Ethics in European Cosmetics

Europe is home to the biggest names in beauty: L'Oréal and Chanel in France, Beiersdorf (Nivea) in Germany, L'Occitane out of Provence. Under the EU's strict cosmetics rules, all of them face tighter limits on ingredients, animal testing and packaging waste than brands elsewhere.

But the labels tell only part of the story. This list looks at how European makers actually compare on sustainable sourcing, recyclable packaging and corporate ethics, so you can tell genuine commitment from green marketing.