With rising concerns about climate change and global warming, every individual must take responsibility to reduce the impact of their lifestyle on the environment. Even tiny changes in how you live your everyday life make a huge difference in the long run.
As people become more aware of the impact of their everyday activities on the environment, there have been conscious attempts to safeguard the planet by switching to an environmentally friendly beauty routine. Small adjustments to your beauty routine can have a huge impact. For instance, opting for shampoo bars from brands such as Ethique shampoo might seem like a small change, but it makes a huge difference when you think about the carbon footprint an individual creates in their entire lifespan. If you want to learn how you can lead a more environmentally friendly life, here are eight mindful changes to incorporate into your beauty routine:
Don’t Race to Buy Every Trending Beauty Product
We live in a world where new beauty trends emerge every other day, and it is easy to get caught up in the race and buy products we don’t need. The need to buy every latest product has also been aggravated by beauty influencers who advertise products as “holy grails.” But an important question you must ask yourself here is, “Do you really need the product, or are you just getting influenced to buy it?” To make your beauty routine environmentally friendly, break the shackles of overconsumption and avoid replacing what you have with a new product.
Ditch Shampoo and Soap Bottles for Bars
An individual goes through countless bottles of shampoo and body soap in their entire life. Now think about the huge pile of plastic that is generated in your lifetime just to wash your hair and body. Concerning, isn’t it? A better alternative to this is shampoo and soap bars. These bars are similar to your liquid alternatives, with the only difference being that the product is packed into one solid bar. Moreover, most of these bars come wrapped in plastic-free packaging, thus reducing plastic waste.
If you are concerned about these bars being convenient, here is some good news. It is easy to pack them in your luggage, requires very little space, and there are no concerns about leakages.
Use Multi-Purpose Items
As a consumer, you must be aware of the resources that go into producing one beauty product. Therefore, it is best to choose multi-purpose products such as moisturizers that also act as sunscreens to reduce the number of plastic packages you consume and ultimately discard. Less consumption means fewer containers are produced, transported, and eventually disposed of. This cuts down packaging waste and energy consumption during manufacturing and transportation.
Avoid Using Products that Have Micro Beads or Microplastics
Most of the facial scrubs that you use on a daily basis contain microbeads that end up in the ocean and threaten marine life. Microplastics present in these products are one of the major causes of water pollution and genetic changes in aquatic animals. For example, when mussels ingest microplastic, they become prone to immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity, which can be life-threatening.
Use Products that Come in Recyclable Plastic or Glass Bottles
Of course, it is impossible to completely avoid plastic in our beauty routine. However, you can opt for products packed in recyclable plastic to reduce the impact of consumption. Recyclable plastic can be easily processed and used to create new products, which reduces your carbon footprint. Moreover, if you can find your favorite products in glass bottles, it is even better since they are easier to recycle and reuse.
Avoid Single-Use Products
A few beauty essentials that we use on a daily basis, such as cotton buds, cotton pads, tissues, and dental floss, meant for single use generate a huge pile of plastic waste. Therefore, it is best to avoid them and opt for more environmentally friendly alternatives such as microfiber towels and organic dental floss made of natural materials such as bamboo.
Opt for Refillable Products Whenever Possible
There are many beauty brands that offer refillable packs for their beauty products. Even though most of the packs come in plastic, they reduce plastic consumption to some extent, as you don’t have to buy a full-size product every time you run out. Moreover, since companies cut down on the packaging cost by offering refillable packs, they are also able to sell them for a lesser price, which in turn helps you save money. So, it is a win for both you and the beauty brand.
A Little DIY Never Hurts
To reduce the consumption of plastic, you can choose a DIY alternative whenever possible. So, instead of buying a face mask, you can use household products that can be easily found in your kitchen to create an effective mask that will serve the same purpose. This helps control overconsumption of beauty products and helps reduce plastic waste.
Little Changes Go a Long Way
All the changes mentioned above may seem very small, but they have a huge impact in the long run. The amount of waste generated while doing our everyday activities seems to be something that is not very concerning. But if you think about it from a holistic perspective, you will realize the difference even a small change can make.
Overconsumption and reckless purchases are some of the major threats that the environment faces. Therefore, being mindful of our consumption patterns, reusing and repurposing items, and opting for plastic-free packaging is essential for creating a more sustainable and environmentally friendly world.
