HOW TO REDUCE PLASTIC IN YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE
“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.”
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
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RECYCLE ME
Having spent much of her career in the world of glossy magazines, Jade is one of Cult Beauty's Senior Copywriters. As well as a passion for all-things-words (she can — and will, if asked — write a dissertation on fake tan), she has heaps of skin care and beauty know-how (including how to achieve the perfect winged eyeliner again and again... and again). When she’s not applying fake tan or admiring her knife-sharp liner, she’s an adoring mum to four feline fur babies, hunting down inspiration for her next set of acrylic nails or watching endless episodes of reality TV.
