Upcycled beauty is a growing category amid calls for sustainable philosophies, actions and product launches. Today's consumers are urging beauty brands to make more significant moves to reduce their environmental impact. Consumers consider producing sustainable products and reducing waste in manufacturing their top two sustainable value, Deloitte's 2022 sustainability survey reveals.

Approximately 30% of all food is lost or wasted every year, shares the United Nations Environment Program ThinkEatSave. Transforming the waste stream, reducing the number of ingredients labelled ‘waste’ and eliminating competition for existing food resources are high on the agenda to prevent food shortages and environmental damage. Finding other raw material sources is a sustainable solution to the world’s food and ecological problems.   

Consumers care about people and the planet. They are conscious of the impact unused potential beauty ingredients cause. Research and storytelling around upcycled ingredients and circular product concepts are growing to meet demands for brands and products that reflect this rising consciousness.

What is upcycling? 

The upcycling movement seen in beauty first emerged in the food industry. The Upcycled Food Association brought together a panel of experts to create an official definition for upcycled food in 2020. 

They landed on the following definition: "Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment." 

Upcycling beauty ingredients is the concept of taking waste and byproducts from processing and manufacturing, which were previously either discarded as waste or used as low-value materials and transforming them into new, more valuable products, materials or systems.  

Efforts to reduce food waste and create a circular production process have changed how we select ingredients and manufacture beauty products. Brands embrace the repurposing of byproducts into new materials or products for the skin, hair and body that provide better quality or create better environmental value. 

Combines nature, science and technology

Consumers seek familiar ingredients proven to provide effective results. By combining renewable, plant-based components and scientific processes, upcycled beauty formulations are a smart selection to enhance the overall health and appearance of the skin, hair and body.   

Reduces environmental impact

Using upcycled ingredients lowers the natural resources required to grow plants, such as land and water, and uses leftover materials to produce new finished products. Using production processes such as green chemistry and renewable energy further reduces brands and formulators’ environmental footprint.  

Creates unique formulations 

Taking inspiration from literally anywhere, brands using existing ingredients and upcycling them in new and novel ways can develop stand-out products. Applying creativity and science to beauty formulations helps make your brand, ethos and product range unique.  

How do brands upcycle ingredients? 

Brands take upcycling inspiration from various sources, including food and drink processing, floristry and wood industries. Creativity, experimentation and innovation are at the core of upcycling development, spurring exciting ingredient options.  

Adapting the raw material stream is a crucial challenge when upcycling beauty products, as selected materials must be fresh and in good condition to apply the processes required for beauty formulations.  

An ingredient cannot be upcycled if it has been inherently altered by operations in the initial stages of production, such as high pressure, overheating or chemical degradation, as reported by one cosmetic chemist here. Ingredients must also be free from germs or possible contamination from other materials.  

What certifications exist?

The Upcycled Certified Program is the world's first third-party certification program for upcycled ingredients and products. Developed by the Upcycled Food Association, the mark highlights upcycled ingredients and products procured and produced with surplus food or food by products from manufacturing that use verifiable supply chains and positively impact the environment.  

They define the three categories as: 

1. Upcycled Ingredient (≥95% upcycled uniform diverted inputs by weight)  
2. Product Containing Upcycled Ingredients (≥10% certified upcycled ingredients by weight or threshold met for total tonnage diverted) 
3. Products with Minimal Upcycled Ingredient Content (<10% certified upcycled ingredients) 

Partnerships between companies form to enhance awareness of food and biodegradable waste as an ethical source of ingredients and to promote zero waste. The approach connects to the clean beauty and greener beauty concepts that consumers want. 

1. Olive Oil 

Olive oil is made by pressing olives and then extracting their oil. Olive oil makes up only 20% of an olive's weight and the other 80% is discarded during production, The Fermentation Association reports.  

The renewable raw material is sought after for its rich vitamin content of vitamins A, D, E and K as well as its antioxidant properties. Skincare producers also choose olive oil for its ability to help moisturize and hydrate the skin and fight off bacteria.  

Rich in emollients, olive oil is popular among haircare brands to help soften and strengthen hair, preserving its moisture. Due to its conditioning properties, manufacturers opt for olive oil in formulations to target thick hair, processed hair and split ends.  

3. Coffee 

When coffee oil is extracted from coffee grounds, it provides multiple benefits to brands and formulators as the ingredient is known for its moisturization, antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties.  

In brewed coffee beans, fewer than 1% of their beneficial compounds, which include lipids, tocopherols and polyphenols is extracted, leaving the remainder for waste, shared cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos in an interview with New Beauty.  

5. Dried Fruit Seeds

Dried fruit seeds are typically discarded from fruit juice and jam production. Brands are upcycling and utilizing them in extracts, essential oils and other beauty ingredients to benefit from their micronutrients and antioxidant quality.  

Dried fruit is known for containing all the benefits of its fresh counterpart but using far less space. The ingredient is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, containing up to 3.5 times more of these components than fresh fruit. 

In 2021, Forbes reported that The Ugly Company, which upcycled imperfect fruit into dried fruit snacks, stopped almost 142,866 pounds of the fruit from entering landfills in 2020. 

2. Citrus Extracts 

A citrus extract is a concentrated oil from a citrus fruit that is commonly obtained from peels. The citrus class of fruits, which extends to oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits, is known for its high vitamin and mineral content, including vitamins B C and E, potassium and folic acid as well as essential oils.  

Citrus extracts are rich in plant compounds and known for their antiinflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. Industry manufacturers also value citrus seed oil for its antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, with the ingredient often found in medicinal soaps.  

