Category: Articles

Cruelty Free Beauty has been the most important influencer for me, when it comes to making a beauty purchase however I recently realised just how much unnecessary waste and single use plastic comes from our cosmetics.

So this year I made “Sustainable Beauty” another key factor to consider when buying any beauty products. It’s actually easier than I first thought too. Hopefully my 5 easy ways to reduce your beauty waste can help you make greener choices too.

1. Go Greener with Glass

So this one is an easy swap and the products don’t need to be more expensive because of the packaging either. Choose brands that use more sustainable packaging like glass, bamboo or metal.

The Beauty kitchen have a huge range of products and have pioneered the first  RETURN • REFILL • REPEAT scheme, where they wash and reuse the packaging – it’s better than recycling!

2. Try Soap bars instead of Shower Gel

I realised we as a household went through far too much shower gel and all those bottles were put into the recycling bin. However why send something to the recycling if it didn’t need to be used in the first place. Shower gels also contain alot of water which is heavier to transport and therefore has a larger carbon footprint too.

I used to think of soap as the “Imperial Leather” bars my grandparents had in their bathroom however Soap is the new product everyone is raving about. Faith in Nature have vegan, clean bars that smell amazing and start from only £1.99 and can be found all over the high street (Sainsburys, Boots, Holland & Barrett etc). There are also a lot of brands bringing back soap for the face too including Upcircle beauty. Their Chocolate Charcoal bar is sold out everywhere with incredible reviews – I have an upcoming haul arriving where I will be trying their Chai and ginger bar.

3. Ditch the Disposable

If you think about all the disposable items you use in a week, then think about this at the end of the year, your contribution to landfill is rather large. Disposable Razors, Cotton Pads and Face Wipes all have really simple, easy swaps that are not just better for the environment but your purse too.

Razors- I have seen a lot of companies now launching their own reusable razors. They start from around £20 which like any reusable product is a small upfront investment. However the cost of replacement blades is very cheap and you will have no plastic going to landfill at all. They are also alot kinder to the skin – as this is the style of blade men use for their faces. Upcircle Beauty have launched a completely plastic free safety razor which has a blade return scheme too, giving money off your refills.

Cotton Pads – These are a really easy swap to make. Holland & Barrett sell two types of reusable organic cotton pads or you can go to smaller retailers on sites like Etsy which have funky designs. I have pads from a small company called Whale & Me which I love.

Face Wipes – I am not a fan of the face wipe and haven’t been for years however I am very aware many of you are. These are horrendous products which cannot be recycled and also block a lot of drains if not disposed of properly. Face wipes are also not great for the skin (told you I wasn’t a fan). Don’t despair, there are great alternatives which I highly recommend. My favourites is the Magnitone Wipe Out Cleansing Cloth that removes makeup with just water – No cleanser needed! Once I’ve used both sides it goes into the wash, ready to be used again.

4. Choose Recycled and/or Carbon Neutral

I am not just talking about recycled packaging – there are brands that source and rescue by-products from other industries, how creative and resourceful is that. Upcircle is pioneering this movement.

You can also find brands that only source products from sustainable sources and are certified as Carbon Neutral companies too. Look our for the carbon neutral logo. Tropic Skincare are extremely conscious of their environmental impact and have this logo featured on their website.

5. Swap out the Spray

Deodorant, its the product people wear every day and need to know the product they are using works. Although aerosol cans can be recycled, the compressed gases that are used in them have a harmful impact on CO2 emissions and roll-on deodorants are usually packaged in two layers of plastic, meaning they are notoriously difficult to recycle. So whats the swap? Well change your aerosol for a more natural deodorant that comes with little or no packaging and has minimal impact on the world around us.

My favourite brand is Salt of the Earth, you can get their deodorants in Holland & Barrett, Waitrose and Boots. Their Sprays and Roll On bottles can be recycled and last 2x longer than any other deodorants I’ve used (therefore 2x less packaging) and they have also launched a completely plastic free crystal stick and deodorant balms too. I wore this deodorant cycling through Southern India, it really works.

