How much money do you spend on makeup and other beauty products? Too much, right? But what do you know about how those products impact our environment and thus our planet?
The beauty industry grows exponentially every year thanks to the fast development of new products. But that fast development also means a negative impact on our planet. It’s not a secret that the beauty industry is notorious for its disregard of how much they pollute and negatively impact the environment, not to mention all the unethical practices, cruelty, and animal testing.
Thankfully, as an individual, you have the opportunity to reduce the negative impact on our planet by choosing to make your beauty routine more sustainable. If that’s something you’re interested in, here are the ways to go green and eco-friendly with your makeup routine.
1. Use eco-friendly brands
Eco-friendly makeup and beauty brands are those that use organic and natural ingredients, as well as recycled and thoughtful packaging. You won’t have problems finding a brand like this. There aren’t many eco-friendly brands, but they are growing slowly.
If you want to switch to a more sustainable beauty routine, using eco-friendly brands is the right way to go. You can start by switching gradually, one product at a time. At first, incorporate just one eco-friendly product of your choosing and then slowly build up.
2. Sustainable beauty packaging
If you’re not completely ready to switch to eco-friendly brands yet, at least try looking for products that come in sustainable packaging. Most beauty and makeup brands love using plastic for their containers and packaging. And while plastic is recyclable, it still contributes to problematic plastic waste.
Instead, look for brands that use glass, aluminium, and similar sustainable and recyclable packaging options. In recent years, bamboo packaging has emerged as a new type of packaging material that is there to replace metal and plastic. Bamboo is renewable. It can be recycled and is also fully biodegradable.
3. Reduce consumption
Before going shopping for new makeup or other beauty products, check what you already have in your stash at home. We often buy products that we don’t need, or we already have. Therefore, those products accumulate and create unnecessary waste.
For example, if you have lash extensions, you don’t need mascara, so don’t buy one. It’s ok to have a variety of makeup, but only if you use it. Otherwise, you don’t need that extra lipstick if you won’t use it.
Cutting down on products and living by that “less is more” philosophy is what will make your beauty routine more sustainable and save our planet in the long run.
4. Recycle and reuse
To go a step further and truly make your beauty routine sustainable, you should recycle and reuse what you can. Once you’ve used up a product, be eco-conscious and safely get rid of it.
Materials that can be recycled, such as glass, plastic, or cardboard should be disposed of appropriately in their respective bins. If you have a mix of materials such as glass and plastic, make sure you separate them before disposing of them.
There will also be materials and packaging that you’ll be able to reuse. There are many refillable packs available on the market, so you won’t have to buy the whole pack, instead, only refill.
5. Stay away from disposable products
As you may know, disposable products such as cotton pads, makeup wipes, and other similar items are bad for the environment because they contain materials that are not easily biodegradable. Materials such as polyester and polypropylene create waste and unnecessarily pollute our planet.
Instead of using disposable products, you can switch to their much safer alternatives, such as microfiber pads and micellar water-based makeup removers. Not only are these alternatives better for the environment, but they are also healthier for your skin.
6. Switch off water
Want to reduce water waste? You can by simply turning off your water tap when you’re not using it. When you’re brushing your teeth, turn off the water. When you’re applying a cleanser, turn off the tap.
Wasting water is easy, and it’s absolutely something that can be avoided simply by turning off the tap when you’re not using water.
At first, switching to a more sustainable beauty routine may seem daunting and even expensive, but in the long run, it will pay off. Don’t wait any longer. Start your sustainable beauty routine today by simply properly disposing of beauty products and their packaging.
Author bio:
Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, and her ultimate passion is art and architecture. She is also a bibliophile and her favourite book is “The Sound and the Fury” by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.
