We’re celebrating Earth Day 2022 by sharing some simple ways you can be more eco-friendly with your beauty products and purchases.
With all the packaging and general waste, it's easy to feel overwhelmed thinking about how our everyday items affect the environment. Makeup, skincare, and personal care items are among the most common products that end up in landfills across the world. A report from Zero Waste estimated that the beauty industry creates 120 billion units of packaging every year globally. But unfortunately, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled.
It's true that many of the beauty products we use every day contribute to our carbon footprint. So, what can we do about it? You can help by adopting a more sustainable approach.
If you're not already familiar with sustainability, it's all about making sure that you make the best choices in preventing negative impacts on our natural environment. You don't have to feel guilty about your makeup and skincare addiction because, let's face it, we're all on the same boat here. The idea is to make small changes to how we consume and dispose of our products and be more thoughtful about our options:
Recycle your empty products
If there's one thing you take from this article, recycling is the key to saving our planet. So, the next time you finish a lipstick or eyeliner, don't just throw it!
Every year, the amount of waste from personal care products is growing and significantly contributing to landfills. The amount of waste produced poses a risk to local ecosystems and the overall environment. While there's no straightforward way to solve this problem, you can start by recycling your empty products. Most packaging used for beauty products can be recycled; just check your product's labeling. Some beauty companies will accept empty containers back to recycle or reuse the packaging, while others may have a recycling program set up.
If you're unsure of what to do with specific beauty products, Terracycle has a list of drop-off locations all over the globe. Click here to see where you can recycle your old beauty products.
Use up what you have or donate unused products
Have you ever bought a shampoo bottle, used it for a week, and then tossed it out because you didn't like it? Or have you just purchased a new mascara and forgotten about the one you already had? As you're making changes to becoming more eco-conscious, the first fundamental thing you do is use up every last drop of your product. On average, people toss out more than half-full products, which is a lot, and waste that can be avoided.
To help the environment, we can all make an effort to use up all of our products before recycling them. Sure, there are times when we buy makeup and skincare, and we either don't like them or forget to use them. But even if you aren't entirely in love with it, you might know someone who does. Try passing it on to a friend or family member who will appreciate it more and use every last bit.
If you have unopened or 'gently used' cosmetics or essentials, you can also donate them to a women's shelter. They'll be happy to receive them and will put them to good use. Just make sure they haven't reached their expiry date!
Check out this list of local women's shelters to see where you can donate your beauty and personal care products or you can ship items to organizations like Project Beauty Share and Beauty Bus.
Update your bathroom by replacing disposable products with reusable alternatives
One way to be more eco-friendly with your beauty routine is by swapping out disposable products for something reusable and more sustainable.
So what do we mean when we say “disposable”? We're talking about anything you use for a short time before tossing it in the trash. In this case, “short” means a few days or weeks, whereas “reusable” means it's good for a few months at an absolute minimum—but likely years, or even a lifetime.
There are many everyday personal care products you can readily switch out. One example? Hair removal products.
Think about how many times you've used a disposable razor or how many wax strips you've gone through this year. In the last 30 years, around 2 billion disposable razors have been tossed out in America alone. Unfortunately, most disposable razors are made from unrecyclable plastic. They can take several decades to break down, so they often just sit in landfills or get dropped into our oceans.
A more sustainable hair removal option would be a product with a longer lifespan, like an IPL hair removal handset like our OG and brand new Lumi devices. Using a one-time purchase solution can significantly cut down the amount of waste accumulated. However, you can also opt for products that are biodegradable or made from recyclable materials, like our own 4D Shaver and detachable shaving head.
Invest in personal care products with zero or minimal packaging
We all know that beauty and toiletries products can do a number on the environment, from the packaging to the shipping materials. Unfortunately, it seems like our shopping habits are doing more harm than good to the world...and our wallets.
Thankfully, our choices in products and packaging can help minimize the amount of waste produced. For example, you can buy completely package-free essential personal care items, like switching out bottled hair care and body washes for shampoo, conditioner, and soap bars. Plus, some toothpaste comes in a tablet form, and makeup wipes can be switched out for a muslin cloth or microfibre towel.
That being said, living a completely zero-waste, packaging-free, lifestyle can be tricky, especially if you love buying and collecting cosmetic products. However, many beauty companies are taking note and are finding ways to package their products using eco-friendly materials. But next time when you're shopping for beauty or toiletries, be on the lookout for what materials companies use for their packaging. You can opt to buy plastic-free, choose products that use biodegradable materials, like glass, bamboo, and metal, or anything with a recyclable logo.
We love to see our eco-warriors continuing to educate the world on how to be more conscious about our environment. What you choose to consume and purchase is entirely personal when it comes to beauty and self-care. So, remember that sustainability isn't a one-size-fits-all approach. But don't ever feel like you need to sacrifice your love for makeup and skincare. For many of us, being eco-friendly just means learning to be more mindful about your choices in your bathroom, vanity, and our shopping carts. For Earth Day 2022, you can also do your part by being open to educating yourself on how you can help save our planet, whether it's beauty related or not.
Here at Roseskinco, we have always believed that beauty is an expression of your true self. We're always working on new ways to help you live your most wholesome and beautiful life - like ditching single-use disposable razors for our bestselling OG IPL handset or brand-new LUMI IPL device. To learn more about our products or to check out the rest of our skincare and beauty tools, make sure you hit the button below:
