Packaging
Full-size products come in durable glass bottles/jars with reusable pumps or sprayers, and the brand avoids single-use boxes or plastic fillers. Instead of replacing the bottle each time, customers buy refill pouches to replenish their skincare. These thin multi-layer pouches (plastic/aluminum) use only a few grams of material: 75% less plastic waste than a new bottle with cap/pump, and ~99% lower transport CO₂ emissions due to their light weight and compact size. The pouches are not curbside-recyclable, but Activist mitigates this by partnering with Terracycle (a specialty recycler) to take back used pouches so they don’t end up in landfills. Shipments to customers are plastic-free (100% paper-based packaging and tape, no bubble wrap). Activist also experimented with certified compostable pouches, but these failed to preserve the products (moisture loss issues) and are not yet viable.
Ingredient Sustainability
The vast majority of these ingredients are renewable, plant-derived materials. Many botanical components are organically grown or wildcrafted, and some even utilize upcycled sources (for example, the grape seed oil comes as a byproduct of the wine industry). Activist explicitly avoids ingredients linked to deforestation or biodiversity loss: they use no palm oil except for RSPO-certified derivatives, and eschew rare botanicals like sandalwood or frankincense in favor of widely available herbs (e.g. lavender, chamomile).
A handful of synthetic ingredients are used for functionality (such as the emulsifier Di-PPG-2 Myreth-10 Adipate in cleansers, or lab-made vitamins and peptides in serums). These lab-created substances do rely on industrial chemistry. For instance, the emulsifier is petroleum-derived and its manufacture involves ethoxylation (which can generate trace 1,4-dioxane, a toxin). Activist mitigates this by sourcing from a reputable supplier (Croda) that purifies the ingredient; tests show their cleansers contain 1,4-dioxane at under 0.5 ppm, well below safety limits. While such synthetics are not naturally renewable, they are present in low concentrations and chosen for being non-toxic and biodegradable in use. The formulas contain no persistent microplastics, PFAS “forever chemicals,” or other environmentally hazardous synthetics. Even preservatives are plant-derived (e.g. sodium anisate from basil, sodium levulinate from corn) and are readily degradable alternatives to parabens.
Energy Use and Footprint
Activist Skincare is a local, small-batch operation deliberately designed to minimize energy use and carbon emissions. All formulation and filling is done in-house in Southern California, eliminating the need for energy-intensive contract manufacturing or global factory supply chains. The production lab and office are small-scale and even home-based for some work, which keeps electricity and heating/cooling demands low.
In terms of carbon accounting and renewable energy, as a very small company Activist has not yet undertaken formal emissions tracking or third-party carbon-neutral certification. They acknowledge that these certification processes can burden small businesses, and instead their strategy has been to “avoid emissions wherever possible” from the start rather than retrofit or offset later. For example, the refill system significantly cuts shipping-related emissions (as noted, ~115× less CO₂ per refill vs. a glass bottle cycle). However, the brand does not currently document its total carbon footprint or use purchased carbon offsets, and it hasn’t set publicly quantified reduction targets.
Waste Management
Packaging waste is addressed via the refill model – customers reuse the glass bottles indefinitely, and the refill pouches drastically cut down packaging volume entering the waste stream. By reusing pumps, sprayers and jars (components that are usually discarded), the brand reports an over 80% reduction in plastic usage per product lifecycle. For the necessary refill pouch waste, Activist offers a take-back program: customers can return empty pouches which the company sends to Terracycle or similar programs for specialized recycling.
Within the production facility, the company has implemented low-waste practices at every step. They mix and fill in small batches on demand, avoiding overproduction. In fact, with an evergreen product line and no seasonal launches, they report zero excess inventory or unsold waste. In the lab, single-use plastic is kept to a minimum: equipment is washable and reusable (only sterile pipettes are disposable for safety). Incoming packaging and raw material containers are reused when possible (e.g. repurposing supplier bottles and buckets for storage) or recycled properly. They even reuse shipping materials from suppliers for their own outbound wholesale orders, extending the life of boxes and padding and cutting down new waste. Any plastic bags from ingredient shipments and any returned refill pouches are diverted to Terracycle/Ridwell, as noted, rather than thrown away.
Business Model
Activist Skincare’s business model is built around slow, sustainable consumption rather than fast-paced product turnover. The company offers a tightly curated line of products (essentially one comprehensive routine in a few variants) instead of constantly releasing new collections. As of now, their core catalog is just 7-8 products (cleansers, a toner, two serums, an oil, and a sunscreen). This evergreen product range means they avoid the industry’s seasonal product dumps or trend-chasing launches that often lead to waste and short product lifespans. Each formula they sell has a clear purpose in the regimen, and customers are encouraged to find what suits them and stick with it, rather than buying superfluous items. The brand explicitly prides itself on formulating only high-quality essentials and “no cheap fillers” or redundant products.
