Skylar

Packaging

Skylar's fragrance packaging features recyclable glass bottles and caps. The brand uses FSC-certified paper for its product boxes and shipping materials. Packing peanuts used in shipments are nontoxic and biodegradable. In one case, Skylar identified that its original subscription box was over-engineered; they redesigned it to a more streamlined form, saving over 20 tons of paper annually and making it easier for customers to recycle. Additionally, there is innovation in bio-based materials – the tube packaging for Skylar's hand creams is made from a renewable bio-plastic instead of conventional plastic.

Ingredient Sustainability

While Skylar clearly prioritizes safe and eco-friendly ingredients, there is limited public information on sourcing transparency or certifications for their raw materials. They do avoid the worst-offender ingredients (no non-RSPO palm oil, no petrochemical microplastics, no endangered botanicals). However, they do rely on some commodity ingredients (coconut, palm derivatives, etc.). Currently, the brand strikes a good balance but not a perfectly sustainable one. (It is worth noting that by formulating fragrances with mostly synthetics and omitting resource-intensive naturals, Skylar likely prevents issues like deforestation for certain aroma ingredients.

Energy Use and Footprint

In this category, public disclosures about Skylar's carbon footprint and energy use are minimal. Skylar is a relatively small company (founded in 2017 and based in Los Angeles). Skylar manufactures its products domestically in the USA, which means supply chain localization to some extent.

Waste Management

They minimize single-use waste, use recycled and renewable inputs in packaging, ensure most components can be recycled or biodegraded, and have made changes to cut excess material. Still comprehensive information regarding waste management in production is lacking.

Business Model

Skylar's business model walks a line between encouraging conscious consumption and the typical dynamics of the beauty industry. On one hand, Skylar promotes a “slow fragrance” approach in terms of ingredient safety and transparency; on the other hand, the brand does engage customers with regular new product offerings and marketing tactics that drive sales (like subscription and seasonal launches).

Skylar markets itself as a clean, hypoallergenic fragrance brand, and the formulation standards reflect this. The company has a comprehensive “Skylar Safe” ingredient policy developed with a toxicologist, which goes above and beyond even the strict EU cosmetic regulations. The brand explicitly omits a long list of potentially harmful or irritant substances from all products.

In the skincare items (body wash, lotion, etc.), they do use some synthetics like phenoxyethanol as a preservative. Phenoxyethanol has a safe profile in low concentrations, though EWG would rate it moderate hazard (4). Skylar balances this by using naturally derived ethylhexylglycerin to allow a lower phenoxy concentration, and by avoiding anything worse (no formaldehyde releasers, no triclosan, etc.).

Fair labor is an area where Skylar demonstrates general good practices, but mostly by virtue of being a small, domestic brand rather than through explicit programs. We did not find any statements from Skylar about fair trade certifications or direct sourcing partnerships for their ingredients.

Skylar is certified by the Leaping Bunny program and also recognized by PETA as cruelty-free.

The brand has woven philanthropy into its business model from early on, demonstrating a genuine commitment to social causes beyond its immediate industry. Skylar has not shied away from supporting contemporary social movements. Skylar donates a portion of its proceeds each month to a different non-profit organization.