This is the second part of a two-part series on how to establish a green beauty routine that examined how to maintain your best appearance without harming the environment.
We discussed the value of sticking with a select few things, the dangers of hoarding, and the linguistic trickery used by manufacturers on product labels. We also learnt about refills, reusable goods, and the importance of packaging in sustainable and green company.
Here are some more ideas for developing a green beauty plan.
1. Ecological dental practices
Reducing water footprint is as easy as turning off the water while brushing and putting it back on when it’s time to rinse.
Replace the plastic handles of toothbrushes with bamboo handles and eco-friendly bristles. Depending on your stance on using animal products, you may choose to use natural bristles made from boar hair.
Plant-based bristles, such as 100% bamboo viscose, are an excellent substitute.
Try some DIY if it comes to the paste itself. The best or at least most tried-and-true combo is coconut oil and baking soda. Or, if you’re not sure whether you can create a DIY paste that works, look into organic toothpaste brands like Dr. Bronner’s.
For your dental hygiene, look for natural components. One of the numerous advantages of coconut oil, for instance, is that it works well as a mouthwash when combined with baking soda.
Additionally, you may support toothpaste manufacturers that use recyclable and refillable packaging.
2. Salon sizing reduces waste
Purchasing in bulk reduces your environmental impact.
Consider the costs associated with production and manufacturing, shipping, and packaging that you will be eliminating.
Additionally, it eliminates the need for many bottles, cans, and jars of the same substance. Make it last by making one large purchase.
3. Do not use aerosol sprays in your daily routine.
Although aerosprays may include the best-smelling items available, that should not be used as an explanation for how terrible they are for the environment.
Manufacturers will claim that they are aware of the risks and have taken all reasonable steps to provide the safest product. Despite their best attempts, these goods still need compressed gases to operate, and they remain the root of the issue.
When discharged into the atmosphere, the hydrocarbons in these cans significantly increase the carbon footprint.
One of the causes of pollution and respiratory diseases like asthma is these gases. Additionally, they enter water sources and are to blame for the shrinking size of raindrops.
Stick deodorants and powered dry shampoo may be used in replacement of aerosol sprays. Present-day solid deodorants, such Wanderlightly’s Deodorant Balm, are available without dangerous ingredients.
4. Reduce the number of hot showers.
Everyone enjoys taking a hot shower. They have a really soothing quality about them.
However, they are not free.
We don’t suggest that you never again take a hot shower. A chilly shower in the morning of January is just cruel. Unless you want to see how sensitive you are to cold water, in which case you are to blame.
Simply avoid overusing water heaters. They exert energy, and taking too many hot showers may dehydrate and irritate the skin by robbing it of its natural oils.
When it is not required, give it a rest. This modest gesture not only helps the environment, but it also guarantees that the appliance will last a long time for you.
Additionally, you want to develop the practice of unplugging the socket whenever water heaters are not in use. Appliances that are plugged in often use electricity, or “vampire power.”
5. A careful and thoughtful approach
We recognize that you have a strong sense of commitment to certain items. What about the other goods you don’t mind stockpiling from several brands?
What we can do is this:
One excellent piece of advice is to look into and find sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives when such things are ready to expire. For instance, replacing soaps and washes is simpler than, say, replacing moisturizers or exfoliators.
Even if your items are still far from completion, you may start your study. say many days or even weeks beforehand. This provides you the time and chance to visit the shops and test out a variety of eco-friendly substitutes—not just for one product, but for numerous.
One of the finest methods to replace beloved but non-sustainable things that you feel are unreplaceable is using this method.
Go slowly while approaching. Start slow and just sell one thing at a time.
(You may also be interested in reading why 100% green products don’t exist.)
6. Recycle your cosmetics.
Purchasing items made of recyclable materials is the first step towards recycling products. Glass and metal immediately spring to mind. Once you’ve completed that, designate a container in the bathroom for recycling bottles and tubes.
Many shops now actively provide incentives for customers to return their used bottles so they may be recycled. In this case, it is the customer’s responsibility to make sure that the containers are cleaned after use and that additional pieces, such as tops and lids, are not thrown away.
Let’s briefly review a few of these businesses.
Customers may buy beauty goods from several brands while renting the package via Loop, a TerraCycle enterprise. Six of Ren Skin Cleancare’s best-selling products are available in label-free, glass bottles.
Following payment for the bottles and content, the product is delivered to you using carbon-neutral means of transportation. What a cool thing!
This Loop effort also includes participation from other businesses including The Body Shop and Pantene.
