When you love skincare and beauty, sometimes it’s hard to be sustainable. Consumption inevitably brings about waste, however, we don’t have to feel too distressed. There are definite ways to reduce this waste, and we are going to talk about 6 ways to do so.
1. Cut out single-use products
When it comes to sustainability and skincare, plastic consumption is a major dilemma. The beauty industry produces more than 76.8 billion plastic packaging units per year. While 50% of that is for single-use purposes, this plastic can last on the planet for at least several hundred years. It’s estimated that more than 10 million tons of plastic pollute our oceans every year. For example, 2 billion single-use plastic razors are thrown away each year! But, we can help this dilemma by using reusable razors! Eco Roots Rose Gold Safety razors are made of zinc alloy and stainless steel and contain plastic-free & recyclable packaging.
Eco Roots Rose Gold Safety Razor -$36.50
Moreover, how many single-use cotton balls or cotton pads will you use over a lifetime? That’s a lot of waste leaving your bathroom trash to the landfill! What’s the harm in using reusable cotton rounds? They get the job done better, and they’re better for the planet.
Seek Bamboo Reusable Cotton Rounds -$16.99
2. Opt-in for waterless skincare.
Oftentimes, we spend hundreds of dollars on cosmetics only to discover that more than 90% of the formulation only consists of inexpensive fillers and water? Although water is an inexhaustible resource, it can still be wasted because it needs time to renew itself. As we continue to extract water from freshwater environments - aquatic animals, our ecosystem falls out of balance and suffers. Here are some waterless skincare products great for your skin and great for the environment.
Klei Coconut Milk and Rice Cleanse Foaming Face Wash -$34
Most skincare products are 80 to 95% water. This means active ingredients become very diluted and have to be mixed with chemical preservatives to keep the water from growing bacteria. With a cleansing powder derived from coconut oil and chamomile, the Klei Coconut Milk and Rice Cleanse Foaming Face Wash is a powder-to-foam, softening, and sustainable alternative to water-based cleansers.
Once you finish cleansing, you can even apply serums sustainably. If you want to balance oil production or support your skin’s barrier, you can just as easily mix The Ordinary’s 100% Niacinamide Powder into a water-based product that you already have instead of using an extra niacinamide serum, toner, or cream that also contains water.
The Ordinary 100% Niacinamide Powder -$5.80
And let’s not forget bar soaps! Bar soaps don’t contain water or at least not nearly as much as shower gels. Also, bar soaps have a 25% lower carbon footprint than gel soap, meaning they create less greenhouse gas when produced and shipped. Herbivore’s charcoal bar soap has tea tree oil to calm inflammation, bergamot orange extract to reduce blemishes, and zero water to help the planet.
Herbivore Bamboo Charcoal Soap -$14
3. Avoid palm oil in skincare and cosmetics
Palm oil is in most cosmetics and this is a major cause of deforestation and likewise greenhouse gas emissions. At 66 million tons annually, palm oil is the most commonly produced vegetable oil. Its low world market price and properties allow them to be in abundance of skincare items. Palm oil is widely found in body creams, soaps, and makeups” (Rainforest Rescue, 2017). Because of their CO2 and methane emissions, palm oil-based biofuels actually have three times the climate impact of traditional fossil fuels (Rainforest Rescue, 2017). So, especially in our cosmetics, we can check for products with zero use of palm oil although it is in most.
Fortunately, the Dab Herb & Makeup Color Corrector offers a product that is palm oil-free, and it also comes in compostable packaging.
Dab Herb & Makeup Color Corrector -$22
4. Check for and avoid animal products in occlusive moisturizers.
While many eczema creams contain ingredients like beeswax, honey, collagen, or even milk proteins to deeply hydrate moisturize and tightly lock in moisture, there are vegan alternatives that can be just as effective in treating chapped skin without exploiting the food or bodies of animals. Balmond’s scentless, intensive hand cream contains harmless ingredients like sea buckthorn oil, chamomile oil, shea butter, and vegetable glycerin that heals dryness and irritation.
Balmond’s Intensive Hand Cream -$16.95
5. Make sure that your makeup brushes are not made of fur.
Before you get glam, check out your makeup brush. Is it made from animal fur?Makeup brushes are commonly made from squirrel, mink, sable, horse, or goat hair. On the other hand, what these animals go through for companies to create a makeup brush isn’t pretty. Try vegan makeup brushes instead for a full glam look that’s cruelty-free.
The Green Green Shop 13 pc Bamboo Makeup Set -$36.90
6. If you are an influencer that receives PR, try to recycle the skincare or vouch for sustainable brands
If you are an influencer, you have the power to propagate the importance of sustainability and to increase the market demand for sustainability. Additionally, you have an authentic line of communication with brands to see if they are really sustainable or not, and you can share this knowledge with others. And in regards to receiving PR, we understand that as an influencer, you may not have the opportunity to use all of everything. However, you can try to reduce waste by signing up for a recycling plan. Some recycling companies or plans are independent, and some brands even have their own!
Very few plastic waste items generated by cosmetics are accepted by public recycling programs so they then are sent to the landfill. Most common beauty products and packaging contribute to the world’s growing plastic waste problem and find their way into oceans, waterways, and create environmental hazards. So, try to seek out recyclable makeup products or makeup recycling programs online.
For instance, This Edge of Reality eyeshadow palette is completely recyclable.
Kat Von D Edge of Reality Eyeshadow Palette - $39
CCover photo cred: Sephora Indonesia