If you’re looking for an easy way to clean up your beauty routine, it’s time to make some sustainable beauty swaps. Focusing on eco-friendly and ethical alternatives to traditional beauty products, it’s all about reducing the impact of the beauty industry on the environment while also promoting healthier and more natural products. Win-win.
And, with Earth Day taking place this weekend, it’s the perfect time to make a few changes to help play your part. Here are some simple swaps to help get you started.
Ditch The Cotton Wool
Cotton pads and face wipes are causing major issues for the planet, with most ending up in landfill or oceans. And whilst cotton is a natural material, it’s not compostable, and it requires huge amounts of water (and often pesticides) for production. According to the WWF, non-organic cotton is also the world’s “dirtiest crop”. Not what we want for the planet – or our faces. The good news is that there’s now a whole host of sustainably made, organic, reusable alternatives. Simply pop them in the wash and use them again. Easy.
Go Refillable…
Aside from the obvious (refillable products = less plastic = less waste), going refillable has many other benefits. It’ll save you money (using less packaging means brands can drop the price), you’ll get more out of your products (no more desperately scraping and squeezing to get every last drop out), and you won’t end up with countless empties clogging up your bathroom cabinet. Although many beauty products are now recyclable, the reality is that less than 14% actually make it to a recycling plant, and only 9% are actually recycled. A simple sustainable beauty swap that will make a big difference.
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…OR NAKED
Yes, we said naked. As in products that have zero packaging. Zilch. Nada. Aside from a sustainably-sourced bamboo case or eco-friendly paper wrap, of course. We’re talking shampoo bars, solid moisturisers, body wash bars, solid foundations… you get the gist. Plus, these solid formulas use little to no water, reducing water waste whilst they’re at it.
Make Your Mask Reusable
We’re all for Sunday night me-time with a good book and a face mask, but a mask we can only use once and that ends up in the bin? Not so much. Thankfully, more and more multi-use masks are emerging on the market, offering a genius way to make the most of your existing skincare products. We’re obsessed with Dieux’s offering, which is made from 100% non-porous silicone. Simply pop on your favourite eye cream or serum, place the masks over the top, and let them work their plumping, line-smoothing, hydrating magic.
Switch Up Your Shaving
Another great sustainable beauty swap is switching up your razor. Plastic razors aren’t biodegradable, meaning they all end up in landfill or polluting the planet. But don’t panic, that doesn’t mean you have to embrace your inner yeti, as it’s as simple as opting for an eco-friendly bamboo or metal razor that you can use for the long run.
Pick Your Period Product Wisely
We hate to break it to you, but our periods are also playing a big role in the polluting of our planet. It’s not a legal requirement to list the materials used in period products on the packaging, and many main-stream tampons and pads are made up of a whopping 90% plastic. You know what that means. Landfill, oceans, and a big beauty problem. Even changing to eco-friendly, organic tampons and pads makes a difference, as well as using a reusable tampon applicator. Menstrual cups are all the rage now too, and you can even get period pants that act like your normal underwear but are ultra-absorbent and last for years. Whichever product you go for, it’s time to make your product an eco-friendly one. Period.
