Who Did You Interview?
- Lim - Friend
Demographics That Might Provide Helpful Context for Their Responses
- Residing in Jeonju, South Korea
- Born in 2000
- Student at Korea University - Majoring in Physics
Key Findings from the Interview
#1. How important is the environmental impact of cosmetics when choosing a product?
→ I don't think about it much. I consider product performance to be much more important than sustainability.
#2. Are there any specific ingredients or practices in the cosmetics industry that you consider unsustainable or harmful to the environment?
→ Now that I think about it, all cosmetic containers are made of plastic. I know that plastic takes a really long time to decompose, so it doesn't seem good from a sustainability perspective.
#3. What are the barriers or difficulties you face when trying to find and purchase sustainable cosmetics?
→ I haven't really purchased cosmetics with this perspective before, but if I were to look for sustainable cosmetics, it would probably be quite challenging. Many cosmetic manufacturers seem to give little thought to environmental aspects, so there might be limited options for sustainable cosmetics, making it difficult to find them.
#4. Do you trust claims about sustainability efforts by cosmetics brands? What are your reasons for trusting or not trusting them?
→ I don't trust them much. Of course, it could be because I am unaware of these perspectives, but from what I see, many cosmetic brands still seem to use unsustainable ingredients. Therefore, I don't have much trust in their claims.
#5. Are there any certifications or labels that you specifically look for when purchasing sustainable cosmetics? What are the reasons for this?
→ I haven't purchased such cosmetics before, so there aren't any specific ones that I look for.
#6. How do you balance your desire for sustainable cosmetics with other factors such as price and effectiveness?
→ I understand that products made with consideration for the environment incur additional costs. Therefore, creating sustainable cosmetics would involve higher costs, which would translate into higher selling prices. However, if we care about the environment, we should be willing to bear some of these costs. Nevertheless, despite the higher price, to encourage more purchases of sustainable cosmetics compared to regular cosmetics, they should maintain competitiveness in terms of performance and quality.
#7. Do you have any sustainable packaging practices that you consider important in relation to cosmetics?
→ Since there are people around us who have a particular interest in the environment, it would be beneficial to clearly indicate if a product is made with sustainable practices. Additionally, if someone is interested in such cosmetics, they would likely want to avoid plastic. In that case, finding alternative materials to replace plastic would be necessary. If such materials are used, I would prefer those kinds of cosmetics.