The Environmental Impact of the Beauty Industry
Everything you use has an impact on the planet, including beauty products.
The cosmetics and skincare industry is known for its heavy use of plastics, especially in their packaging. Plastic waste takes hundreds of years to decompose, and it often ends up getting stuck in landfills or eaten by animals.
However, consumers are also at fault.
Consumers mindlessly use shampoos, conditioners, soaps, shaving products, and creams without knowing that harmful materials that these products contain. A common ingredient in a lot of these items, phthalates, is one of the most frequently detected pollutants in the environment. Phthalates have also been linked to asthma, breast cancer, neurodevelopmental issues, and male fertility problems.
Other ingredients commonly seen in beauty products are BHA and BHT, known to kill sea animals and cause genetic mutations. Triclosan, found in cleansers and deodorant, can disrupt the biochemistry of aquatic life. DEA, or Diethanolamine, is a very common ingredient that often gets transferred through our water cycle and affects the health of all living things.
Some good news is that the beauty industry has acknowledged this, and since become increasingly focused on reducing its environmental footprint.
Many beauty brands have been helping the green movement by using
recycled packaging, opting for more organic ingredients rather than chemicals and toxins, and manufacturing their products with renewable energy sources.
Products made with natural and organic ingredients aren’t only better for you, they’re better for the environment. Before you buy your next beauty products, do your research. Don’t spend money on brands that use chemicals and toxins, because they will only harm you and the environment in the long run. If you’re buying plastic products, think about ways you can reuse bottles and containers that you would normally throw away. For example, an old shampoo bottle can actually make for an excellent makeup brush container. There are so many things you can do with old products. You might have to watch a few YouTube tutorials, but it’s totally worth it.
Originally published at www.ifashionnetwork.com on June 17, 2018.
At Permaderm we totally agree with the above blog, another great way to minimise your skincare waste, is to use skin care techniques that do not involve consumable products.