Beauty Product Sustainability Made Easy
It's no surprise that the beauty industry creates a lot of single-use products to simplify our daily routines. Face wash, deodorant, shampoo, makeup and cotton swabs are just a few single-use products. When you think about it, the beauty industry produces excessive waste—just look at all of the containers, bottles and packaging that some of our favorite beauty products come in.
We’ve each got to do our individual part, and luckily, there are so many simple changes you can make to accomplish this. Here are a few steps to take to switch to more sustainable practices:
Don't use makeup wipes anymore! We know…you can’t bear to part with your beloved Neutrogena wipes. Oh believe us, you can. This is especially tricky for women who wear makeup every day or have to travel often. But, getting rid of your makeup remover wipes means one less thing going into the trash each day.
Instead, switch to makeup removing balms or milk. While they still come in single-use plastic containers, it’s a much better option than throwing out one or two makeup wipes every evening.
If you’re looking for a makeup-removing product, try Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. It does exactly what it suggests—removes all of your makeup quickly and it isn't harsh on the skin, which is always an added bonus. You can even clean out the empty container and use it as a small storage box…a win-win!
A simple but easily forgotten trick to using more sustainable beauty products is to ditch the body wash. Well, not completely, of course! Try to use a body bar instead of soap that comes in a huge, thick plastic container.
Try the soap bars from Whole Foods. They last forever and don't come in any sort of packaging. This is probably the easiest and most efficient way to get rid of that extra plastic on your shopping list. So next time you find yourself in Whole Foods or similar store, pick up a body wash bar and give it a try!
Lastly comes a small but important tip: buy your products in-store. When you order your face washes or shampoos online, products are sent in extra packaging (think bubble wrap, foam peanuts and cardboard boxes). Shop in-store as often as possible and save online ordering for the products you absolutely cannot find on the shelves.
The moral of the story is this: it’s super easy to start small when it comes to reducing your waste when it comes to beauty products. And when you do, you’ll find more and more ways to encourage this lifestyle. So no more excuses!
It all starts by being honest with yourself... do you really need to use that makeup wipe?