A Message to Curology from its Members - 

We are formally requesting that Curology replace the plastic packaging of its products and/or provide a sustainable option to send plastic bottles back to be recycled and reused. As a leading company in the skincare industry, we expect Curology to implement any necessary changes to reduce the enormous carbon footprint that is collectively being created by the Curology community. We love the products that Curology creates, but we do not support the fact that its plastic packaging is contributing to the environmental problems that pollution and plastic continue to exacerbate every day. 

While Curology encourages its members to recycle their plastic bottles, recycling alone is not enough! The recycling system is broken, meaning that even if Curology members all placed their plastic bottles in the recycling, they would not all actually be recycled properly. Plastic ends up in our waterways and breaks into microplastics that make their way into our ecosystem and the food that we eat. To combat the plastic problem that we face, we cannot rely on recycling. We need to take drastic steps to reduce our plastic production and use. 

Curology’s Plastic Footprint

If one Curology customer receives their cleanser, moisturizer, and prescription bottles every two months, that customer will discard a total of 18 plastic Curology bottles and 6 plastic bags that those bottles ship inside every year. Not every Curology customer orders all three of these products every two months, but when these numbers are expanded to just half of the people who are in Curology’s Facebook group - which currently has 11,512 members - this comes to a total of 103,608 plastic bottles and 34,536 plastic bags that only half of Curology’s members are discarding in one year. By switching to more sustainable alternatives in its packaging, Curology would make a tremendous impact on the amount of plastic that collects in landfills and is improperly recycled. 

Sustainable Alternatives to Consider

Below are some sustainable alternatives that members of the Curology Facebook group have discussed and urge Curology to consider. Each option is listed with the potential pros and cons that could accompany it. 

Replace Plastic Bottles with Glass Bottles

Potential Pros:

• Much easier to recycle glass than plastic in most cases
• Glass bottles could be reused for other purposes once the product has been used

Potential Cons:

• Price increase for customers since the weight of glass would increase shipping costs
• Increase in necessary packaging to ensure glass doesn’t break during shipping
• Glass is not recyclable in all locations

Replace Plastic Bottles with Aluminum Bottles

Potential Pros: 

• Much easier to recycle aluminum than plastic in most cases
• Lighter weight than glass to ensure shipping costs don’t increase as much, keeping prices lower for customers

Potential Cons:

• Current shortage of aluminum could make it difficult for this to be a possible option

Implement a Bottle Return Program

Potential Pros:

• Could offer this for any bottle material (plastic, glass, or aluminum)
• Curology takes care of recycling for customers to ensure bottles are recycled properly
• Could be offered as an option for customers who are able to pay extra to ship bottles back, but not everyone has to send their bottles back if they do not want to pay this fee

Potential Cons:

• Increase in prices for customers since Curology would have to clean bottles and pay for shipping both ways (however, this could be optional and customers can choose whether they participate)

With Curology’s Superbottle containing a prescription, please note that some of these options may not be possible for that product specifically. However, changes in the packaging of Curology’s Cleanser, Moisturizer, Acne Body Wash, and Emergency Spot Patches would create a huge decrease in discarded plastic.  

**Note to Curology Customers: Unfortunately, accessibility is a huge issue when discussing sustainable alternatives. Not all of these options necessarily work for every Curology customer. With that being said, please use your voice in the comments when signing this petition! Tell Curology which option you prefer so that Curology can have a better idea about which option might work best for their customers.**

Final Message

We expect Curology to be at the forefront of the skincare industry when it comes to sustainability. Curology needs to prove that it is striving to make our planet safer and healthier by replacing its plastic packaging and/or offering a sustainable bottle return program. We truly hope that Curology takes this petition and the feedback from its customers into consideration.