Have you ever wondered how your beauty routine affects the planet? The cosmetic industry impacts the environment more than you probably assume: from harmful chemicals to non-reusable packaging, it does leave a significant footprint. Most people don’t put much thought into picking eco-friendly products. Instead, they focus on getting the best possible results for a good price.
However, we must understand that beauty has to be sustainable too. Earth’s resources are not inexhaustible and we have to treat it with more respect. The new year is always a good time to make a fresh start and replace our habits with more positive ones.
So here’s how you can adopt an eco beauty lifestyle in 2017:
Always analyze the label.
A recent study showed that taking a short break from using certain cosmetic products can boost your health significantly. There is a number of harmful chemicals that can be found in cosmetic products. Before making your purchase, read the label. To start detoxifying your beauty routine, try avoiding the following ingredients:
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- sodium lauryl – it can trigger allergies, cause skin irritation and further health complications. It’s often found in foam products,
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- petroleum – can affect skin’s normal functioning and is found in baby oils, mascaras and moisturizers,
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- parabens – studies have associated it with cancer and it’s found in almost every skincare product from hand cream through to deodorants, and
- synthetic fragrance – it can contain around 200 harmful ingredients so when you see ‘fragrance’ or ‘fragrance oil’ it’s hard to work out whether the ingredients are toxic or not. I suggest searching for products that are phthalate–free.
These are the most frequent ingredients to avoid but I encourage you to read 15 Beauty Brands to Avoid If You Want to Go Eco-Friendly for details on the commonly purchased beauty products and brands you should be avoiding.
Be a smart shopper.
First off, when you go shopping, make sure to take with you reusable bags so that you’re less likely to take the single-use disposable plastic variety when it’s offered to you.
Now when shopping, we encourage you go purchase from independent brands rather than the commercial brands as smaller businesses are more likely to devote time and effort into crafting safe formulas because their reputation is of paramount importance. As a brand gets larger, they tend to lose that personal touch.
Choose organic beauty products.
Another way to go ‘eco’ in your beauty routine, is to turn to natural and organic products. To rejuvenate the skin why not embrace the benefits of Vitamin C serum? Many formulas are not only organic but suitable for vegans too. I recommend you search for ECO CERT and organic certification credentials to be certain that your products have been audited and have complied with strict environmental requirements. By focussing on organic beauty products that contain plant-based natural ingredients, you will be reducing the number of toxic chemicals you expose yourself to.
If you can’t find organic, opt for the better alternative.
If you can’t find organic options, just aim to make the switch from purchasing an unhealthy product to a better alternative. For example, when dyeing your hair, avoid formulas that contain ammonia, benzene, toluene, and coal tar. Stick with hair dyes that are plant-based or use henna which is proven to be much safer for you and our environment. If you wish to freshen up your hairdo with some natural highlights, why not try lightening it with lemon juice rather than toxic chemical foils? Beauty really shouldn’t come at the cost of your health, or the planet’s.
Say no to microbeads.
Avoid products that contain plastic microbeads as these cause huge amounts of damage to marine life. Turn to home remedies for a healthier way of scrubbing off dead skin cells. You can easily make natural exfoliators using ingredients straight from your kitchen cupboard.
Here’s a recipe I recommend: Mix some honey and brown sugar to the consistency of your choosing. You’ll end up with dewy looking skin without causing grief to our oceans. Home remedies can offer you a great, safe alternative to many products on the market.
Pay attention to packaging
A survey from 2009 conducted by LiquiGlide showed that consumers hate waste in the beauty industry and are more willing to switch brands that have efficient packaging. So I encourage you to search for brands that are devoted to eradicating the environmental damage by providing consumers with recyclable or reusable and even refillable packaging.
Just be mindful about it.
In order to make your New Year’s resolution work and become more eco-responsible, first make sure your own mind is not polluted. What I mean is, before you adopt new green beauty habits, you have to make a clear real decision that you want to set your priorities straight.
Related Post: Sustainable Beauty Embraces Minimalism
This may be hard when clever advertising tricks you into wanting to buy this beauty product or that, making you feel that you need it in order to be beautiful, to look beautiful, to feel beautiful. But don’t let yourself get seduced by the possibility of having voluminous lashes with a new mascara or flawless skin with a “revolutionary“ foundation. If you do decide that beautifying yourself in this way is something you care about, just try to stay away from the toxic beauty products ladened with synthetic chemicals.
It is possible to make your beauty habits greener with some effort and if you succeed in doing this in the new year, make sure to spread the word. We want all women – including Mother Nature – to be happy and healthy!
Have you adopted a green beauty routine? Do you have any tips or can recommend eco-friendly skincare products, makeup or other beauty products? Feel free to share with our community by posting a comment!
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