If, like us, you’re a 10-stepper when it comes to your skin care routine, or you like to really do *everything* in your Everything Shower, your beauty shelf is probably (read: definitely) full of products. While some of those products might come in aesthetically pleasing glass jars or a paper pouch, many of them are likely made entirely, or partly, from plastic — so, for those of us who don’t want to sacrifice any of our skin care steps, is there a way to cut down on the plastic in our routines?
It’s a question we’ve tried to find a solution to — for that, you can thank our Cult Conscious initiative and Recycle Me scheme (more on those later) — but there’s also steps you can take and products you can switch to if you’re giving your beauty routine a planet-positive overhaul.
“While there are many benefits to using plastic, our society’s heavy reliance on this material has created a ‘throw away culture’ with around two-thirds of plastic being short-lived products that often become waste,” says Cult Beauty’s Sustainability Communications Project Assistant, Sian Lewis. “Plastics have a long lifecycle (some take hundreds of years to degrade) and are often inadequately collected and disposed of. This has created a plastics problem, which has now become one of the most pressing environmental issues our society faces,” she adds.
ONE STEP AT A TIME
“As with any lifestyle change, it’s always difficult to change your habits overnight!” explains Sian. “I think most people feel that if they’re not doing something ‘perfectly’, they shouldn’t bother at all. But this isn’t the case. Small actions accumulate over time, making a big difference.”
If you’re trying to reduce plastic in your everyday life, Sian shares her top three tips to start off with:
- Bring a reusable cup to your local cafe
- Bring reusable tote bags (or existing plastic bags) with you when shopping (and keep them in your bag or car so you don’t forget)
- Shop at local markets where packaging is often reduced
As for your beauty routine, Sian has plenty of advice when it comes to reducing plastic there, too. “There are so many great swaps you can make in your daily beauty routine to reduce plastic,” she tells us. “Using a bamboo toothbrush rather than a regular plastic brush is one,” she says, adding that you can also opt for “metal or glass packaging alternatives” as well as “switching out single use, plastic-based wipes for reusable face cloths.”
And there’s more, as one of the biggest changes you can make, according to Sian, is purchasing refillable beauty products. “We are increasingly seeing more plastic packaging alternatives,” she says. “Conversations around the use of plastic packaging in the beauty industry are growing. Many brands are undertaking Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to understand the impact of plastic packaging across the whole production cycle.”
However, Sian explains that sometimes, the alternative to plastic isn’t an option. “For some brands, due to the weight of transportation and energy needed to produce other materials such as glass or metal, plastic can be the more environmentally conscious choice,” she says.
SIAN’S PLANET-POSITIVE PICKS
“There are so many great brands offering reduced plastic products,” Sian says, listing some of her favourites like the Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser and Votary’s Face Cloths. Also on her list of must-buys is Conserving Beauty's Thirsty Face Dissolving Sheet Mask along with The Outset’s Botanical Barrier Rescue Balm.
MORE FOR YOUR HAUL
Remember what we said about being fans of the 10-step skin care routine? Perhaps it’s time to give your routine a make *under* — and by that, we mean reduce the plastic packaging used in it. Trade in your usual toner for a glass-housed option like The Ordinary’s Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner, which you can apply directly with your fingers or poured onto a reusable cotton pad, like Medik8's Reusable Bamboo Cotton Pads. As for hydration, FARMACY's Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Moisturiser is always a fan-favourite, especially when paired with a nourishing eye cream like REN Clean Skincare’s Radiance Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream or the ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask.
Got an Everything Shower booked in? Your wishlist is calling out for plastic-free staples like Luna Daily’s The Everywhere (No) Soap and Davine’s Volu Shampoo Bar.
Larry King’s Liquid Hairbrush Conditioner is another must and, as for your body, make sure you add the L’Occitane Almond Milk Concentrate to your basket along with the Herlum Copa Dew All-Over Nourishing Oil for even more top-to-toe nourishment. With these must-haves, not only will your body feel good, but you’ll feel good in the knowledge that you’ve played a part in reducing plastic waste!
FINDING CULT CONSCIOUS FAVOURITES
Want to shop more planet-positive options? Enter: Cult Conscious.
Powered by Provenance, our transparency initiative ensures the brands we carry are candid about their sustainability claims. Through Provenance’s coveted Proof Points (covering everything from Clinically Tested to Female Founded Brands and B Corporation), it’s easier for you to make informed choices and find products that align with your values.
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RECYCLE ME
Although there are plenty of refillable options out there, if your favourite beauty buy isn’t yet available in a refillable option or you’ve got loads of empties lying around that are hard to recycle, then you’re in luck. As part of our Cult Conscious initiative, we’re working hard behind the scenes to refresh our Recycle Me scheme. “So, watch this space!” says Sian.
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