Eco-values & Sustainability
Happy Earth Month!
Every day is Earth Day at aos!
Full Circle Beauty - it's how we do everything.
We strive to create more beauty in everything we touch, from our products to the communities that grow our ingredients. "Full Circle Beauty", is the way we approach our business. We continuously evaluate every aspect, every processes and product formula to determine if we can create less waste, lower our carbon footprint and make choices that create more beauty in the world, instead of destroying and littering our planet.
We ask ourselves questions like: Is this the most sustainable and effective thing we can buy? Can we reuse it? Recycle it? Donate it? Is this ingredient the most effective for this formula? Can we find a better source? A more organically grown or sustainable source? Is choosing to purchase this ingredient doing more harm than good to the planet and the community that's near the source? If so, can we find a better alternative? We ask these questions about everything, from the tape we use in shipping, to our packaging to the energy we power our building with.
We've implemented these practices so far and are working on several more:
- SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
- BOTTLE RETURN + RECYCLING
- NON-GMO + ORGANIC + BIODYNAMIC INGREDIENTS
- WIND POWER
- SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING
- CHEMICAL FREE
- WE KEEP IT LOCAL
- ZERO WASTE
Sustainable Packaging
Our goal is to eliminate the use of Virgin Plastic and we've converted all of our plastic screw-on lids to metal ones.
In mid-2022, we began our "Less Plastic Pledge", replacing all of our lotion pumps with metal screw on lids. We offer the plastic pumps separately and encourage everyone to reuse their pumps from one bottle to the next. By taking the "Less Plastic Pledge", you've already saved several hundred plastic pumps! Nice work!
Our Broad Spectrum Sunshade Lotion is the only product we bottle in plastic and the rest is in glass or recyclable tins.
We use 100% FSC paper, and recycled paperboard boxes, but we don't stop there...
Bottle & Lid Return Program
Bring in your (clean) used aos glass bottles, jars, lids, pumps and sprayers.
BOTTLE REUSE: We sterilize the bottles and jars and put them right back into production!
LID RECYCLING: We've also partnered with Terracycle, an amazing organization that recycles materials that aren't accepted in our local recycling. We collect all the plastic lids, pumps and sprayers that you return and ship them off to Terracycle, where they turn them into fun things like park benches!
PRODUCT BOXES: Our product boxes have a lot of important information printed on them (like directions, ingredients and our company story). All that information is also available on our website, so when you visit our Bend store, we give you the choice to leave the box with us to reuse.
*Fun Stat: Last year, we reused over 1,000 glass bottles and jars. We're looking forward to beating that number this year!
Non-GMO + Organic + Biodynamic Ingredients
Organic and biodynamic farming are focused on using healthy and sustainable farming methods to grow nutrient dense food and herbs. We choose each ingredient very carefully, ensuring that it's grown sustainably and with care. By supporting small, organic farms and Fair Trade cooperatives and working towards zero-waste production, we create beauty from the ground up. Every ingredient in our luxuriously effective, small-batch formulations is sustainably grown and harvested to support our “full-circle beauty” philosophy.
No Animal Testing Ever and Nearly-Vegan
With the exception of raw honey, beeswax and cochinael extract (from microscopic "bug"), we use No animal by products, we’ve never tested on animals and our ingredients are kind to coral reefs and wildlife as we do not use synthetic dyes, fragrances or chemical sunscreens. Our honey and beeswax come from local farms who love their bees and treat them like family.
Wind Power
While our building isn't situated for solar power, we pay a little extra to purchase wind power for all of our electrical needs through the Blue Sky program offered by our power company.
Shipping
Obviously we recycle everything possible, but did you know we also reuse the packaging our ingredients and packaging arrive in? We use it to store and ship items everyday. If you see non-recyclable items like peanuts or bubble wrap in your package from us, we've passed something along to extend its use. Please reuse it too!
Chemical Free
We make most of our own cleaners, or purchase natural, biodegradable ones for our facilities.
Keeping it Local
We source from as many local businesses and farms as possible. Our product boxes are made by a small family-owned and run company just a few hours away. The honey-sweet lavender essential oil and hydrosol you find in many of our products is organically grown and distilled fresh by our friends at Tumalo Lavender Farm. All literature- printed just a few minutes away. Keeping our business local keeps our "carbon footprint" down by reducing the fuel it requires to ship things and keeps our money in the local economy.
I love building community with our business! We make friends for life and we love knowing that we're supporting people we care about- not just faceless corporations.
Zero Waste
Our goal is to eliminate waste in every aspect of our business. While creating zero waste isn't physically possible, trying to is a daily practice for all of us at aos and we're always looking for new ways to reduce waste.
Have a great idea for us?
Please let us know! We're always open to hearing your ideas!
Angelina Swanson is the founder and chief formulator at aos [ angelina organic skincare ]. A self-described plant chemistry nerd, she's spent more than thirty years researching and developing skincare formulas that keep our skin healthy and radiant.
