Zero-waste makeup: 6 solutions to discover
While putting on makeup is very often synonymous with pleasure, we are increasingly aware of the impact of cosmetics on the environment. Every beauty gesture involves throwing away a lot of waste... unless we opt for a zero-waste beauty routine! But how should we go about it? Here are some ideas for a zero-waste makeup (or almost) that will help you better target your beauty products.
Zero-waste cosmetics: the arguments that hit home
75,000 tons of cosmetic and hygiene product packaging are thrown away each year, according to EcoEmballages. This figure needs to be put into perspective, as it dates from 2010, but it gives a good idea of the scale of the phenomenon.
However, packaging requires energy and resources to be produced. And as you have probably already heard: "the best waste is the one that is not produced".
In addition, only 49% of French people claim to sort their bathroom packaging*. The other products are therefore incinerated or buried in the ground, allowing plastic microparticles to spread into nature...
You now better understand why the arrival of zero waste in the bathroom appeals to so many people.
Many solutions can be implemented to find your zero-waste routine. For today, we will focus on makeup.
In addition to being able to reduce one's environmental footprint, there are two other advantages to zero-waste makeup:
- it is often more economical for all the reasons we will discover together.
- natural cosmetics and zero waste often go hand in hand, because behind the brands that develop them are teams who are committed to respecting living things. The products often have better compositions with natural, or even organic ingredients, and zero-waste makeup is often vegan.
So, motivated to see your beauty resolution through?
*L'Oréal France – Harris Interactive Barometer "Do French people sort beauty products in the bathroom", conducted on a representative national sample of 1139 individuals, from February 22 to 28, 2018
What are the zero-waste alternatives for makeup?
Now, what are the zero-waste makeup products available to us to limit our environmental impact?
1. Prefer products with eco-responsible containers
It is true that it is rather difficult to avoid packaging, especially for products that must be irreproachable in terms of hygiene and appearance. So, to minimize them as much as possible, prioritize plastic-free or recyclable makeup (remember the microplastics we talked about earlier).
There are products with glass packaging or with biodegradable and/or recyclable containers (packaging in paper, cardboard, bamboo, or even made of wax and vegetable oil). You can therefore find both a pot lipstick and biodegradable lipsticks with eco-friendly paper packaging.
To adapt to these containers, some companies have sometimes created products with a rather unexpected appearance such as a solid foundation, a solid highlighter, or even a solid stick concealer. What is called, you guessed it, solid makeup.
Be careful though, if your skin is too sensitive, you may need to insist a little more to apply the product to your face.
And of course, we had to tell you about our zero-waste nail polishes. We designed them in a glass bottle, with a rather special cap. This allows it to reach the bottom of the container, making it a zero-waste nail polish! Note that it allows you to gain 20% more product compared to most other conventional nail polishes.
The icing on the cake, it is vegan, cruelty-free, made in France and contains 85% natural ingredients.
2. Choose refillable makeup
Some eco-responsible makeup brands offer refillable packaging. The idea? You only buy the product packaging once, then you only need to get the refills. This applies to mascaras, makeup palettes and zero-waste powders (eyeshadows, blushes, highlighters, bronzers) or any other makeup product that can be found in a pot or stick.
3. Adopt returnable makeup
Other brands suggest that you send back your various containers after you have finished them, the idea being to be able to reuse them. Of course, each container is inspected, cleaned and disinfected.
This is the same system we apply to our nail polish removers. In exchange for the bottle you send us, we offer you €4 off your next nail polish remover purchase.
4. Opt for two-in-one products
Another way to reduce waste: favor multi-purpose products that you can divert.
Here are some ideas:
- lightly tinted vegetable oils to redden your cheeks,
- eyeshadows diverted into blush or bronzing powder,
- concealer as an eyeshadow base,
- a translucent gloss as a highlighter,
- a lipstick to serve as eyeshadow, etc.
You can quickly have fun!
5. Make your own cosmetics
It is also entirely possible to make your own homemade makeup. In addition to reducing your waste in the bathroom, you can choose the components according to your skin type. We recommend opting for simple recipes that do not require too much equipment or ingredients.
Collect your old containers, brushes and applicators, clean them, then you can reuse or refill them and so on!
You can even go further and use fruits and vegetables! The idea is quite radical, it's true, but think about it occasionally. Bea Johnson, high priestess of zero waste, explains that she uses:
- cocoa as a bronzing powder,
- beetroot powder as blush,
- spice, aromatic herb or clay powder as eyeshadow,
- almond charcoal to make a khôl pencil or a zero-waste mascara.
Before each use, always do a test - on your arm, for example - to check that you tolerate the product well.
6. Invest in durable rather than disposable products
Regarding accessories, we strongly advise you to invest - the cost is still minimal - in washable wipes like our #REDOUTABLE remover pads or a washable and reusable cotton swab for makeup. Just one of these products will replace the use of more than a hundred disposable cotton pads!
And you, what solutions have you found for a zero-waste bathroom?
