As sustainability is becoming a very hot topic at the moment (a really good thing, of course) I thought I would weigh in to this discussion and offer some ways I have found to help create a more sustainable beauty routine that is also no more-so expensive than normal and, if not saving you some pennies in the long-run
CRUELTY-FREE ALTERNATIVES.
I won't keep going on about this one but, I think, switching out products for cruelty-free alternatives is such a simple way to help in having more sustainable beauty options. If you are thinking about going cruelty-free but have some worries, I may have tackled them in my "CRUELTY-FREE BEAUTY: WORRIES & SOLUTIONS". If you're looking for recommendations I have an abundance of posts on cruelty-free make-up, skincare and haircare that you should have a read of. Going cruelty-free does not mean choosing more expensive products. If anything, I've found since making this transition, I have been saving more money than before.
PRODUCTS WITH SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL.
This is a new one for me. While I regularly have tried to exclude using cooking products that include palm oil, I think less so about in this relation to beauty and I would like to be a little more conscious about this. From speaking to a friend, however, excluding palm oil altogether can be tricky and can actually lead to loss of jobs of thousands of people and would most likely see us relying on other , possibly worse, alternative. Instead, trying to find brands that ethically and sustainably source their palm oil is a much better way of helping with the issues surrounding palm oil.
If you want to read more about palm oil in beauty products I recommend this article by Glamour: "Why Palm Oil is Bad For The Environment...". However, if you want to read a little more about palm oil and why actually completely boycotting its use isn't the best solution, I recommend reading this article by Smithsonian and also this one by TheGreenVegans and for a quick rundown, Bare-Soaps published a quick read article about what they do. They definitely word what I'm trying to say a lot better!
STREAM-LINE YOUR MAKE UP BAG.
Is it really necessary to have 10 different lipsticks all in basically the same shade? Even when I have 10 of completely different shades I wonder whether I'm actually using them all equally and if I actually need that many. I no longer see the point of having mountains of make-up that I'm probably never going to use.
Instead of buying products just because I've heard it's good even though it's exactly like something I've tried before, I think a smaller, streamlined selection of makeup that I love and use most days helps reduce the waste of throwing out products after buying and never using, while also saving money.
NO ONE-USE. GO FOR REUSABLE.
While, yes, coming in from a night out and grabbing a make-up wipe is so much easier that cleansing your face properly (we've all been there), I've become more aware of how wasteful this really is. It's a similar thing with one-use cotton pads; used and then discarded. I recommend trying reusable cotton pads; just use and throw in with your laundry whenever you do a wash and there'll be ready to use again. You can buy so many variations of these with them being simply found on Amazon. I discovered an Etsy shop called "TabithaEveCo." who have really pretty patterned and handmade reusable make-up removal pads which I am definitely going to be buying over the next few days.
One other thing is razors. Instead of throwing away the whole razor, why not find an option that you just need to throw away the blades and can keep hold of and reuse the handle. I've expressed my love for the Friction Free Shaving Subscription* already. You get a gorgeous metal handle and they will send you the matching razor blades for every month. They are super flexible with cancellation, changing the date and skipping months with the razors being such high quality for the price point as well. If you fancy getting your own FFS razor, you can use my referral code "U6LWZG" and get a free engraving of your name into the handle of your razor to make it all the more luxurious and encourage you to keep the handle. By just swapping out your razor blades when necessary, this is not just a convenient way of replacing them but also a lot cheaper and sustainably effective.
BARS OVER BOTTLES
This is one that I feel can really make a difference over time. Instead of buying shower gels that, if you're like me, last only a few weeks before you have to buy a new one and the plastic isn't even recyclable in my area, I have tried just using a bar of soap instead. It lasts so much longer and, yes you may not get the great lather that you may with shower gels, I still feel fresh after and, if anything, makes my skin feel more hydrated and clean. Also, it creates so much less waste! I have been using The Body Sop soap bars specifically their Wild Argan Oil bar. I've also seen some great options from both Lush's Naked Shower Gels and Bomb Cosmetic's Solid Shower gels.
I also think to swap your usual shampoos and conditioners to those in bar form is a great option. I have used in the past a few different shampoo bars from Lush and they work just as well as any other shampoo and last so much longer than a bottle. I am yet to try a solid conditioner but I'm definitely looking to buy one soon as they are worth the investment!
WHY NOT DO IT YOURSELF?
This was a recommendation by a friend and so one that I know I can improve on. If you have bananas going off, maybe some avocado, if you're millennial as that sounds, then why not use these to make your own face mask? The natural properties are so much better for your skin than what many companies put in their face masks. Not only this, it helps reduce your waste and makes sure you're using up all your produce.
Why not try making your own facial sprays, lip scrubs, body exfoliators and coconut make up removers as well? The internet is full of amazing recipes on how to create these and so a quick google search and you'll be able to make one of these in no time with ingredients you're bound to have in your cupboard. These will be so much less expensive than buying them in shops, will help you reuse containers you have lying around and, overall, being a lot more sustainable and natural than buying them from the drugstore.
I hope these six ways of creating a more sustainable routine have given you something to think about and, hopefully, offered easy ways to improve your beauty. Do you think I've missed anything? Do you agree with what I'm saying? I'd love to hear any of your opinions on this topic in the comments!
Hope you're doing great,
Sarah x
*While this doesn't count as a #AD, I wanted to let you know that if you use my referral code, I will get a small discount on my account. However, as always, all opinions remain my own and wouldn't be sharing unless I fully loved the product.
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