In my social circles, I am a well-known fashionista and lover of all things fashion.
But I’m quick to point out to new acquaintances that I am not a narcissist – I just enjoy taking pride in my appearance and love the creative aspect of fashion. If you’re a new reader, I’m sure you don’t believe me and have me pegged as just another fashionista who is designer label obsessed and self-obsessed.
But would your opinion of me change if I told you that I care about my carbon footprint? Would you see me differently if I told you that some of the items in my wardrobe are second-hand? What if I told you that I rarely purchase clothes that require ironing because I don’t believe in wasting power?
By looking at me, most people would never guess that I actually care about what goes into the beauty products I buy and how they impact on the environment. Most people wouldn’t know that I care about the earth just as much as I care about this season’s latest trends. So how do I maintain a beauty routine that is (mostly) green?
Here’s my not-so-secret beauty secret:
“I (try) and keep it simple”
I’m not the first woman to admit that it can take me up to an hour to get ready. To be completely honest, if I am heading out for a night on the town, it will take more than an hour to get ready! But I will admit that on a day-to-day basis, I have reduced the number of steps that take me from woah to go! I am happier. My partner is happier. Mother Nature is happier. My wallet is happier too.
I’ve cut out how often I wear eyeliner. I don’t use a lip pencil anymore. I wear tinted moisturiser. I wear perfume sporadically. I wash my hair every second or third day. I rarely wear nail polish. I’ve stopped dying my hair and wear it naturally more often. I use natural and organic skin care products such as Sukin and Nude by Nature. And shock horror! I don’t use moisturiser (body or face) daily! By reducing the steps in my beauty routine, I have not only saved time and money, I’ve also reduced the number of chemicals I’m exposing myself to and the subsequent waste that occurs when purchasing so many beauty products that you can open your own Priceline store!
So I encourage you to follow this simple beauty regime with me. Even if you don’t implement all of these into your daily routine and you implement just one – you’ll still be making a real difference to our environment! In addition, you’ll have differentiated yourself from your fashion counterparts and gain respect for being that rare brand of fashionista who cares about something more than just herself!
