In 2022, sustainability is becoming trendy. Which is great for those of us who want to shop for sustainable beauty products, but not so great when it comes to deciphering the greenwashing brands from the genuine climate-savers. The beauty industry is the top offender for creating plastic waste, producing 120 billion units of plastic packaging each year, most of which is non-recyclable. Not only are our beauty products, both make-up and skincare, coated in plastic, but it is also present within the formula itself in many cases. So, what can we, the consumer, do about it? Not only is it better for our health to go sustainable and plastic-free where possible, but we can also help to reduce this astronomical amount of plastic waste.
The beauty industry produces 120 billion units of plastic packaging each year, most of which is non-recyclable
Ten, even five years ago, you would have struggled to find a shampoo bar in a mainstream beauty chain such as Boots. Yet today, we are seeing most toiletries compressed to bar form, without all the plastic packaging. Before the plastic onslaught of the 1970s, bars of soap were commonplace. Although they are still used today, the ease of the squeezy bottle has taken over. Perhaps we need to revert to our grandparent’s tactics. However, we are even seeing “waterless” shampoo taking off. The principal ingredient in shampoo is often water, hence the need for a plastic container. However, shampoo in powder, or bar form, which can then be combined with shower water to create a lather, is a much more sustainable alternative.
Refillable is the new go-to. You only have to walk to Grainger market to see a ‘refill store’ for all of your beauty and household-product needs. However, a lot of mainstream beauty brands, such as Kiehls and Garnier are offering refills of their products, to reduce the need to resell several plastic bottles to the consumer.
You might think that there are just some beauty necessities you just have to buy and throw away. Yet the brand ‘Last Object’ claim to be the first to create reusable cotton buds. At an RRP of £12, they are expensive, but repeatedly purchasing cotton buds at £2 a pack would cost in the long term! Their reusable make-up remover pads are also a great idea that has been replicated by many other brands. Even simple beauty products such as tissues can be made more sustainable; going back to ‘hankies’, or washable tissues is a great alternative. Minimal waste make-up brands are also on the up. The brand ‘Axiology’ has created the world’s first zero-waste lip crayons, which are also vegan and palm oil-free!
The beauty industry has made billions off people thinking it is "better" to buy and throw away products
In hindsight, when it comes to all of these throw-away alternatives to otherwise sustainable beauty products, capitalism is the problem. The beauty industry has made billions off people thinking it is “better” to buy and throw away products like tissues and cotton pads, rather than wash and reuse.
I’m not saying go and throw away all your existing make-up and beauty products, replacing them with sustainable alternatives. But next time you run out of your favourite product, why not try shopping for a plastic free, or waterless alternative?