Yesterday, according to report, L’Oréal Paris, Neutrogena, Nivea Q10 and Eucerin — from L’Oréal, Kenvue and Beiersdorf — are among brands starting to use the EcoBeautyScore online in some European markets, in the wake of greenwashing and mounting consumer demands for transparency.
The move comes amid intensifying consumer scrutiny and growing concerns over greenwashing.
Developed over three years by the EcoBeautyScore Association, a nonprofit coalition of more than 70 cosmetics and personal care companies, the scoring system offers a standardized, science-based method to assess and communicate a product’s environmental footprint. Based on the European Union’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, the EcoBeautyScore rates products from A to E, evaluating their impact on land, water, and air throughout the entire lifecycle — from ingredient sourcing and packaging to usage and disposal.
The label currently covers four product categories — shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and face care — and is already being applied to products. For instance, L’Oréal Paris Age Expertise received a B rating, Neutrogena Anti-Pickel+ Liquid Exfoliant scored an A, while Neutrogena Hydro Boost was given a C.
“EcoBeautyScore gives the beauty industry the transparency tool it has long been missing,” said Jean-Baptiste Massignon, Managing Director of the EcoBeautyScore Association. “For the first time, brands can communicate their environmental impact in a way that is science-based, consistent, and easy for consumers to understand.”
This launch responds to a significant shift in consumer behavior. The association noted that more than $150 billion is expected to be spent on beauty and personal care products in Europe this year, but half of European consumers remain skeptical of brands’ sustainability claims.
The EcoBeautyScore initiative aims to fill this trust gap by enabling companies to access detailed environmental data through a user-friendly platform, regardless of their sustainability maturity. “It’s encouraging to see pioneering companies begin publishing their scores; it marks an important milestone of collective openness and accountability,” Massignon added.
First announced in early 2022, the EcoBeautyScore Consortium brought together 36 major beauty companies and industry associations from across four continents — including Estée Lauder Companies, Unilever, Coty, Amorepacific, LVMH, Natura & Co., and others — in a shared commitment to sustainability and consumer trust.
The EcoBeautyScore label will begin appearing on product packaging in Europe by late 2025 and will gradually roll out to other regions and more product categories worldwide.
