One of the major challenges of shifting to a more mindful, sustainable lifestyle is thinking about changing your skincare routine. After all, it takes a lot of trial and error to find the products that really work for you, so to forgo those go-to products and start finding new ones all over again… is a little disheartening, to put it lightly.
After all, zero-waste or sustainable beauty and skincare products are only still just gaining traction, and there’s still a long way to go before it becomes totally widespread.
While we wait for that day to come, are we doomed to producing waste with each skincare step? Not really. A handful of brands now are coming up with initiatives so they—and we, the consumers—can still reap the benefits of good skin, while lessening our contribution to the world’s waste.
Here are some:
Innisfree
Popular Korean skincare and beauty brand Innisfree just opened to the public in SM Mall of Asia today! But as excited as we are about finally getting to try the full line of their classic green tea products and the cult favorite Jeju volcanic clay masks, there’s something else to be happy about with Innisfree. Just like their stores in Korea and in other countries, Innisfree Manila will also participate in the brand’s “eco-recycling program.”
The store has a box with two slots for customers to drop their empty skincare containers. Instead of throwing it away in the trash, where we’re not even sure if our waste facilities will process them properly, you can just return it to the store where they’ll bring it back to the Innisfree facilities in Korea to be recycled or upcycled.
Lush
One of Lush’s popular initiatives is to go naked—meaning, getting their products with as minimal or even downright no packaging. Aside from being cruelty-free, handmade, and vegetarian-friendly, Lush also offers sustainable packaging options in case you want to give the products out as gifts. They have reusable boxes and tin cans available, as well as knot-wraps or furoshiki cloth that receivers can then eventually use as scarves or wraps, themselves.
Human Nature
Human Nature ensures that their products are made cruelty-free and that they use naturally derived materials and ingredients. But their dedication to nature doesn’t just stop with production. Taking into consideration what happens after consumers finish the product, Human Nature also participates in the Balik Bote, Bigay Buhay program. With this, consumers are encouraged to return their empties, and to bring along other PET bottles to any Human Nature branch. The bottles returned will be sold to fund development projects for Gawad Kalinga.
Daniela Calumba
It’s so easy to resort to using sachets and other small, single-use packaged bath products especially when traveling. After all, if you’re saving space and you’re worried about the weight of your luggage, bringing along a whole bottle of shampoo or a full bar of soap doesn’t seem practical. Luckily there are more sustainable solutions. Daniela Calumba’s line of vegan personal care products are not only made with natural ingredients, they also come in reusable packaging, so you know nothing goes to waste. Plus, it’s more convenient to bring along anywhere, too.
Zero Basics
Another alternative to returning your empties is to reuse them altogether by simply getting refills. Zero Basics allows refills especially for daily use products like deodorant and tooth powder. You can buy their products at pop-ups and bazaars, and also at Humble Market.
Header image courtesy of Innisfree Philippines
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