Each year as our habits continue to pollute the world, our ecosystem suffers on a massive scale. It may not seem like it, but many of the seemingly harmless and simple actions we take on a daily basis have a huge impact on our ecosystem. A product as simple as the plastic wrapper from a snack, or the emissions from our car ride down the street contribute to environmental issues much more than you might think. We are in a true climate crisis that makes all of us individually important in making a change and preserving our planet. You don’t have to change your whole life, but taking simple actions to lower your carbon footprint can make a huge difference. Wondering how you can do so? One way is to take account of your beauty products. Making a switch to a more environmentally friendly beauty regimen is a great way to help our climate. To learn more, check out these simple ways to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly in 2023.
Believe it or not, the beauty industry is a massive undertaking that has a huge impact on our global world. Statistics show that 152.1 billion beauty and personal care products were sold just in 2018, and many of these units were not recycled. Experts in the beauty industry are happy society and big businesses are shifting focus to better practices in terms of beauty products. “I am grateful that sustainability has become a major focus for consumer products recently,” says Mia Davis, vice president of sustainability and impact at Credo Beauty. “Sustainability in beauty means that the work we do now–the resources we extract, the stuff we make–will not compromise people’s ability to do the same in the future.”
But making the switch to more eco-friendly products can seem like a daunting task that many people just don’t want to commit to. But experts express further that it doesn’t have to be complicated. “Many people think they have to give up their lifestyles to be sustainable, but it really comes down to just finding better alternatives,” says Jhanneu, a low-waste living expert and content creator.
In the spirit of being open-minded and taking small steps towards a better routine, here are a few tips that experts say you can begin integrating.
Use what you already have:
Many of us are guilty of finding something new to try and throwing out an old product we may not want to use anymore. Now, this may be because it is not the right product for you, but that doesn’t mean it should land in the dumpster. Eco-lifestyle expert Ashlee Piper says, “If something isn’t your color or isn’t working for you, consider selling it on Poshmark, offering it up to your neighborhood Buy Nothing Facebook group (makeup, even used makeup, goes like hotcakes in my group), or giving some to a friend who loves to experiment with new-to-them products.”
Buy things made with less plastic packaging:
Packaging is a great place to start in terms of cutting back your carbon footprint. “What you want to look for is something that has compostable, easily recyclable, refillable, or reusable packaging—or better yet, no packaging,” Piper said.
Take the reuse and refill approach.
Look for products that are refillable, or purchase your own refillable containers and buy in bulk. “Any time we can reuse or refill, we should—that is the direction that we all need to move in for consumer products,” says Davis.
Make your bathroom an eco-friendly place to be.
After you have used up all of your previously owned items, now the fun begins to replace your staple items – like cotton balls, menstrual supplies, and razors – in a more eco-friendly fashion. “First use what you have and then replace those items with reusable alternatives,” says Jhanneu.
