We are guilty of everything from shampoo and shower gel to face creams and make-up that contains some form of plastic.
Plastic waste seems to be in everything. 2021 should be our mission to adopt a more Zero Waste Makeup and eco-friendly beauty routine. On average, a woman spends around £22,000 on make-up in their lifetime, most of which ends up in a landfill.
We are guilty of a lot of stuff that we use on a day-to-day basis that contains plastic and they just come in handy because they’re convenient.
Why is Zero Waste makeup important?
In six decades we’ve created 6.3 billion metric tons of classic waste and only nine percent of that has been recycled. The plastic that isn’t recycled will take 400 years to degrade leaving behind excessive amounts of waste that can be virtually impossible to remove from the environment.
If present trends continue by 2050 there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills that amount is 35 thousand times as heavy as the Empire State Building.
Consumers are at the center of the material economy and we hold the power to impact the current system. To make a change we can buy more consciously and responsibly.
While buying we need to think about the disposal of the product first because we can’t change the system overnight. Of course 100% no waste is impossible but taking small baby steps towards Zero Waste Makeup, Zero Waste Hygiene and Zero Waste Grocery will help in building awareness and implementing actions one step at a time.
Zero Waste Makeup is not just a trend or routine it’s a process that requires upstream and downstream impacts as well. Take an example of a soda can, hundred things go into manufacturing one soda can, including other hundred things that will be required for disposal.
We all want to care for the environment even when it comes to our makeup and beauty products but is it possible to have a beauty routine without making trash? Stick with us to know more.
Which beauty products are Zero Waste Makeup and which ones are not?
To follow Zero Waste Makeup Routine, let’s understand what materials can be called Recyclable Materials. Paper and cardboard boxes are the safest option for the environment. Paper and cardboard are one of the most highly recyclable materials. When it comes to plastic, that is a completely different story. You can check on the bottom of your beauty products to see if your products have a triangle of arrows– it’s called the Mobius loop.
If the arrows have a number inside it, though, make sure you check with your local community rules. Every city has its own rules in terms of what is recyclable. So definitely check your local government website to make sure you know what the rules and restrictions are before you start Zero Waste Makeup.
So here is some surprising beauty product packaging that is not suitable for Zero Waste Makeup.
- Pumps
- Pipettes
- Squeezable tubes
All these things are normally not recycled. They’re usually destined for landfill.
In terms of packaging that is suitable for Zero Waste Makeup…
- Caps
- Screw tops
- Aluminium
- Hairspray cans
Shampoo bottles that don’t have pumps usually can be recycled in your blue bin.
Alternatives for Zero Waste Makeup and Personal Care
Now that we know what is a recyclable material, let’s look at the alternatives that you can adopt for Zero Waste Makeup and Personal care.
We use so many Toothbrushes in our lifetimes. They’re always made of plastic and they just end up on a landfill so the alternative to that is a bamboo toothbrush.
Which you can obviously put back into the earth when you’re finished. The bristles are recyclable. Wooden Brushes with plastic bristles isn’t the perfect solution obviously but it contains less plastic comparatively.
Arrowroot powder is a gentle alternative for Toothpaste which is just as effective as other toothpaste brands. It’s a two to one ratio of Arrowroot and coconut oil and then just adding a few little drops of peppermint drops gives it a little bit of a fresh fragrance.
Potatoes can be an excellent alternative for Deodorant. Take a slice of potato just use it under your armpit and it will stop all the bad odour coming from your armpit. Pop the potato into a jar and it will stay nice and fresh for the next day.
Soap with natural ingredients is also a great way to do Zero Waste provided it comes in cardboard or paper. Also, natural soap keeps it gentle on your skin so soap is a fantastic way of reducing your plastic and it usually lasts a lot longer than a shower gel would.
For moisturizer use coconut oil. Coconut oil is the best Moisturizer in the world, very little goes a long way. Buy it in a very simple glass container and if you want you can add another few drops of essential oil if you like a particular smell.
For Face moisturizer Rosehips oil is the best. Rosehips oil is great even if you have very sensitive skin. This will bring a huge difference in the quality of your skin and the texture. Another thing about rosehip oil is that you only need a tiny amount.
