Every beauty lover treasures the feeling of bringing home the newest eyeshadow palette or cult-favorite lipstick. And for good reason—you deserve to look and feel your best! There is one downside, though: Many of our favorite makeup items are packaged in plastic, wrapped in more plastic, then shipped in even more plastic.
Luckily, there are brands out there looking to change this by creating products that are just as effective, while cutting down on waste. We’ve compiled a list of eco-friendly beauty swaps for you that will keep Mother Earth looking gorgeous, too.
Reusable Makeup Removal Cloths
The first step in pursuing a sustainable lifestyle is to assess which items you throw away the most and find replacements for them. Many people throw away single-use makeup wipes every day, but this practice isn’t necessary. Using reusable makeup cloths is an easy way to show that you love the Earth without significantly changing your routine. Plus, cleansing your face with micellar water, coconut oil, or a makeup-removing facial cleanser can leave you with better skin, as many makeup wipes can actually irritate your face.
Shampoo Bars
Liquid shampoo has been the queen of the hair world for a long time. It’s become so normalized that we don’t usually think about how much plastic is involved in its production and packaging. And while your bottle of shampoo may only last a couple of months, its packaging can take hundreds of years to decompose.
Enter shampoo bars. They are just as pretty, effective, and long-lasting as your favorite shampoo brand, but their production and packaging are much more minimalistic. This makes them more sustainable without costing you any extra money.
Individual Eyeshadow Colors
Have you ever bought a stunning palette, only to realize that you exclusively use the same few colors over and over again? Not only is this a waste of your money, but it also undermines your low-waste goals. Chucking a plastic package full of unused product may be the norm, but it doesn’t have to be like this.
This problem is being easily solved by custom beauty brands. These companies let you buy eyeshadow and blush colors individually and create your own custom palettes. Not only do these palettes reduce waste by containing only your hand-picked items, but the packaging and ingredients are also generally more eco-friendly as well.
We know that being a low-waste consumer can sound really intimidating. Luckily, even simple swaps like these can help you save time, money, and storage space for your favorite products. We hope these tips help you create a more eco-friendly beauty routine.
