Take a look in your bathroom cabinets and shower caddy. How much plastic packaging is in front of you? Do you know the ingredients these products contain? Is your beauty regime environmentally friendly?
Cosmetics contribute hugely to issues of waste. Many products contain ingredients or use packaging which ends up in our oceans or landfill. That’s why three beauty and hygiene brands, A Good Scout, Kohle and Lunette, have joined forces. We are experts in zero waste beauty and believe you can be too. Do the environment (and your wallet!) a favour by eliminating unnecessary waste from your every day routine. Zero waste beauty doesn’t have to be hard. Here are our top tips and tricks.
Think about packaging
80 billion shampoo bottles end up in landfill each year. Cutting down on the amount of packaged beauty products you buy is an easy way to make a difference. There are three golden rules to keep in mind when thinking about packaging:
1. Buy bigger bottles so you have to buy less often.
2. Only buy products which can be recycled – check the label.
3. Try to find products which have biodegradable packaging.
Ditch the wipes
Face wipes are not good for anyone – you or the environment. For starters, they take 100 years to degrade. Last year, a massive ‘fatberg’ was removed from the Thames River in London, made largely of face wipes. Save our waterways, ditch the face wipes! Plus, face wipes contain all sorts of nasties which aren’t good for your skin. We recommend trying coconut oil and a reusable bamboo towel instead. Your face and the environment will thank you!
Switch to cups
Menstrual cups are here to stay. Convenient, comfortable and totally waste free, what could be better! Tampons and pads are non-recyclable and take years to degrade, often ending up in our oceans. Switch to cups – save money and say hello to zero waste periods.
Carol Morris from Lunette is an ambassador for this menstrual revolution, ‘Sustainable and waste free options are out there, but not enough people are educated to make conscious buying decisions. We live in such a ‘I want it now’ and ‘I want it easily’ world that it overshadows the fact that our daily routines are impacting the environment. It’s time to move away from plastic in the cosmetic, beauty and hygiene industries.’
Go DIY
If you want to avoid nasty chemicals and unnecessary packaging, go DIY! You can find a recipe for everything from deodorant to moisturiser online. Here is our favourite all natural, zero waste deodorant recipe:
Ingredients:
1 tbsp of coconut oil
1/2 tbsp of corn starch
1 generous pinch baking soda
4-6 drops of the essential oil of your choice
1tbsp of shea butter
Method: Simply mix together and apply thin layer to underarms.
Check the back
Every time you pick up a product, turn it over and read that ingredient list. Many beauty products contain ingredients which don’t break down naturally and contribute to pollution. For example, toothpaste often uses harsh chemicals. There are products that stocks toothpaste, mouthwash, facemasks and more which are completely organic and only use recyclable packaging.
Heather Beeken from Kohle comments on joining the war on waste movement, ’As a beauty brand, we’ve become really conscious of our impact on the environment. When buying ingredients, we purchase the exact amount that we need, so there is no wastage. The mouthwash, toothpaste and facemask packaging is made from PET – non-toxic and 100% recyclable. We’re working towards being a fully sustainable brand, I feel it’s an obligation as a Founder to take all steps necessary to make this happen, we have a duty to future generations.’
Choose Sustainable Brands
We aim to provide beauty and hygiene products which are good for you and good for the world around us. Shop well, choose brands who make ethical choices. This is a great way to ensure you are giving a helping hand to Mother Earth, every time you buy.
Bianca Millar from A Good Scout explains their mission, ‘Beyond just commercial purposes, the motivation behind a marketplace can very well be a social cause. We desire to benefit the society at large, as opposed to making big bucks. Consumers have a huge opportunity to buy from a marketplace that does the research on sustainable brands for them. We are also a resource hub to offer advice and tips to making other parts of your life more sustainable’.
Want more advice for living a fabulous life? Follow us on Instagram or join the Rescu. community by tagging #liveyourfabuslouslife in IG posts.
