Newbie guide to Sustainable beauty

We have all been talking about Sustainable fashion for quite some time now, but what we do not realize is that there’s not just one way to live an ethical life. We have overlooked the damages we have done to our only planet and have not yet realised the price we are going to pay with increasing landfills, air pollution, water contamination along with exhaustion of natural resources. The beauty industry produces tons of wastage and more than 120 billion units of packaging globally, and solely contributes to a major chunk of municipal solid waste.

There are thousands of reports and surveys attesting the extent of wastage produced on an individual level but there is ultimately no outcome beating around the bush and merely defining problems. With the changing times, consumers have become aware and are more interested in associating with authentic and ethical brands. They have started asking for transparency, and are vouching their money on values they believe are right.

What does it actually mean by sustainable products or using cosmetics in a sustainable way?

To look for an answer, we need to ask the right questions. How many of us actually read what the brands claim in their products? What do the labels say? How are these products made? How are their ingredients sourced? There aren’t a lot of us seeking answers to every question we might have but there sure are a few things we could start doing, little steps to see actual change.

1. Watch your water use. Don’t leave the faucet running.

2. Sort waste from homes, segregate the recyclable ones and discard the ones that cannot be recycled/ reused.

3. Use compostable sponges to exfoliate skin and wash off masks.

4. Use homemade masks. We have a lot of at-home diy mask solutions at home today on the internet!

5. Replace tissues with cotton cloth/ microfiber cloth and bamboo buds with plastic buds.

6. Switch to bamboo toothbrushes & makeup brushes instead of flimsy plastic materials.

7. If it’s possible, opt for packaging free products. Shampoo bars and soaps have minimal packaging.

8. Support brands who provide in-store recyclable policy like The Body Shop & L’Occitane.

9. Re-use empty containers, shampoo bottles, jars and tins.

10. Look for logos & read the labels. Keywords we should look for are organically sourced, vegan, cruelty free, no parabens, no sulpates, no mineral oils and no unethical practice.

11. Forbid using sheet masks and wet wipes. They ultimately increase in generating waste and do no good. Alternatively switch to overnight serums/ repair oils for better results.

12. Use only essential products. More products doesn’t necessarily mean better skin.

13. Multi-purpose products are a great way to utilise products, also to save money and take less space in your closet/ dresser.

14. Natural ingredients won’t just benefit you with healthy skin, but will also benefit the planet.

15. Do not waste product, cut tubes to squeeze out all remains. The remaining product isn’t just wasting products & money but also makes it difficult to decompose.

Besides our little contribution, it is also necessary for cosmetic industry professionals and manufacturers to take measures to support the shift to a sustainable industry. They should also

be supporting brands that promote ethical practices, reducing the global environment footprint of cosmetics. Influencers and bloggers need to commit to brands that are non-toxic, cruelty free, vegan, palm oil & mineral oil-free, ethical sourcing, assure fair trade practices and rainforest alliance. We have so many clean brands coming in which provide us with more than just a way to support a better way of life, a sustainable life. Refilling options, thoughtful packaging ( glass/ tin jars), biodegradable or reusable paper bags, clean formulations, renewable sources and recycling/ repurposing of their cosmetic materials are just ways of how the brands are making their statement.

A few brands we could start showing our love and support are :

1. Earth Rhythm

2. Burst of Happyness

3. Grinding stones

4. Love Beauty and Planet

5. Neemli Naturals

6. Enn’s Closet

7. Tata Harper

8. RootBazaar

9. Bare Necessities

10. Raw Beauty

11. Pure Earth

12. Kiro Beauty

13. Pahadi Local

14. Bare Necessities

15. Juicy Chemistry

Although there’s a long way to go, smaller moves overall make a big impact and being responsible on an individual level and taking a few steps on how we could lead a better, conscious, responsible and sustainable lifestyle is the need of the hour!