats. They also act as carbon sinks, sequestering carbon on the sea floor after they die.
Utilizing science to minimize our environmental impact while also prioritizing clinical efficacy is at the heart of what we do at Biossance.
The Closed-System Squalane Manufacturing Process
We use squalane produced in Brazil using just 1 square km of sugarcane that’s cultivated on existing farmland far from the Amazon rainforest, so there’s no deforestation or adverse impact on biodiversity.
The region’s plentiful rainfall allows our manufacturer to irrigate their sugarcane naturally, and waste products from the production process are used to generate electricity that powers their production plants. Any electricity not used by the sugarcane mill or fermentation plant is released to power local communities, free of charge.
In addition, the fermentation plant is a low-waste facility that strives to commoditize or reuse all byproducts. It’s also one of the first to be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, a global membership organization that drives the just and sustainable transition to a bio-based and circular economy.
Thoughtful Packaging + Shipping
Waste products from the squalane manufacturing products are used to create sugarcane plastic for our products, minimizing our environmental footprint. We supplement these materials using post-consumer-recycled plastic sourced from ocean trash, helping to clean up our oceans while creating beautiful packaging that can be easily recycled or upcycled.
We complete the cycle by using carbon-neutral shipping on every single order placed on our website. We prevent 22 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year by planting trees and reforestation efforts as part of our carbon-neutral shipping practices.
As a lifestyle writer and journalist, I love sharing my passion for ocean conservation and obsession with clean beauty. I’ve tried almost every trend and ingredient, and Biossance’s science-backed formulas are the only ones that consistently calm my reactive skin and make it smoother, clearer, and healthier. I’m so excited to be on this journey of skincare innovation with Biossance, and to share it with you!
