Zero waste skin care can be an uphill battle when you are just starting. There is so much conflicting information, with seemingly little mention of sustainability or environmental impact. However, zero waste skin care seems to be more about the ethos behind reducing your environmental impact than it does about any particular ingredients in a product.
Here we have discussed how zero waste skin care practices help you reduce your environmental impact.
Table of Contents
Use the least product possible for maximum results
Some people are under the impression that more is better when it comes to cleansing, but the opposite seems true. If you are using a reusable washcloth or cloths with a face cleanser, you want to use as little as possible. This is because you do not want to leave bits of the cleanser on your face, and a washcloth will only get clean when it is damp. Using less product means that each time your washcloth is damp enough for cleaning, it will pick up more of the product from your skin.
In addition, it is important to avoid using more than the bare minimum of product because this will lead to waste. By using fewer products, you are reducing your environmental impact even further.
Stop exfoliating with plastic microbeads
Many skincare products, especially ones aimed at removing dead skin cells, contain tiny plastic ‘microbeads.’ Plastic microbeads are, as their name suggests, tiny pieces of plastic that do not degrade in the environment. This is a problem because many water treatment plants cannot filter out these tiny pieces of plastic, which then enter our waterways and eventually our oceans.
And so, when buying facial exfoliators, look for those that do not contain microbeads. Microbead exfoliators seem to be falling out of fashion as awareness about their environmental impact grows. There are tons of products on the market now that do not use microbeads, and you can find options for all skin types and concerns.
Make your products
Making your products can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact. You can control the quality of the ingredients you use to ensure that they are sustainable and clean. This is especially important if you have allergies or skin sensitivities. For example, if you have sensitive skin and want something to help calm down your skin, you could make a calming cleanser using aloe vera or rosewater
Ingredients:
You will likely need to invest in some equipment to make your products. You can often find the ingredients you need at health food stores and grocery stores, but it isn’t easy to substitute certain items (like many essential oils) for others.
Make your toner
Toner makes up an important part of any zero waste skincare routine. A toner leaves the skin feeling fresh, smooth, and moistured after cleansing. It is also a valuable product because it helps rid the face of any residue left behind by cleansers. For this reason, toner will make sure that the rest of your skincare treatment works more effectively.
Making your toner can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact, as you can control what goes into it and avoid plastic packaging materials. In addition, if you have concerns about certain ingredients (like alcohol), making your products allows you the flexibility to avoid those ingredients.
Stay away from plastic as much as possible
Another way to reduce your environmental impact is by buying skincare products with as little packaging as possible. This may be easier said than done since some materials are necessary for the product (such as glass around essential oils). However, you can avoid using aerosol cans and plastic tubes whenever possible.
For example, if you want to buy a face cleanser, look for a bar and use it with a washcloth. If you want moisturizer, try using a pump bottle or lotion your skin with oil that you’ve decanted into a reusable container.
Try making your skincare products
Making your skincare products can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact. You can control the quality of the ingredients you use to ensure that they are sustainable and clean. This is especially important if you have allergies or skin sensitivities. For example, if you have sensitive skin and want something to help calm down your skin, you could make a calming cleanser using aloe vera or rosewater
Ingredients:
You will likely need to invest in some equipment to make your products. You can often find the ingredients you need at health food stores and grocery stores, but it isn’t easy to substitute certain items (like many essential oils) for others.
Making your toner can be a great way to reduce your environmental impact, as you can control what goes into it and avoid plastic packaging materials. In addition, if you have concerns about certain ingredients (like alcohol), making your products allows you the flexibility to avoid those ingredients.
Buy in bulk
Buying products in bulk is a great way to reduce your environmental impact. It cuts down on the number of packaging materials you use, which is usually more cost-efficient.
For example, if you want to buy a face cleanser, look for a bar and use it with a washcloth. If you want moisturizer, try using a pump bottle or lotion your skin with oil that you’ve decanted into a reusable container.
Read labels to make sure you avoid certain ingredients
In addition to making sure the product is in an appropriate package when buying from a store, read the label carefully. Some ingredients can be harmful or irritating to some people’s skin, so it is important to make sure you are not putting any of those ingredients on your skin. Look for words like “fragrance,” which may contain several harmful chemicals.
