The eco guide to naked cosmetics | Lucy Siegle

Minimal packaging, no synthetic preservatives - but are 'naked' cosmetics any good?

In my continued effort to experiment with green living, I'm trying naked cosmetics. I've traded in over-engineered pump-action pots for slices of soap wrapped in paper, and chunks of "solid" shampoo in reusable tins.

I'd have liked to have spread my experiment around various brands, but when it comes to solid beauty there's only one serious player on the high street: Lush. What it lacks in sophistication the brand makes up for in non-conformism - 35% of the product range is deemed "naked", devoid of both synthetic preservatives and packaging. Lush says that last year it displaced more than 15m plastic bottles through global sales of its shampoo bar.