For Makeup Remover use Evening Primrose Oil. The reason for choosing Evening Primrose Oil is because it works well also it’s a great product to add in your Zero Waste Makeup Routine. You can also use olive oil, which you can get from your kitchen.
However, Evening Primrose Oil is the most gentle and it’s a zero waste makeup remover that you can have for your skin. it doesn’t break out the skin. Put it all over your face with your fingers and then you can take it off with some warm water and it absolutely works on mascara as well.
It’s simple to find zero waste makeup brands with a simple google search, but in case you want to have fun with homemade makeup. Here are the best recipes to make homemade Zero Waste Makeup.
Zero Waste lip tint
What you’ll need:
- 2 tsp Cocoa Butter
- 1/4 tsp Castor oil
- Beetroot powder
The method:
- Mix Cocoa butter and Castor oil together until well combined.
- Add in the beetroot until you reach your desired shade.
- Transfer to a container and it’s ready to use!
Zero Waste powdered blush
What you’ll need:
- Cornstarch
- Cocoa powder
- Beetroot powder
- You can mix ingredients as per your choice
The method:
- Take Cornstarch powder as a base in a container.
- Add in some beetroot powder to give it a pink shade.
- Now add Cocoa powder to give it a brown tone as per your choice.
- Be careful with the Cocoa powder, in case you use more than required, put more cornstarch powder.
Zero Waste Eyeshadow/highlighter
What you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp Cocoa butter
- 1/2 tsp Castor oil
- 1/8 tsp Candelilla wax
- Mica powder
The method:
Mica powder Makes the eyeshadow appear darker or lighter.
- For the shimmer, use white mica powder or you can use silver/ gold mica powder.
- Melt the cocoa butter, castor oil, and Candelilla wax on a double boiler on the stove.
- Once melted, remove from the stove and transfer to a container.
- Working quickly, add the mica powder and stir.
- Candelilla waxworks to solidify the product so you’ll want to work fast so it doesn’t set.
- Let it cool down and cool down and set it’s ready to use!
Zero Waste eyeliner/mascara
This eyeliner will turn out to be a thick gel-like mascara. It’s more of a gel eyeliner so in case you don’t prefer the gel one then you can divide the recipe into separate containers and dilute the mascara with water.
What you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp activated charcoal
- 1 tsp cocoa butter
- 1/8 tsp Candelilla wax
The method:
- Melt the cocoa butter and Candelilla wax using a double boiler on the stove.
- Remove from heat and add in the charcoal. Again, Candelilla wax works quickly as a thickener so you’ll need to add the charcoal quickly and transfer it into a container.
- Once it’s set it’s good to go! For better application can use the wand from your old mascara or you can use an old eyeliner brush.
Read More:
♦ What is Skin Purging? Causes & Treatment | Skin purging vs Breakout
♦ Simple Guide To Do Tiger Eye Nails and Snowflake Nails (Really Easy!)
♦ Best Skincare Ointment Creams To Buy In 2021
Know more about Sustainable, Eco-friendly, & Green Beauty Brands:
Conclusion
While Zero Waste Makeup can reduce your impact on the environment, to create greater environmental change we need to address structural issues like if you don’t have a composite system in your area you can petition for it.
Some people can make Zero Waste Makeup successfully and that’s amazing but individual approaches are not enough to succeed in Zero Waste. We need to challenge waste issues more strategically so that it’s easy to follow for everyone.
Indeed, structural solutions, like reimagining waste streams and working with companies to eliminate unnecessary packaging are essential to creating a world in which it’s easy to ethically coexist with our surrounding environment.
Tackling waste management is admittedly a large task. In order to have a complete Zero Waste Makeup and redesign our relationship with waste, we need to not only think sociologically but also mathematically.
| Read More: |
| ♦ What Is Skin Purging? Causes & Treatment | Skin purging vs Breakout |
| ♦ Simple Guide To Do Tiger Eye Nails and Snowflake Nails (Really Easy!) |
| ♦ Best Skincare Ointment Creams To Buy In 2021 |