The beauty industry is booming, which means more products, more options and more waste. Don’t get us wrong, we love beauty products as much as anyone else, but we’re also aware of our carbon footprint and want to do whatever we can to minimize our impact. But the good news is you don’t have to scrap all your favorite products to give your beauty routine the green makeover it needs.
Streamline + minimize your stash
The average woman owns around 40 beauty products. 40! And how many of those do we use every day? Since you’re getting ready to spring clean, take this opportunity to weed through your makeup, skincare and haircare items and pull out what you don’t need, as well as what’s expired, dried out or otherwise unusable (more on what to do with them in a minute!).
Going forward, consider buying multi-use beauty products. BB creams combine moisturizer and other functionality with foundation. Look for palettes that contain both highlighter and eyeshadow, lip and cheek color, or brow and lash tint. Buying one product that can do several things, rather than multiple items, helps reduce waste and minimizes the impact on the environment.
Check out some of our favorite multi-use items:
Recycle correctly
Get familiar with the symbols on your packaging to make sure you’re only making sustainable purchases. Finding products that are packaged and bottled in recycled materials is an easy first step. Look for the symbols right on the box before you purchase. Not all recycling is created equal, so here’s a handy cheat sheet to help you make sense of all the different types and ways to recycle your beauty products.
Make your purchase count
Going green with your beauty routine means doing your homework and finding some brands that focus on environmentally responsible, non-toxic ingredients. You can also browse the aisles of your favorite natural grocers like Whole Foods or Sprouts for product inspiration. Even better, look for brands that give back with their products such as donating to environmental charities or giving back to their community.
Invest in quality brushes
Brushes can be pricey, but good ones are worth the price tag. Opt for beauty tools that are vegan and crafted from sustainable, eco-friendly and fair trade materials. We love these from Anisa Beauty for both skincare and makeup.
Reconsider the packaging
So much beauty packaging involves plastic. If you really want to go green with your beauty routine, it’s time to seek out alternative packaging. Glass bottles or minimally packaged beauty products are the way to go. Before you add another plastic bottle to your Target cart, consider the impact it could have.
Check out some of our favorite sustainably packaged beauty products:
Donate unwanted products
Got a lipstick that just isn’t your shade? Donate any unwanted beauty products to somewhere like Project Beauty Share. Unused or lightly used cosmetics, skincare and haircare items can be donated and given to non-profit organizations who serve women and families overcoming abuse, addiction, homelessness and poverty to help restore hope and dignity in their lives.
Ditch the disposables
Have you ever heard of a “fatberg”? It’s congealed mass in a sewer system formed by the combination of flushed non-biodegradable solid matter, such as face wipes and oil. Gross, right? In 2017, Baltimore had a fatberg plug up their sewer system that was the length of three football fields. Truly disgusting. And in the past decade, there has been a 700 percent increase in wipes washing up on beaches. So please, ditch the disposable face wipes or look for biodegradable options such as these:
Main + featured image by Jennie Corti Photography.
