10 small changes you can make to your beauty routine to do your bit for the planet

All you need to do is #startsomewhere

The Queen isn’t the only one celebrating a jubilee this year, environmental activism is too. In 1972, the United Nations hosted the Conference on the Environment in Stockholm. This was the first world conference of its kind which made the health of the planet a top priority for policy-makers and business owners.

50 years on, governments around the globe are still grappling with planetary issues. From greenwashing to deforestation, world leaders have a lot on their plate.

That said, CEOs and prime ministers aren’t the only ones who can do their bit these days. There are so many small things we can all do to be better at sustainable living and your beauty routine is a great place to start. So many brands are doing incredible things to make sustainable beauty a simpler choice for us all.

We’ve rounded up 10 ways that you can do your bit to start somewhere.

1. A new way of washing your hands

Forgo is a clever sustainable hand soap brand that consists of a glass bottle, powder sachets and your very own tap water. It’s really rather clever. You pour the powder into the bottle, add tap water, give it a shake and voila, you have hand soap. It’s easier than making a cup of tea. The packaging is both recyclable and compostable. It ships waterless and refills arrive in a thin paper envelope, via a subscription service.

2. Switch up your razor

Think about how many disposable razors we must get through in a lifetime. You could stop using them altogether and swap in an epilator or start waxing, but that’s not feasible for everyone. Thankfully, all Gillette Venus refillable handles are now made with at least 30% recycled material, plus all packaging is now 100% recyclable and made from recycled content and responsibly sourced paper.

Gillette Venus Comfortglide Coconut plus Olay Platinum Razor, £13 | Boots

3. Recycle your old tools

Cloud Nine, the award-winning hair tool brand has a recycling scheme like no other. In its bid to save 1.5 million styling tools from landfill, it will recycle any gadgets – straighteners, curling wands and hair dryers – from any brand for you. Oh, it also plants 10 trees for every purchase made on its site and its packaging is 100% recyclable.

4. Plastic packaging, really?

Fekkai, the well-loved hair brand, has made every single bottle in its collection out of 95% repurposed plastic, which is 100% recyclable. So not only will it look good on your shelf and take care of your hair, but it’ll also allow you to sleep soundly at night knowing that you didn’t buy another virgin plastic bottle.

Fekkai Super Strength Collection, from £20 | Feelunique

5. Go solid

Shampoo bars are this year’s must-have sustainable product – there are offerings from Bleach London, Garnier and even Head & Shoulders has launched its own. They are 100% plastic free, which when you know the statistics – approximately 13 billion plastic bottles including shampoo bottles are used annually in the UK, with only 7.5 billion being recycled – seem like a no brainer. Go that one step further with Faith in Nature’s shampoo and conditioner bars.

Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioner bars, £7 | Holland and Barrett

6. Tan without the guilt

Scientia Beauty is a new skincare brand that’s certified cruelty-free under the Leaping Bunny Certified programme, Vegan Society approved and comes in sustainable glass and FSC certified packaging printed with soy ink. Its HA & Vitamin D Aqua Tanning Serum means that you can get that sunkissed look without the guilt.

Scientia Beauty HA & Vitamin D Aqua Tanning Serum, £21

7. Refill, refill, refill

Upcircle Beauty  made its name creating wonderful products from other people’s coffee waste. That has now expanded into other by- products and it continues to offer up a more sustainable choice to consumers. Its latest venture is its refilling scheme, which is hands down one of the best we’ve seen. Customers can purchase products as a refill on its website, then send back the original packaging for free, to be sterilised, refilled and returned.

8. Think about you hair salon

If you don’t know much about Authentic Beauty Concept, then listen up. This brand is making waves within the haircare industry for its green approach across its company. Everything from its products to its salons have sustainability at the heart. Within its salons, which are located all over Europe, it uses recycled paper and any salon material is printed on vegan, biodegradable, FSC paper with mineral-oil free inks. It encourages staff to learn how to be more eco-friendly and socially responsible within the salon. You’ll also find refilling stations across some locations. Find your nearest salon here.

9. Make up your mind about make-up

Kjaer Weis was doing refillable beauty way before it became a thing. Customers can choose whether to package their cosmetics in the iconic, refillable, keep-forever metal compacts. Or opt for the lightweight, recyclable, refillable and biodegradable Red Edition packaging. So many of its products are already plastic-free and it keeps single use plastic to a minimum throughout its line. 

Kjaer Weis Cream Blush refill, £28 | Feelunique 

10. Clean your bathroom with clean products

Created by a mother and daughter duo, with the help of a Californian uncle, who’s a formulator, KINN Living is an eco-friendly home cleaning brand. Its Bathroom Cleaner has a biodegradable formula, and is free from harsh chemicals. They say that the bathroom is the most toxic room in the house, but not with this sweet smelling rosemary and lavender spray.

KINN Living Bathroom Cleaner, £4.04 | Amazon 

 

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