Discover Aveda


The art and science of pure flower and plant essences is the core of Aveda. Our beauty products are alive with the life force of plants, and contain pure essential oils. Our solutions are so powerful we call them Purescriptions™. While we specialize in hair care, we offer other plant-based products—skin care, makeup, pure-fume™, aromas and lifestyle—that are all professionally developed, clinically tested, and go to exceptional lengths to be respectful of the earth. Our professional network, nearly 7,000 salons and spas worldwide, shares our commitment. Ever since a hairdresser founded Aveda in 1978, our products have been harvested with respect for the earth, in harmony with the web of life.

Aveda: connecting beauty, environment and well-being.



choose a topic below:

Vision

connecting beauty, environment and well-being.

Mission

Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world.

beliefs

1. We believe in treating ourselves,each other, and the planet with care and respect.

2. We believe social responsibility is our responsibility.

3. We believe ecological and profit goals are mutually achievable.

4. We believe our authenticity and experience are our points of difference.

5. We believe in inspiring and educating people to integrate wellness and beauty in their lives.

6. We believe in the power of oneness: from our global image to a focused network.

7. We believe learning never ends.

8. We believe in encouraging innovation and empowered decision-making.

9. We believe our actions, products and services should always embody excellence.

10. We believe personal and organizational balance is the key to sustainable success.

11. We believe true leadership is delivered with passion and by example.
5,000 Years of Results Our earliest roots lie in Ayurveda, the Indian healing tradition based on the knowledge of life and the interconnectedness of all things. It has proven, over 5,000 years, that treating the whole person leads to greater balance and well-being, so we consider the effects of our products not only on hair or skin, but on body, mind and emotion.

Our relationship with Ayurveda began in 1978, thanks to two renowned Ayurvedic physicians and scholars, Drs. Vinod and Kusum Upadhyay. Globally sought for their expertise in Ayurvedic medicine, pharmacology, botanical research and aromatherapy, they brought 1,000s of years of Vedic and Ayurvedic tradition to bear on Aveda's work. Their guidance first helped us identify botanical actives for our products, allowed us to pioneer “functional aromas”(with our Chakra™ Balancing Blends), and helped us launch innovative, powerful plant derived formulas such as Outer Peace™ Acne Relief skin care.



ayurvedic roots

Ayurveda is an ancient holistic system of healing that strives to create balance in body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda means “the science of life” and it has been central to Aveda since the very beginning, when we partnered with the Ayurvedic Doctors Vinod and Kusum Upadhyay*.

*Maharshi Bhardwaj Clinic and Research Centre in Haridwar, India.

In keeping with Ayurvedic principles—and because of our concern for the Earth—Aveda is committed to using organic ingredients. This has led to another Ayurvedic partnership—between Aveda and the Indian firm, Nisarga.

Nisarga—which means “nature” in Sanskrit—grows Ayurvedic herbs with organic agriculture. We have partnered with them to obtain organic turmeric and amla for use in some of our products.

Nisarga employs an environmentally friendly extraction method using CO2, which leaves no toxic residues and works at a lower temperature—yielding highly potent extracts.

Because of the company's concern about the dangers of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Nisarga works to encourage farmers to convert to organic agriculture. They have held regular educational seminars for about 35,000 farmers over the years, convincing many to go organic. Nisarga pays the organic certification costs for the farmers they partner with and also provides educational support to help make the conversion successful.

heritage

acting responsibly

we believe there is no responsible alternative to doing business other than through the pursuit of environmental sustainability and this belief guides every decision we make. we find inspiration for doing so in nature and believe that nature is not merely something to be cherished and protected, but also should be emulated as a model of sustainability. we also believe that profit and environmental responsibility will increasingly work together as more industries find out that "nature works" for both sustainability and the bottom-line.
* Bottles and jars. **Per a review of WWD Beauty Report International Top 100 Cosmetic Manufacturers' Corporate Websites in April 2007.
environmental health and safety
Aveda is proud to be recertified as a MNSTAR workplace!
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cradle to cradle
In support of our mission "to care for the world we live in" Aveda has embraced the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) concept and philosophy as a key element of acting responsibly.
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aveda cares
Over the past decade, we've partnered with nonprofit organizations whose work supports our commitment to social and environmental improvement.
earth fund »
community care policy »
renewable energy
We're proud to be the first beauty company manufacturing with 100% certified wind power.** Our wind energy purchases offset 100% of the energy used by our primary manufacturing facility in Minnesota, our company headquarters and the Aveda Institute Minneapolis.
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responsible packaging
We are proud to be the first beauty company with 100% post consumer recycled PET for skin care and hair styling.* With every package we develop, we're mindful of our environmental footprint and work to minimize our packaging and maximize our use of recyclable and post-consumer recycled materials.
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earth and community care report
In 1989, we were the first privately held company to sign the CERES Principles (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies). Today, we continue to strive to improve our practices and commit to publicly sharing our results.
2010 Report »
2008 Report »
environmental policy »
aveda and the yawanawa
The yawanawa people, growers of the beautiful, red-orange Brazilian urukum seeds, work as a community, toward growth and renewal with support from Aveda.
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rose and lavender from bulgaria
aveda's partnership with enio bonchev, a bulgarian rose and lavender oil distillery, ensures the romi people's fair treatment and compensation.
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ingredient sourcing

Journey with us—to trace Aveda's ingredients back to the farm or harvesting co-op. We call it Soil to BottleSM, and we do it to ensure fair compensation throughout the process.

