Ahead of Plastic-Free Beauty Day, learn all about the alternatives to single use plastic packaging and how you can make a difference in your routine
As an industry, beauty is responsible for around 120 billion units of packaging every year, a large majority of which is single-use plastic or non-recyclable and ends up in landfill and the ocean. This is a serious problem because the Earth is generally not in a great state right now. Amongst other terrible things – the Great Barrier Reef being irrevocably damaged, losing an estimated 80,000 acres of tropical rainforest every day – the UN has predicted by 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish and an estimated 99 percent of sea birds will have ingested plastic.
In an effort to bring awareness to beauty’s contribution to these sobering statistics, and ignite change within the industry, in 2019 Yolanda Cooper founded Plastic-Free Beauty Day. Held every June 17, Plastic-Free Beauty Day is a call to action against the over dependence on plastic by beauty brands and the sheer volume of plastic produced by the industry. “Only 9 per cent of us recycle from our bathroom compared with over 50 per cent from our kitchen,” says Cooper, who is also the founder of haircare brand We Are Paradoxx. “So the impact of packaging waste alone makes it critical that the beauty industry actively contributes to global sustainability efforts.”
Now in its third year, Plastic-Free Beauty Day is this year asking beauty retailers to make plastic-free beauty a shoppable category on their websites to help consumers make conscious choices. “Just like you can shop vegan and cruelty-free, we believe being able to choose plastic free is something consumers are asking for,” says Cooper. They are also turning their focus to education and will be holding a webinar in partnership with the British Beauty Council and Ocean Generation on Friday 11 June. Hosted by Cooper alongside industry experts including British Beauty Council CEO Millie Kendall and Daisy Kendrick, a leading sustainability expert from Ocean Generation, the webinar will inform both brands and consumers about the environmental cost of not adapting existing practices, as well as offering alternatives to single use plastic packaging and sharing insights into sustainable options
To help do your bit as a beauty consumer, Cooper suggests putting a recycle bin into your bathroom and remembering to clean out any bottles or tins prior to recycling. Below are some other suggestions for changes you can make to your beauty routine to go plastic free, and remember to sign up for the webinar on Friday to find out more.
SWAP YOUR BODY WASH
When it comes to cutting down on plastic waste in the shower, there are a couple brands making it very easy. Launched in April, personal care brand Plus has created a shower gel with completely dissolvable packaging thus eliminating completely the need for plastic bottles.
KANKAN’s plastic-free solution, meanwhile, comes in the form of a glass bottle for your body wash which can be refilled whenever needed via infinitely recyclable aluminium cans. Not only that, but every time you buy a can, the brand plants one tree.
If you are looking for a plastic-free hand wash that is as chic as it is eco-friendly, look no further than FORGO. The product is delivered to you as a powder which you then mix with water at home. By removing the water from the process, the brand hugely reduces its carbon impact, plus the packaging is all recyclable and compostable.
SWAP YOUR LIPSTICK
Axiology’s three-in-one Balmie crayons ditch plastic entirely. They come wrapped in recyclable and compostable paper which you tear off and then store in boxes made from 100 per cent recycled paper waste. The hydrating balms can be used on the eyes, lips, and cheeks so you can buy less and reduce your impact even more.
If you are going to buy tubed lipstick, try for refillable ones. Paris beauty brand, La Bouche Rouge makes beautiful vegan lipsticks while avoiding plastic at all costs – the brand utilises reusable metal molds instead of single-use silicone while the re-fill mechanism contains no polyoxymethylene or polyethylene.
Charlotte Tilbury also recently began offering re-fillable options for its Hot Lips collection of lipsticks and the new Zara range also has many re-fillable lipsticks.
SWAP YOUR MAKE-UP WIPES
In 2018 the UK used 10.8 billion wet wipes, the vast majority containing non-biodegradable plastic. The same year the Marine Conservation Society recorded an average of 12 wipes per 100 metres of coastline.
Stop your contribution to wet wipe pollution by making the switch to Face Halo to remove your make-up. It is reusable and lasts up to 200 machine washes which works out to over 3 years. You can also try the reusable cotton pads from Alex Steinherr’s Primark collection which come in pack of two for only £1.50.
For your cotton swab needs, LastSwab is a zero waste alternative that can be used up to 1,000 times. Simply rinse with a little soap and water then leave to dry, ready for your next use. The same brand also offers reusable cotton pads.
SWAP YOUR SHAMPOO
When it comes to cutting out plastic from your shampoo and conditioning routine there are a few great options. Yolanda Cooper’s We Are Paradoxx uses 90 per cent plastic-free packaging with a focus on infinitely recyclable aluminium. Beauty Kitchen also offers haircare in aluminium bottles and when you are done you can send it back to the brand for free and they will wash and reuse it in their next batch. Meanwhile Bleach London has refill stations at all its salons. Just buy a glass bottle and top up on shampoo and conditioner anytime you need.
Or get rid of packaging all together with shampoo bars. Without the need for synthetic bottles, shampoo bars are sturdy and convenient. Plus they are perfect for the 100ml liquid limit when travelling.
SWAP YOUR TAMPONS
For those of us who menstruate, turning our periods green can make a big impact on reducing plastic-waste. Tampons and sanitary pads are estimated to produce over 100 billion pieces of waste every year and they are the fifth-most common type of waste washing up on beaches, with nine plastic tampon applicators found per kilometre on UK beaches.
Cut down on the amount of single-use plastic you use with DAME’s reusable tampon applicator. The brand also recently became the first period brand to be climate positive, meaning that as a company it removes more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it emits.
Another way to cut out plastic from your period is by making the switch to menstrual cups. OrganiCup is easy to use, comfortable to wear, and available in three sizes. It arrives in a simple cardboard box with no plastic packaging, and the brand also has a strong charitable focus – donating cups to sex workers and helping to tackle period poverty across the world, among other initiatives.
SWAP YOUR SKINCARE
Solid skincare is becoming increasingly popular since, like shampoo bars, it almost entirely eliminates the need for packaging. Typology’s facial soaps come in the cleansing and exfoliating varieties and arrive in cardboard packaging. The brand is also B Corp certified which verifies their commitment to being environmentally conscious.
Another solid skincare option is Sbtrct. All products from the brand are solid, 100 per cent plastic-free, palm oil-free and contain less than 0.5 per cent water. Not only that but the brand is cruelty-free, vegan and uses packaging that is 100 per cent compostable.
If solid skincare isn’t for you, try LOOPECO. The skincare brand is plastic-free, focusing instead on infinitely recyclable aluminium and glass for its packaging. Its Matcha Green Tea face mask comes in a box embedded with wildflower seeds, so it’s not only compostable and recyclable, but it's also plantable. Simply cover the box with 3mm of soil, place in a sunny spot, water often and watch wild flowers bloom.