9 Eco-Friendly Hacks for a More Sustainable Beauty Routine

Learn how you can lessen your carbon footprint through more sustainable beauty choices.

Today more than ever, we all want to try to be as eco-conscious as possible. Beauty and cosmetic products are a part of our daily lives that help us achieve healthy skin, nails, and hair.  These items make us feel confident and ready to take on the day. Although we all worry about our personal impact on the environment, we don’t have to part with our beauty practices and rituals. Rather, there are choices we can all make to have a more sustainable and eco-friendly beauty routine.

1) Restore broken eyeshadow, blush, bronzer, foundation, and lipstick with simple tricks. 

One useful hack we can all do is to repair ‘broken’ makeup rather than throw it away. We all have had it happen before—we throw our favorite bronzer and highlighter into our overnight bag and rush out the door, only to later find that all the makeup cracked in the container and is now falling out. Whatever you do, avoid the impulse to throw it away!

For most powders, you can actually repack it by using rubbing alcohol. Just add a few drops to the powder, mix it and press it firmly back into the container until it is compressed. Let it dry out completely, and there you have it—perfectly pressed powder once again.

For lipstick, you can always reform the mold into another container, freeze the broken halves together, or use heat to reform the shape.

2) Use cleanser and soap “bars” to eliminate plastic waste. 

If you want to reduce the amount of plastic you use in general, there are now great earth-conscious alternatives for our regular hygiene products. There has been a recent surge in toiletries that use a bar form to eliminate the need for packaging. Hair products, cleansers, and body wash now can be found in a bar or solid form.

3) Check out refillable product lines and subscription services. 

The products available in the bar formats still may be limited for certain products, so another line to consider is refillable products. There are now countless brands that sell some form of a refillable or reusable product. Sometimes you can send in the product for a refill or visit an in-store location to top off your product. Other brands have parts or elements you purchase while keeping the same main container.

4) Avoid products with wasteful or excessive packaging. 

Lastly, when it comes to packaging, the best thing to do is to be aware and eco-conscious in your purchasing decisions. While there are brands that are striving to eliminate plastic and cardboard, many are not. You can always try to avoid items with frivolous and excessive packaging when you are out shopping for beauty products.

5) Purchase biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes, combs, makeup brushes, and other products. 

Some plastic items can take up to 500 years to break down depending on environmental factors. As the accumulation of waste has become a major concern to various ecosystems, many environmental agencies recommend making the switch to biodegradable options (items that naturally decompose).

For beauty products, there has been an abundance of items introduced lately that are intended to degrade naturally. Bamboo is often used in these biodegradable products as it is sturdy but still will break down. Bamboo toothbrushes, combs, makeup brushes, and other items have all become more widely available.

6) Incorporate more DIY and at-home products into your weekly or monthly routine. 

Although we all have our go-to face masks and favorite skin creams, we can also use everyday items and food products at home. For example, we all buy avocados or bananas that seem to go bad before we can even plan a meal. Instead of throwing them out (while they’re still safely useable), make a face mask. You receive a moisturizing facial while preventing more food waste. Household items like honey, turmeric, oats, aloe, avocados, bananas, and other items can all actually improve the condition of your skin, depending on the individual.

7) Avoid ingredients notorious for being harmful to the environment.

When it comes to ingredients, it is always a good practice to be aware of certain chemicals or products that have been deemed harmful to the environment by trusted reporting agencies. For example, Hawaii has recently banned sunscreen ingredients that were harming the local marine life, namely those containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. Beyond these sunscreen ingredients, you should also watch out for microplastics or other derivatives that have been shown to negatively impact the environment. If you are looking for more natural cleansers, you can choose shampoos and conditioners that are paraben and sulfate free.

8) Use tube squeezers and small spatulas to get out every drop of product. 

Though it may seem obvious, you should always be sure to use every available drop of a product before buying a new one. Often, people think they reach the end of a container or tube and throw out the item while there still is more product inside. Don’t be afraid to get hands-on with it—take apart the container or cut the tube in half to reach all of the remaining product. You not only can help reduce waste, but you can also save yourself some money.

There are also tools you can purchase, such as a tube roller (squeezer) or small spatulas, that can help you get every usable ounce out of your favorite beauty and hygiene products.

9) Ditch the face wipes and single-use cotton for reusable wipes and swabs. 

Many people love to use their face wipes or cotton pads to easily remove makeup after a long day. However, since these items are single-use, they especially contribute to beauty industry waste. To combat this, many beauty brands have created reusable versions of our usual cotton products. Soft microfiber towelettes and reusable swabs can all be purchased for more eco-friendly makeup removal and application.

Sustainability and the beauty industry do not have to be at odds with each other. There are simple choices we can all make to help reduce waste and keep our environment healthy and livable. For those that are interested in working in the sustainable beauty industry, cosmetology school is a great educational option. You can start a career in nail tech, esthetics, and cosmetology while keeping eco-friendly practices in mind. Speak to an enrollment advisor today at 800-62-SALON (72566) or request information online.