What if the real reason the beauty industry can’t become truly sustainable… is emotional?
In this honest and eye-opening episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier – Chartered Environmentalist, Biologist and CEO of Formula Botanica – explores the hidden engine behind overconsumption: the way beauty marketing makes us feel about ourselves.
In part three of her exclusive 4-part series, Lorraine challenges the idea that we can achieve sustainability while still selling products by preying on people’s insecurities.
From teenage TikTok skincare trends to shame-based slogans masked as empowerment, this episode uncovers the uncomfortable truth at the heart of beauty’s business model – and what needs to change if we want real, lasting transformation.
If you missed the previous episode on why “sustainable” has become a buzzword with no backbone, be sure to catch up. Because this week, we’re diving even deeper into the emotional core of unsustainable beauty.
“You can’t build a sustainable industry on the foundation of self-loathing.” — Lorraine Dallmeier
Key takeaways:
- Why beauty’s emotional impact matters for sustainability. Lorraine explores how feelings of inadequacy drive overconsumption and why buying “eco” products still supports an unsustainable model if that purchase is rooted in shame or self-doubt.
- How shame-based marketing fuels the infinite consumption loop. From anti-ageing ads to 12-step teenage skincare routines, Lorraine examines how beauty normalises the message: you need fixing. And that narrative keeps people endlessly buying, even under the guise of sustainability.
- Why ‘care over correction’ is a revolutionary shift. Lorraine offers an alternative: beauty as care, ritual, and joy, not as a tool for self-critique. This mindset supports cosmetic autonomy and helps break the cycle of emotional manipulation and product dependence.
- The problem with micro-optimisation in sustainability efforts. While the industry debates recyclability and packaging standards, it often avoids addressing its deeper emotional and structural flaws. Lorraine argues that true sustainability means rethinking the entire consumption model, not just tinkering around the edges.
- What brands and consumers can do differently. The key to change? Ask yourself: do I want this, or have I been made to feel I need it? Lorraine shares practical, empowering advice for indie brands and individuals to lead with integrity – not insecurity.
Next week, in her final episode of this short series, Lorraine will explore what’s next for the future of beauty. Make sure you tune in!
Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Lorraine Dallmeier is a Biologist, Chartered Environmentalist and the CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetic science school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica Team.
