Zero-Waste Beauty: Self-Care Tips That Help Save the Earth

If there’s one thing that the world’s US$500 billion-dollar-per-year personal care industry can’t put a price on: it’s their environmental cost and impact to the planet. From lipsticks, shampoos, and toothpastes to blow dryers and makeup brushes, most commercial beauty and personal care products are produced without much thought to their sustainability.

Highly dependent on plastic packaging, made of non-recyclable materials and/or formulated with synthetic ingredients that take a long time to decompose–these products also carry a large carbon footprint for their mass production and distribution to retail chains all over the world, as well as for the waste they undoubtedly generate. And yet, billions of dollars continue to circulate in their production and consumption.

The good news is that all hope is not lost for those of us who can’t seem to live without lip balms, facial moisturizers or eyeliner. These unsustainable practices in the beauty industry can be corrected: and it all starts with you.

Eco-conscious shoppers can integrate a zero-waste approach in their beauty purchases, practices and grooming habits that will not only benefit the planet. Going clean and green where vanity is concerned is more economic (by helping you cut down on costs) and potentially healthier (favoring biodegradable and non-toxic ingredients over potentially harmful chemicals) in the long run.

Here are four practical tips for sustainable, zero-waste beauty YOU can start doing today.

Choose sustainable products with eco-friendly ingredients and plastic-free, recyclable packaging.

In our recent blog post on shocking facts about non-recyclable packaging, we talked about how a whopping 91% of the world’s plastic waste produced since the 1950s remains unrecycled–and that half of this waste comes from packaging! In the United States alone, the amount of plastic packaging on American-made products has grown by more than 120 times since 1960–and 70% of that waste ends up in landfills.

It’s an undeniable fact that the beauty industry generates a lot of plastic waste–because of the packaging required to transport and keep these products in good condition. But once the last useable drop in a tube of toothpaste or a bottle of lotion has been consumed, these containers end up contributing to our global landfill crisis. In fact, it is estimated that 552 million shampoo bottles end up in landfills every year — enough to fill 1,164 football fields!

That’s why it’s important to choose environmentally friendly packaging that minimizes the impact of waste in our environment. Also known as sustainable packaging, green packaging or eco-friendly packaging, they share the same characteristics:

· Easily recyclable, reusable and biodegradable and made from recycled materials (such as paper, unlaminated cardboard and corn starch or plant pulp-based eco-plastics).

· Safe for people and the planet (they do not contain toxic chemicals).

· Optimally designed, manufactured and made of materials that require minimal energy and natural resource consumption.

Eco-friendly packaging also meets the market criteria for cost and performance. Plus, a study found that sustainable packaging helps brands increase net sales by about 2 to 4 per cent.

Some recyclable packaging materials such as glass, metal, and specific recyclable plastics are sometimes used in eco-packaging. Sourcing the raw materials to produce these still requires a significant amount of energy–but in many cases these reusable materials are still preferrable over non-recyclable ones.

Replace single-use or disposable beauty products with sustainable options.

Single-use plastics aren’t just the only kinds of products that create a lot of waste. Though convenient and easy to use– cotton balls, make-up remover wipes, earbuds, false eye lashes and other disposable products that are used once and disposed immediately also heavily pollute our environment.

Convenience and ease of use come at a cost. Whenever you consider buying single-use items, consider this: 20 million pounds of make-up wipes are thrown away in the United States every single day. That’s just one kind of disposable product, and only from one country.

Replacing single-use items with reusable alternatives not only helps minimize waste. You’ll also save money in the long run. All it takes is a little creativity, and proactive effort.

Instead of using wipes or cotton balls to remove make-up or apply facial serums, consider using face towels made from eco-friendly materials like organic cotton. Ditch those individually packaged store-bought face masks for do-it-yourself masks using simple ingredients from your pantry that are truly natural and healthier than any product you can buy from a store. A tablespoon each of coconut oil, honey and plain yogurt mixed in a bowl and melted in the microwave for seconds will give you a highly soothing and moisturizing mask perfect for sensitive skin.

Less is best. Refuse what you don’t really need.

Before heading out to the mall or scrolling through your favorite shopping app to buy another beauty product, consider this: do you really need it?

In the quest to find that perfect lipstick, body lotion, perfume or shampoo brand, many shoppers are prone to buying and trying products that end up catching dust on dresser shelves and drawers after being used once (or sometimes, never). Not only is this wasteful — it’s also a waste of money.

A recent survey of 4,000 women in the United States found that the average woman owns at least 40 make-up products. This is just one category among 12–16 different kinds of beauty products that a woman has been found to typically use every day (including cleansers, conditioners, lotions, and other personal care items).

The fact is: vanity dressers and boudoirs around the world are just filled with too much stuff that inevitably end up in the trash. It’s time for us to rethink just what kinds of beauty products we really need, and why we need them in the first place.

Reuse and repurpose what still can be used.

Did you know that expired make-up and skincare can be transformed into other kinds of useful personal care products? Here are some creative and fun ideas to try at home:

· Make your own tinted lip balm by mixing expired lipsticks (melted) with petroleum jelly.

· Turn old eyeshadow into a unique nail polish by mixing eyeshadow powders with clear nail polish.

· Use expired alcohol-based skin toners to clean glass, mirrors and your cellphone screen and glasses.

· Turn face oils into homemade body scrubs by mixing them with sugar.

Plus, you can repurpose personal care packaging such as skincare tubs, lotion bottles and jars by turning these into storage containers, travel-sized containers, containers for DIY beauty projects and even pots for flowers and plants!

Are you ready for zero-waste beauty? Try this eco-friendly range of plastic-free beauty bars perfect for face, body and hair from Foamie!

Why Foamie? Foamie bars are vegan, 100% plastic-free and do not contain any parabens, silicones, sulfates, microplastics and nanoparticles! Dermatologically tested and aligned with the natural pH of hair and skin, they are also ergonomically designed for easy use and application.

From L-R: 1. Foamie I Face Bar Aloe you Vera Much 2. Foamie I Body Bar Oat to be Smooth 3. Foamie I Shampoo Bar Hibiskiss 4. Foamie I Conditioner Bar Kiss Me Argan

Foamie | Face Bar Aloe you Vera Much

Your plastic-free face wash. Get it here.

Foamie Solid Facial Cleanser Aloe You Vera Much with aloe vera and almond milk is mildly cleansing and moisturizing for normal to dry skin. It’s also 100% vegan.

Foamie | Body Bar Oat to be Smooth

Your plastic-free shower care. Get it here.

Foamie Solid Body Bar Oat to Be Smooth intensively nourishes the body with oat milk and papaya for intensive care! 3-in-1 solid shower care: massages, cleanses and nourishes.

Foamie | Shampoo Bar Hibiskiss

Your plastic-free shampoo. Get it here.

Foamie Solid Shampoo Bar Hibiskiss scores with its vegan formula, which is perfectly attuned to the natural pH of the scalp and hair, making it the perfect conditioning complement to Foamie Shampoo. Hibiscus extract lends its conditioning properties to the formula, where 100% performance meets zero percent plastic and zero percent soap, benefiting damaged hair in particular.

Foamie | Conditioner Bar Kiss me Argan

Your plastic-free hair conditioner. Get it here.

Foamie Firm Conditioner Kiss Me Argan is suitable for dry and unruly hair and adds shine and softness with argan oil for supple hair that shines! 3-in-1 solid hair care: massages, cleanses and conditions.

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Happy eco-shopping!