No matter what beauty products you use, you’ll probably find that they come housed in a lot of plastic. As plastic pollution, particularly in oceans, is becoming a major problem, many people are thinking about how they can reduce their plastic consumption. Here, we show you how to reduce plastic in your beauty routine in a couple of easy steps.
Why Is Plastic A Problem?
Did you know that 8 million plastic pieces enter our oceans on a daily basis? Not only that but every year, 100,000 marine mammals are killed by plastic pollution.
66% of all plastic in the seas comes from land. Whether that’s plastic coffee cups and cartons left in beach resorts or plastic bottles used at home, any type of plastic can enter our oceans, affecting our marine life.
How to Reduce Plastic In Your Beauty Routine – Easy Steps to Take
Making changes is often easier than you think. So, why try and cut down plastic in your beauty routine? Well, 95% of packaging from beauty products is discarded after just one use. Additionally, around 120 billion packaging units are generated by the cosmetics industry alone – that’s a lot of plastic!
How can you help? Here’s how to reduce plastic in your beauty routine with a couple of easy steps.
Avoid Face Wipes
Face wipes are not biodegradable, meaning they don’t decay naturally. Face wipes are actually one of the biggest causes of pollution as they take 100 years to break down. Instead, use biodegradable wipes or reusable cotton face pads with a makeup remover.
Use Refillable Products
Refillable products are often housed in recyclable packaging and can be emptied into their original containers. This significantly reduces the amount of plastic being used.
Use A Bamboo Toothbrush
Plastic toothbrushes don’t break down easily, so they stay in the environment for longer. A bamboo toothbrush, on the other hand, is constructed from the natural plant of bamboo. This is fully biodegradable so it won’t harm the planet.
Choose Shampoo Bars Instead of Bottles
Shampoo bars use far less waste than bottles. Bars may have a paper wrapper instead of plastic – you can also choose bars for soap.
Go For Plastic-Free Products
There are many zero-waste and plastic-free beauty brands. Zao, EcoRoots, Dirty Hippie Cosmetics and Ethique are just a few eco-friendly beauty brands with great products.
Recycle Old Products
Instead of throwing out your old or unwanted products, why don’t you recycle them? Boots, The Body Shop and Lush are a few stores offering in-store beauty recycling. Some shops even offer a free product or loyalty points in return for recycling.
