Sustainable Skincare: How Pharmacopia is Helping the Earth

We’re proud that Pharmacopia has been a pioneer in sustainability since our humble beginnings over 25 years ago in Founder Lisa Levin’s organic garden. Long before “clean beauty” became a trend, Pharmacopia has been committed to creating products that are safe for both consumers and the planet. 

Here are 5 key initiatives that we’ve implemented—and are committed to moving forward—to promote the health of you and our planet:

1. We’re committed to sustainability. Sustainability is a commitment to the Earth that we take very seriously at Pharmacopia. Our mission has always been to produce plant-based products that are better for you and better for the health of our environment. 

When we launched in 1999, we chose aluminum bottles and glass jars—long before eco-friendly packaging was in the spotlight. Today, we proudly use 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic for all our hotel amenities and retail-sized bottles, ensuring that every package has a positive impact on the Earth—and reduces our carbon footprint.

Plus, ingredients in our products are grown and harvested using the most sustainable practices possible.

2. We use only plant-based, natural ingredients. We know that what you put on your skin and hair is important to you—that’s why choosing natural, non-toxic ingredients is our priority (and has been since Day One). 

We use only vegan ingredients that are primarily organic and always free from harmful chemicals. By focusing on clean, nature-derived components, Pharmacopia products nourish skin and scalp, soothe and protect sensitive skin, and hydrate deeply without compromising on safety or efficacy.

What this means for you:

🚫We never use parabens or phthalates. These man-made chemicals in many personal care products (but not ours!) have been linked in studies to a disruption of the endocrine system. This system regulates the hormones in the body.

🚫We never use synthetic colors or fragrances. There’s no reason to use potentially harmful dyes in any personal care products—which is why we don’t. And since synthetic fragrances can contain phthalates, we avoid these too when formulating all our plant-based products. That’s why the scents in our Citrus, Verbena, and Hyatt Hotels Argan Oil Collections, and in our Lip Elixir, are natural and derived from straight-from-the-Earth essential oils.

🚫We never use sodium lauryl sulfate. This harsh cleansing agent, found in many shampoos and conditioners, can not only strip hair of its natural oils, it can also leave the scalp dry and irritated. All Pharmacopia Shampoos and Conditioners (as well as all our products) are sodium lauryl sulfate free.

All these steps ensure that our better-for-you body care products are safe for you (adults and children), your pets (yes, our shampoos are safe for pets, too!), and the Earth.

3. We’re committed to reducing single-use plastics. From our inception, Pharmacopia has prioritized sustainable packaging solutions. We use 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic in our retail-sized bottles sitewide. 

As a result, we’re able to upcycle and divert over 150 tons of plastic (that’s about the size and weight of a giant blue whale!) from landfills every year instead of using new plastic. This helps to significantly reduce waste.

What’s more: all of our plastic bottles are BPA free and can be recycled again. These are all important factors to keep in mind when reducing your own carbon footprint. When you buy and use products made from post-consumer recycled packaging—and then recycle the containers again—you’re reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills. 

Also part of our commitment: we eliminate unnecessary packaging like boxes. Plus, our Body Bar—which comes in all of our loved scents: Citrus, Verbena, and Mint Argan—is packaged simply in a paper wrapper, which also saves on plastic packaging. Plus, we offer refillable products. We created our gallon-size Verbena and Argan Oil Better-for-You Body Care Products to allow for easy refilling of our retail-sized containers once they’re empty. The less plastic you use, the lower your own carbon footprint will be!

4. Our better-for-you formulas are biodegradable. Pharmacopia ensures that our products are not only effective but also environmentally friendly. By formulating biodegradable products, we guarantee that our products break down naturally once they go down your drain, reducing pollution and safeguarding our ecosystems. 

None of our products utilize any ingredients that could contaminate the water, soil, and air. By not using synthetic ingredients, like those derived from petroleum (such as petrolatum, mineral oil, and toluene), we’re reducing the usage of fossil fuels. When fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the air. These greenhouse gasses trap heat in our atmosphere, contributing to global warming. 

Plant-based ingredients don’t do this, so by using plant-based beauty, you’re helping to support products that support a healthier Earth. Our goal is to ensure our products are as kind to the planet as they are to you!

5. We’ve been vegan and cruelty-free from the beginning. Animal welfare is a cornerstone of our ethical standards. We love animals and firmly stand against animal testing, ensuring that all our products are vegan and cruelty-free. We allow enthusiastic humans to try (and love) all of our products!

At Pharmacopia, we believe there is no need to use animal ingredients for beauty—which is why we have been producing 100% vegan products since we started. Since there are so many great options for plant-derived ingredients that are kind to animals, we’ve always believed in making the better choice. This includes:

• Shea butter in our Body Lotions and Body Bars

• Jojoba oil in our Shampoos, Conditioners, Body Lotions, and Lip Elixir 

• Aloe vera in almost all of our products 

• Coconut oil in our Shampoos and Body Washes

This is why we’ve had the “Beauty without Bunnies” seal from PETA for 20+ years, a stamp of approval we are so proud of!

Through all these initiatives, Pharmacopia has had an unwavering commitment to the planet that has been setting the standard for sustainability for 25 years. Thank you for being part of it!