In return for 10 empty tubes, jars, or bottles of the company’s goods, Kiehl’s offers its consumers a free product.
A similar promotion is run by MAC, where six empty pots may be returned for a free lipstick.
Empty plastic Fructis containers from Garnier may be returned to the business for recycling if they have the TerraCycle emblem. The business donates two cents in exchange for this to the charity of your choosing.
7. Create your own DIY cosmetics
Take matters into your own hands if you are a skeptic who questions the genuineness of businesses promoting “green” beauty goods. DIY is a great way to unleash your creativity that has been dormant for a while. You are capable of doing a lot.
Face masks made from honey and oats work well and may be composted after use. Amazing DIY homemade skin care recipes may be created with a little study and little bravery.
Coffee, walnut shells, and bamboo are all effective exfoliants. DIY coffee scrubs are easy to make and have several advantages.
Grow aloe vera in your indoor herb garden for moisturizers and burn treatments. Additionally, use the most natural approach by using cucumber slices and utilizing handmade tea bags rather than purchasing eye compresses.
There aren’t many better natural options for underarm deodorant than baking soda. One is alum, which has to be put to the underarms after being moistened with water.
You may make your own Ayurvedic shampoo at home to cleanse and nurture your hair.
8. Go to ethical salons
Most of the time, going to the salon may be energizing, but there are several factors involved in creating that feeling. No one who cares about the environment should ignore the potential use of plastic, paper, and other non-green materials.
Look for salons that use sustainable methods. Check to see whether they utilize recyclable materials, environmentally friendly packaging, and sparingly use plastic.
Or just mention that you prefer salons that are ecologically friendly to the one you often visit.
There is no harm in expressing your viewpoint, and you never know—they could even appreciate it.
9. Support ethical institutions
Purchasing from businesses that have a sustainable and moral business model is one of the finest methods to encourage eco-friendly living. You won’t only be supporting them; you’ll also be driving away customers from businesses that don’t operate in an environmentally friendly manner.
And there are many excellent ones.
By paying a fair price for plants from sustainable farms, Amala Skincare from Germany genuinely helps the neighborhood.
Juice Beauty employs solar energy, opposes pesticides, and utilizes sustainable fuels for transportation.
Credo Beauty offers cruelty-free goods and emphasizes waste recycling.
Consult the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database of the Environmental Working Group for further details on products, chemicals, and brands. You may learn more about the compounds found in components that may be harmful to you or the environment by using this database.
10. Eat a balanced diet to be better
Natural, radiant skin is a consequence of what you put inside of your body, not what you apply to it. External beauty is often a result of a healthy stomach. Learn more about restoring and maintaining healthy gut flora.
Your willpower may be put to the test, but you must restrict your consumption of the scrumptious fast food options that beckon to you at every turn. In addition, abandoning everything “quick” means embracing leisurely life, which is not a terrible thing.
Limiting your intake of sugar may also be a good idea, and last but certainly not least, make sure you get your recommended daily intake of water.
Healthy eating will also improve your natural odor.
You may also want to research the best probiotics to consume and how they effect your health.
11. Make use of travel-size packaging
It is excellent to have a set of travel-sized containers for your cosmetic products whether travelling on holiday or work travels.
This does not imply that you should acquire new, smaller items for your travels.
Invest in reusable, travel-sized containers and fill them if you have a long trip coming up. This is a fantastic approach to cut down on packaging-related plastic waste.
In addition to the obvious, seek for containers that are supplied in biodegradable packaging, are not tested on animals, and are reusable.
12. Create custom palettes
The many advantages of product refills and certain businesses that provide them were previously mentioned in the last piece.
You can design your own cosmetics pallet, did you know that? Some of the products that spring to mind include the MAC Custom Eye Palette, ColourPop, Tarte’s Gift & Glam Palette, and the Jennifer Lopez x Inglot Freedom System Palette.
These businesses provide consumers the option to create their own unique palettes, saving money and allowing for a great deal of creativity.
With the colours of your choosing, you may mix and combine as you choose without worrying about shades you won’t ever wear.
Several keywords to understand while shopping for environmentally friendly goods
Cruelty-free: This indicates that no animal testing was done to create the product. However, this does not imply that a product is free of animal products.
Vegan: This term refers to products that are produced without the use of any animal products. For instance, brushes and other cosmetic tools cannot be categorized as vegan if they include animal hair.
All-natural: This is a murky concept. Despite companies’ claims to the contrary, their goods may contain certain chemicals. Just check the ingredients to be certain.
Which of these eco-friendly beauty suggestions do you use in your daily life? Do you have any more to add? Please tell us in the comments.
