Sustainability is one of the key buzzwords over recent years in the beauty industry. Many people and brands alike have attempted to make the shift towards a more sustainable approach to skincare. To be sustainable means to take on habits which will not harm the environment over time, but how can you ensure that you have a sustainable skincare routine? Read on to find out more!
What is Sustainable Skincare?
With more and more consumers becoming environmentally conscious, it has led to an increasing demand for sustainable products, including skincare. It is reported that 66% of millennials across the globe are willing to spend more on their beauty products if they are eco-friendly.
Sustainable skincare is defined as products which meet our beauty needs, but have a low impact on environmental, human and animal welfares. There is also another trend surrounding sustainable skincare, which is the “clean beauty” movement. Head to your local beauty store and you will see a multitude of “clean” brands with an array of products, which claim to have a low environmental impact and natural ingredients.
With all of this new information out there, it can be hard to know where to start making changes to become more sustainable.. Luckily, we are here to give you some top tips to make your skincare routine cleaner than ever before!
Sustainable Skincare Routine Tips
#1: Look For Eco Friendly Materials
This is a simple tip which can be applied to both the packaging of your products and the ingredients themselves. By being a more conscious consumer and knowing what components to avoid, you can really help to make a difference.
There are now many products on the market which use recycled materials and even cardboard packaging, rather than polluting plastics. By choosing these instead of plastic laden products, you will be helping the environment with each purchase.
Palm oil is an ingredient that is in many skincare products, as it is a source of Vitamin E. Whilst it is being ruled out across many industries, palm oil is still a prevalent ingredient in many skincare products. Palm oil is one of the most un-sustainable ingredients. This is because in order to source palm oil, many rainforests and natural habitats have to be destroyed. By carefully reading the ingredients lists of products before purchasing, you can avoid supporting the palm oil industry and deforestation.
#2: Support Eco Friendly Brands
It is important to do some research into different brands before you do your skincare shopping. Do they support environmental causes? Are they 100% cruelty free? These are all important questions to think about before you take the plunge and purchase that face cream…
REN skincare is a brand which has pledged to be 100% zero waste by 2023. By supporting these forward thinking brands, you will be helping to create demand for these types of products, and causing a shift in industry trends for the better.
#3: Make a Gradual Shift
Whilst it may be tempting to do a complete skincare overhaul, it is better to make a gradual shift over time. If you rush into buying a whole new sustainable skincare routine in one go, you may end up not liking the products. This could lead to you throwing them away, leading to more unnecessary waste.
Instead, try to replace your products step by step over the course of a few months. This will help to ensure that you take time to research suitable sustainable alternatives that will agree with your skin.
#4: Ditch the Face Wipes
Do we really need to say this again?
As well as being TERRIBLE for your skin, face wipes are awful for the environment. Face wipes are composed of materials such as polyester, cotton and fibres, which often aren’t biodegradable. As face wipes are single use, you can imagine how polluting they are for the environment and eventually end up in landfill sites. Face wipes contain many harsh chemicals and don’t fully cleanse your face. Constant use of face wipes can lead to you experiencing skin concerns such as inflammation, acne and dryness.
Instead, opt for a cream-based cleanser or oil, with a reusable face cloth to remove your makeup. The environment (and your skin) will thank you! We offer a wide variety of medical-grade products at our skin clinics which are perfect for deeply cleansing and treating your skin concerns. Get in touch with us today to arrange a complimentary skin consultation!
#5: Make Use of Recycling Schemes
We all have multiple skincare empties sat on our shelves… so why not put them to good use? Many brands now have in-store recycling points, whereby as a reward for recycling old skincare containers, you can redeem points or vouchers towards new products.
The Body Shop runs a “Return, Recycle and Repeat” scheme in stores to encourage customers to dispose correctly of their empty products. They have also recently introduced refillable product stations in some of their stores, where you can top up your favourite products, rather than re-purchasing the whole item. This initiative helps customers to save money and also cuts down on their consumer’s total plastic waste.
Boots is one of the largest retailers that has introduced its recycling scheme. In exchange for 5 empties, you will receive 250 advantage card points (worth £2.50) with a £10 spend.
See.. it pays to be sustainable after all!
Want to find out more skincare tips and tricks? Make sure you are following us over on Instagram @simplyclinics & @dryoussefhaffar!
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