Wasted Beauty
Taking care of ourselves isn’t easy, particularly in an appearance-centric world, and our desire to look good also has significant negative consequences on our environment.
Did you know 70% of waste in the beauty industry is packaging?
Unfortunately, the beauty industry has more than just a packaging problem when it comes to waste. Environmentally unfriendly products filled with synthetic chemical ingredients made to de-wrinkle, soften, illuminate, glossify, plump etc, pollute marine life and cause environmental damage when washed down the drain - making their way through waste-water treatment plants and into the ocean.
There are purpose driven beauty brands who have made it their mission to produce beautiful quality products using 100% natural and organic ingredients, sustainably sourced and having a minimal impact on the environment. With continual development in technology, these innovative brands also use sustainable packaging that can be recycled, reused or composted and with a `less is more’ philosophy, they completely avoid excess packaging.
Although consumers are starting to get an understanding of what sustainability really means and becoming more aware, the actions of the majority aren’t following through. People remain strongly influenced by marketing campaigns and celebrity endorsements, people are also time poor so accessibility and ease of purchase influences consumption behaviour. Unfortunately brands who have the greatest distribution and often the most competitively priced are often the ones who cut corners, driven by selling volume and maximising profits, it has a direct impact on the ingredients and packaging used.
Beauty brands who operate in the sustainability space, in comparison, are driven not only by their bottom line but equally by their desire to protect our planet. Sourcing sustainable ingredients, using sustainable packaging and minimising their impact on the environment.
Made With Respect partner with amazing sustainable beauty brands for both women & men, including;
WOMEN
AYPA products are made with unique sustainable superfood ingredients ecologically harvested in Peru, one of the richest biodiversity on the planet. Minimalism and efficacy define their products, with the best combination of active plants in very high concentrations, they are all handmade in small batches with only 100% natural and organic ingredients.
Using only eco-friendly recyclable packaging, AYPA avoids unnecessary excess.
PAAVANI ingredients are selected from premium sustainable and ethical sources, their products are 100% plant based, organic, wild harvested, certified cruelty free, gluten free, paraben free and chemical free. Responsibly packaged in recyclable glass. PAAVANI labels are printed on recycled paper stock, using water-based inks that generate little to no paper waste.
MEN
66°30 is 100% natural and organic skincare range for men. 66°30 are certified by Ecocert in green chemistry, promoting organic farming, local production, biodiversity and fair trade. 66°30 packaging has been minimized and printed using vegetable-based inks on 100% recycled paper from sustainable harvested forests.
Not only do the thousands of beauty products on the market need to fulfill their promise to slow down the aging process but they also need to commit to slowing down the amount of waste they generate.
There are many things we, as individuals, can do in our everyday life to live more sustainably and we must all work toward living more sustainably. We need to realise how destructive and polluting our consumption behaviour has become - we demand, they supply. We must move away from a make, use, dispose mentality and we need to start making more conscious choices, buying better and buying less.
With an ever-growing demand for resources by an ever-growing population, we’re putting tremendous pressure on the biodiversity of our planet...a planet that cannot be replaced.
Photo: Drew Graham, Unsplash