Over recent years people have started to really look at what is in their food and understand from an ingredient list, what is and isn’t good for you. Unfortunately this happens a lot less when it comes to skincare.

The skin is our largest organ in our bodies and we need to make sure we look after it. So I have done a lot of research into cosmetic ingredients and created a simple dirt ingredient cheat, to help you keep an eye out for what to avoid and why.

Why use dirty ingredients?

There are many reasons that our cosmetics supplier use these dirty ingredients. They are usually cheaper than their cleaner alternatives. Dirty ingredients also act as thickening agents, prevent mouldy products, create foamy lathers and much, much more.  But we don’t have to put up with this as there are so many amazing products on the market that do not have such toxic side effects. Bare in mind that even some organic cosmetics may contain some dirty ingredients below – click here read my post on what truly makes a product organic.

What do the side effects mean?

A Skin irritant is a substance which, while not corrosive, causes a temporary or reversible inflammation of living tissue (such as eyes, skin, or respiratory organs) at the point of contact.

Allergies are when the ingredient could cause your skin to have an allergic reaction, this could be as little as red, itchy skin to extreme reactions such as hives.

A carcinogen is any substance that has the potential to cause cancer in living tissues and exposure can occur from the inhalation, ingestion, or absorption of many different types of substances.

Hormone imbalances occur when an ingredient interferes with the production, transportation, breakdown, binding or elimination of our hormones. This includes our thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, pancreas, hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

Reproductive defects can occur similarly to hormone imbalances. This is when an ingredient interferes with the bodies natural development and maintenance of the reproductive system.

Toxic references an external toxin which are toxins outside of our bodies, that can be ingested or absorbed. External toxins are capable of causing disease on contact with our skin.

The Cheat Sheet 

Do you need something faster?

If you are still not sure or would like a guide that can do the research for you while you’re shopping, download the “Think Dirty” app. This app provides a dirty rating on a scale of 1-10 listing the chemicals in your products that make them “dirty”. The other amazing part of the “Think Dirty” app is if the product you have selected rates high on the dirty scale, it will recommend much cleaner alternatives. Pretty cool eh.

Like to learn more?

The great thing about today is that we have the internet, so no need to go rummaging through the library to do research. However if you would like a book to use as a reference I recommend reading A Consumer’s dictionary of cosmetic ingredients.

I am constantly changing what I use to clean my skin. I tend to use cleansers when my skin needs brightening and an infusion of moisture, and face wash when I’m having a break out. But I wanted to be sure I was doing the right routine and really understand the difference between a face wash and a cleanser.

What do they do..

Face wash and cleansers ultimately do a similar job, they rid the skin of dirt, makeup, and excess oil. But what is the difference, and when should you use them?

Cleansers are non-foaming and more gentle on the skin with nutrients that moisturize and hydrate. Cleansers also dissolve away excess oil, makeup and grime from your face rather than penetrating deep into the pores. If you have been exposed to a lot of dust and pollution or if you’re wearing makeup, it would be a good idea to use a cleanser first, before using a face wash.

A face wash, is a foaming liquid that acts more like soap, to remove deep seated dirt and grime. Face washes are a little harsher and thorough compared to a cleanser. The right wash should leave your skin feeling clean and refreshed. Face washes should not be used more than twice and a day due to the removal of your skins natural oil.

How to use them..

For those of us that wear makeup or are exposed to a lot of pollutants, I would always recommend a double cleanse. The first cleanse should rid the skin of surface dirt and if you are wearing makeup, use a cleanser designed to remove it as not all cleansers are. (If you are unsure to check the product label.)This will then prepare the skin for a second cleanse. Just like starting your beauty regime with a blank canvas. 

The second cleanse should provide for the needs of your skin, whether that be a deeper clean to unclog pores (face wash) or softer surface cleanse (cleanser). This is then your opportunity to decide if you would like to use your face wash or cleanser.

Top Tips

• If your skin starts to feel dry and tight after using your face wash – switch to a new product as this may be removing too much of your natural oil
• Not sure what cleanser is right for you? Have a look at my post here for your cleanser 101
• You should always follow your cleanse with a toner, click here to read my post on why this is so important