To make things easier, many brands put a list of all their ingredients online so that consumers can check before buying the product. This is especially important if you have allergies or skin sensitivities.
It may be difficult to avoid certain ingredients, but you can usually find a product that works for your skin by checking those lists first. For example, many products contain alcohol (to remove dirt and makeup). If you want to avoid this, look specifically for products without alcohol when shopping for skincare products.
Prefer plant-based instead of animal-based ingredients
Another way to reduce your environmental impact is by buying skincare products with as little packaging as possible. This may be easier said than done since some materials are necessary for the product (such as glass around essential oils). However, you can avoid using aerosol cans and plastic tubes whenever possible.
For example, if you want to buy a face cleanser, look for a bar and use it with a washcloth. If you want moisturizer, try using a pump bottle or lotion your skin with oil that you’ve decanted into a reusable container.
Buy products made by brands that take sustainability seriously
Make sure to buy products from brands that respect the environment and its inhabitants. For example, some companies follow sustainable packaging practices and create less waste for landfills (e.g., donating extra products). Other companies make their packaging recyclable or reusable, helping reduce the impact on our planet even more.
To make things easier, there is an app you can download to see which brands are sustainable and environmentally friendly. “Good Guide” rates products based on their environmental impact and lists the specific details about each product (e.g., ingredients used, how it is packaged, etc.), allowing consumers like you to make better choices when buying skincare products.
For example, some companies follow sustainable packaging practices and create less waste for landfills (e.g., donating extra products). Other companies make their packaging recyclable or reusable, helping reduce the impact on our planet even more.
Buy animal-friendly products
There are many ways to avoid buying products that harm animals, but sometimes it is difficult to tell which brands are cruelty-free just by looking at them.
The best approach is to look for clearly marked items in stores (like the Leaping Bunny symbol). If you can’t find these symbols near the product, you can check online or call customer service before buying. To make things easier, some apps let you scan a product’s barcode or search its name to see if it has been tested on animals (e.g., the Cruelty-Free App).
Purchase products made by brands you can trust
It is important to know which brands you can trust since not all companies have the same values. For example, some companies donate a small portion of their profits to environmental causes, while others spend more time and money creating better packaging.
It may be difficult to find out this information before buying each product, but there are ways to minimize your risks. You can only purchase from brands that have been around for several years (and survived growing pains along the way). You can also choose brands endorsed by organizations you trust, such as environmental advocacy groups.
Certify products to make them easier to identify
Lastly, some brands have applied for “eco-labels” to certify their sustainability efforts. For example, if a product has the Nordic Swan label, you can be confident that the company has met certain environmental performance standards.
Specifically, they must have a documented commitment to sustainable development throughout the entire life cycle of their products. This means looking at how materials are extracted or produced, what happens when manufactured into finished goods, and how those products are finally disposed of.
Knowing how to reduce your environmental impact on beauty and skincare products is easier than you might think. By applying some common sense and looking into things further (like reading product labels), you can actively protect the environment and all who inhabit it.
FAQ’s
Q: What is zero waste?
A: According to the Zero Waste International Alliance, zero waste is a goal that is “designed to help move society towards sustainable resource use and reduce the amount of waste generated.”
Q: How does zero-waste relate to skincare and beauty products?
A: It means not buying or using any product that can’t be reused or recycled, which is the whole point of zero waste. This includes avoiding plastic packaging whenever possible since it can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills.
Q: What are some common examples of zero waste beauty products?
A: Look for products that use packaging that can be reused (e.g., glass jars). Refill your containers or purchase from bulk stores to avoid buying entirely new ones. You can also look for products in recyclable or compostable packaging. Look for items that use non-toxic, skin-friendly ingredients and don’t appear on any toxic chemical watch lists.
Q: What are some common examples of sustainable skincare?
A: Look to companies that reduce waste by offering free samples, sending packaging materials to be recycled, and using non-toxic ingredients. You can also look for brands that use recyclable or biodegradable packaging and minimize the amount of plastic used by offering refillable containers.
In Fine,
Knowing how to reduce your environmental impact on beauty and skincare products is easier than you might think. By applying some common sense and looking into things further (like reading product labels), you can actively protect the environment and all who inhabit it.