In 2022, recent research has further endorsed the value of citrus waste, including seeds, peels and pomace, in the cosmetics and perfumery space, highlighting its nutrients, bioactive compounds and phytochemicals.  

4. Coconut

Coconut oil is most commonly made by extracting oil from either raw coconuts or dried coconut kernels. It’s recognized for its highly saturated and high fatty acid content as well as its antimicrobial and anti-inflammation properties. Coconut oil is popular in dry skin formulations as it’s known to hydrate and moisturize.  

Haircare products often feature coconut oil as its high absorption properties travel into the hair shaft, help to reduce protein loss and create a healthy appearance. 

1. BYBI 

Vegan, cruelty-free and eco-friendly skincare brand BYBI has formulated 50% of its skin, lip and suncare line with upcycled ingredients.  

BYBI's blueberry and strawberry serums are made from 100% upcycled ingredients, its night cream has over 70% upcycled ingredients and its day moisturizer contains over 50% upcycled ingredients. BYBI’s resurfacing face mask features upcycled pumpkin enzyme. 

Tapping into the food waste stream and sourcing nutrient-dense and effective plant-based ingredients, the brand strives to rescue greenhouse gas emissions, save on the amount of discarded food waste and reduce its overall carbon footprint. The brand has produced an auditing system to quantify its products based on factors including upcycling, renewability, how far it has traveled and ethical sourcing.  

3. Cocokind 

Botanical-forward skincare name, Cocokind, seeks to develop formulas that deliver their intended functions and provide hydration and skin barrier support.  

Upcycling features in the brand's scrubbing clay, which is designed to smooth and brighten the skin while removing dead skin cells. Using repurposed coffee grounds sourced in California to exfoliate, the ingredient is paired with prebiotic chicory root to help feed the skin biome and red clay to cleanse the skin and prevent clogged pores. Cocokind sources and upcycles beans from a coffee shop that are destined for "waste" and uses them to formulate its scrubbing clay.  

5. UpCircle 

The UK-based ethical skincare brand began by upcycling coffee grounds, promoting organic and zero waste.   

UpCircle has since expanded to upcycle blueberry extract, date seeds, fruit waters, maple bark extract, fruit stone, chai spices, chamomile stem, argan shell powder, olive stone powder and kiwi fruit water. To date, UpCircle has turned 450 tonnes of materials into sustainable skincare by upcycling ingredients.  

The brand created new product ranges in 2018, including soap bars from brewed chai tea spices and a face range made with upcycled powdered fruit stones. UpCircle uses 10-plus food and other botanical byproducts, upcycling these into a wide range of 40 product variations, comprising exfoliants, moisturizers, serums and masks. 

2. Three Ships 

The Canada-based natural skincare company sources parts of produce that would often contribute to food waste and repurpose components. Three Ships sought to embrace the circular economy and proceeded to analyze its products’ life cycle to reduce waste and favor renewable resources.  

Three Ships formulates with an upcycled tree bark extract from leftover tree bark from the Canadian lumber industry, which goes through an extraction, filtration and purification process. The brand chose the particular extract, known to be high in polyphenols, as it can help with skin elasticity and hydration and calm irritation indicators such as redness.  

As they strive to reduce waste by finding methods to upcycle ingredients, the brand's upcycled ingredient collection also includes a grape cell extract, squalane, biolin and pentylene glycol. 

4. Kadalys  

The French Caribbean cosmetics products manufacturer repurposes banana peels and pulp to produce extracts. Kadalys sources and extracts actives from bananas and uses their phytosterols, polyphenols, vitamin E, omega-6s and 9s in skincare ingredients to promote positive skin health.   

Using banana bioactive, Kadalys strives to solve the fruit's food waste problem. Every year, around 22 million tonnes of bananas are discarded by consumers and suppliers because they are "ugly" or misshapen, the brand shares. Losses amount to roughly 40% in developing countries.  

The agricultural-waste banana fruit is turned into certified organic and patented active beauty ingredients for products including facial creams, toners, cleansers, facial masks, hair oils and body oils. 

 6. Superzero  

 As part of its product collection, Superzero has repurposed 100% sustainably harvested upcycled charcoal using oak offcuts from the fencing industry and converted them into personal care end-products. 

The zero waste hair care line selects and sources oak and turns it into charcoal, with small charcoal pieces unsuitable for cooking broken up into its component particles. These particles are then sieved to offer skin-friendly benefits, namely skin exfoliation and detoxification.  

Superzero has also launched a solid product format, its hydration and blue light defense hand balm bar. Its vegetable-based formulation features upcycled ingredients like blueberry oil, offering moisturization to the skin and hands.  

Tips for Formulating with Upcycled Beauty Ingredients  

•  Know the inherent value of the upcycled ingredients you are working with.  
• Experiment with possible applications of your chosen upcycled ingredient to find the best formula options. 
• Practice the production process.  
• Ensure you have sufficient quantities of the required materials to meet consumer expectations and demand.   
• Understand your selected ingredients' characteristics, effectiveness and multiple functions. 
• Consider ingredient sourcing and effectiveness, carbon emissions and other sustainable commitments.
• Tie into other key eco-conscious trends, including waterless beauty and DIY beauty.  

At Univar Solutions, we offer a wide variety of ingredients for the beauty and personal care market that are ideal for upcycling beauty concepts and developing conscious formulations.

Contact Us for Formulation Support

Upcycled ingredients are a popular beauty area as the industry looks for ways to become more sustainable.  

Learn more about upcycled beauty formulations and order samples today to create your upcycled beauty products.