As you might know, April 22 is celebrated as Earth day. Each one of us can and should do something nice for our planet Earth, be it a small act or a big change. For all you beauty junkies out there, I have put together a list of ways you can go green with your beauty routine.
Use refill bottles and less packaging
For products like Hand wash, shampoo, conditioners buy the gallon size containers and put them in refill bottles. This reduces plastic waste and will save you money too. Similarly, look for products which have minimal packaging. If a product has a plastic container and then a cardboard wrapping it will have more wastage and therefore more environmental impact. Whenever possible go for products which use recycled or recyclable packaging.
Save water
Whether you are taking a shower or running a bath, be conscious of the amount of water you are using. If possible ditch the bath tub and take quick showers which use around two-thirds less water. Never leave a tap running whilst brushing your teeth, washing your face etc. Try to combine these activities with your daily shower.
Recycle those empty bottles
All those empties at the end of the month like lipstick tubes, moisturizer bottles, wrinkle cream jars, spot prevention containers means a lot of wastage which will end up in landfills. Take these to the nearest recycling center and help in reducing its environmental effect. Origins cosmetics have a recycle program which regardless of brands collects this material and sends to a centralised recycling center. The Return to Origins program is currently active in The United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. M.A.C also has a Back to M.A.C program under which you can return six primary M.A.C packaging containers in exchange for a M.A.C lipstick of your choice.
Learn label lingo
Although a company might claim that their products will make your skin younger, healthy and give you natural glow but the ingredients listed in the label can tell a different story. There are many toxic chemicals being marketed under monikers such as “Hypoallergenic”, “Natural” “Sensitive skin” etc.
Products like deodorants may have aluminium, lip products may contain lead and petrochemicals and fragrances can have harmful phthalates. Be conscious of what is inside your beauty products and try to minimize the chemical content of your beauty loot. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a great place to learn about the toxicity of ingredients in your cosmetics.
Go organic
Organic products are made from natural ingredients and therefore are free of chemicals or synthetic ingredients. But just because a product says environment friendly or 100% natural does not mean it is. Look for products with Eco-cert label or the USDA certification which ensures that not only the ingredients are organic but their sourcing and manufacturing process is also organic.
Organically produced ingredients ensure that the cosmetics are healthy for the environment and your skin will not be absorbing any chemical residues. Aveda, Jurlique and Burt’s bees are some of the prominent organic products companies.
Make your own beauty products
Your home and particularly your kitchen has many ingredients at hand which will make a difference to your beauty routine and help in making it green. Besides, it is also a frugal way to look beautiful.
Use yoghurt and honey to make face masks, olive oil for moisturizing your skin, jojoba oil to manage frizzy hair, make a body scrub using brown sugar and olive oil, a toner using basil leaves and water, the possibilities are endless.
These are some ways to green your beauty routine and this is by no means an exhaustive list. All you need is a passion for environment, a little ingenuity and lots of love for your mother Earth. Go green and a happy Earth Day to you all. As always would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
This post has been written by our staff writer Swapna.
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