Aveda develops close working partnerships with certain communities and/or suppliers and seeks to use them as our primary source for specific ingredients. We frequently reference these relationships in our promotional materials. However, sometimes due to conditions beyond our control (e.g., drought, pests, and capacity limitations) these communities and/or suppliers are unable to meet our needs for an ingredient, including being unable to supply some or all of it. When such situations occur, Aveda uses additional suppliers to provide high-quality alternative sources until we are able to resume sourcing from the primary supplier.
cistus from spain
spanish cistus extract is essential to aveda—like the people who harvest this certified organic plant. our relationships with local andalucian village inhabitants have helped create an earth-friendly cistus practice.
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argan from morocco
moroccan women are saving the argan tree from the encroaching desert. we help them determine their future, and protect the trees upon which they depend.
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lokta bark paper from nepal
at the top of the world in the himalayas of nepal, things are changing for the better for many families, and the forests as well.
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ayurvedic roots of turmeric and amla
we get turmeric—known for its effectiveness in ayurveda—from the Indian firm nisarga (which means “nature” in sanskrit). our partnership with nisarga is helping them to convert more farmland to organic—which is better for the earth, the farmers—all of us.
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get an organic boost from the acacia
sacred in ancient mesopotamia, the acacia tree is a centuries-old source of nourishment and beauty. our scientists discovered that that gum of the acacia tree is also a natural thickener, perfect for fine hair. aveda purchases certified organic acacia gum to help thicken and volumize fine hair.
learn more in our ingredient glossary »
sandalwood from australia
our purchase of wild australian sandalwood oil from the indigenous harvesters—historically underpaid by others—has resulted in fair pay for their product.
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ingredients

our green ingredient promise at aveda, we continually strive to increase our use of naturally derived ingredients, i.e. those in which more than 50% of the molecule comes from a plant, non-petroleum mineral, or other natural source, like water. we set other standards for use, too, like avoiding certain types of processing.

Our standards have made us a pioneer in the green cosmetics world: now more than 90% of our essential oils and 89% of our raw herbal ingredients* are certified organic.
* By tonnage.
green ingredients
Discover how we connect our mission with product development by sourcing ingredients from traditional communities around the world.
green ingredient policy »
ingredient glossary »
ingredient faq »
clean water for indian villages

Aveda learned that two villages, near the organic farm that supplies organic turmeric to aveda, experienced water shortages and contamination during the summer seasons. this led us to partner with global greengrants fund to help the communities address their water problems.

learn more >>
breast cancer health tips
Do this for yourself and everyone you love Simple life style changes and routine doctor visits can make all the difference. Early detection saves lives.
the end of animal testing
We never have, and never will conduct animal testing on our products, and we tirelessly promote alternative methods to end all animal testing in the beauty industry.
recycle caps with aveda
Our cap recycling program helps extend the current boundaries of recycling and invites participation from all corners of our community.
japan earthquake and tsunami
Aveda is supporting the recovery and rebuilding efforts in Japan, you can help too. 
breast cancer awareness
aveda cares about those affected by breast cancer,
which is why we donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each special edition Hand Relief™ product to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®

aveda cares about our environment
and the animals we share it with, so donations from Aveda are used to fund cruelty-free research.

together we are making a difference.
Since 2004, Aveda has contributed over $2.4 million to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®.
learn more >>
earth month 2013
want to help? here's how
CLEAN WATER CHANGES LIVES
 In honor of Earth Day, Aveda has set aside a whole month to love, celebrate and raise funds to protect the earth and its peoples. We've raised more than $26 million since 1999. Over the last 6 years $20 million of the funds supported clean water projects at home and around the world. Please join us in reaching our goal of $5 million.



learn more »
watch the video »
aveda earth month 2012 results »
make every month earth month
There are many simple things you can do to help protect clean water. Here are a few of our favorites:

Support Organic Farming
Runoff from conventional farming contains nutrients and pesticides that pollute the fresh water supplies into which they empty. In many places this is the largest source of water pollution. Organic farming is healthier for our water supply*.

Conserve Electricity
Every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of traditional electricity that we use takes about 2 gallons of fresh water** to make. Conserving electricity-and opting for renewable energy-saves water, too.

Eat Less Meat
Skip meat one day a week. It takes 5,000 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat***.

*United Nations Environment Programme: “Global Environment Outlook,” February 2009,
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/quality.shtml

**River Network: “Clean Energy.” www.rivernetwork.org/clean-energy

***Eating well: “6 Reasons to Eat Less Meat.”
http://www.eatingwell.com/food_news_
origins/green_sustainable/6_reasons_
to_eat_less_meat
connect with your local earth month clean water partners
 Interested in learning more about clean water issues in your area? Find your local Earth Month Partner organization and stay involved all year. To see a map of projects supported by local partners
Click here