Beauty products and its role in sustainable living has humongous effect. Finding the right eco-friendly product is tough. Zero Waste reports that more than 120 billion units of packaging are produced every year by the global cosmetics industry, much of which is not recyclable. The majority of beauty products come packaged in plastic, which – when talking about your average moisturizer pot – can take nearly 1,000 years to decompose. Then there’s the plastic wrappings, paper inserts, cardboard sleeves, foam, mirrored glass and more, sometimes all present in one purchase. Of the product packaging we can recycle, half of us don’t. Research from Garnier found that over 56% of Brits (that’s 4.5 million people) don’t recycle bathroom products because of the inconvenience. If these items aren’t given a second life, they simply go into landfill – or potentially litter our environment. However, it’s not just plastic that’s the problem with the beauty industry, but the vast water waste, too. As the industry’s most used ingredient, there are concerns that demand for water could outstrip works on products like While some brands are responding by formulating with richer ingredients and less water, there’s also a ‘cleansing reduction’ movement concerned with showering and bathing less. Sustainability of ingredients used in products is also an area of environmental concern, from how they’re sourced to the long-term impact of farming them for cosmetic purposes. Palm oil for example, which is used in approximately half of all consumer goods, is causing widespread deforestation plus the extinction of many animal species.

To avoid adding to the problem, the best way to identify if a product’s ingredients have been sustainably sourced is to look out for the Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance logos on the packaging. supply. Eco friendly beauty products mainly includes Hand made soap bars. When recycling any product, the container needs to be clean – either washed in warm soapy water or put through the dishwasher. Then check the labelling (see the recycling symbols explained here) to determine its recyclability – you may need to research what exactly your local authority recycles. Remember that the cotton wool and regular cosmetic wipes used in your beauty routine are not recyclable, or flushable (they can cause blockages). These items should be placed in your rubbish bins, or try alternatives – such as cleansing with wash cloths, face flannels or reusable cotton wool-like wipes (try Cheeky Wipes). There are so many planet-friendly beauty options available now, from mass, high street and niche brands. Taking a packaging perspective, look out for products made of recyclable materials, such as glass, plant based plastics and natural cork, and those that are biodegradable. Or, where possible, go packaging-free. So environmental safe packing plays a vital role in packaging.

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