Big cosmetic manufacturers promote their products as working wonders for beauty, meanwhile, most of them are packed with ingredients which some we wouldn’t even use to renovate our house with. And, despite the worldwide ban since 2018 on animal testing, in 2020 the EU declared it “needs” to test two types of chemicals on animals. Seems like the laws change like the weather. Thousands of animals will be injected again with heinous and deadly cosmetics. So much for the positive switch…
The Eco footprint of Artificial Cosmetics
Is big! Not only is pouring artificial ingredients down the drain harmful for our environment – so are the gazillions of plastic containers used to store them. The world is currently drowning in plastic waste, now more than ever due to non-reusable plastic masks being worn by most of civilization. Or, those plastic microbeads used in face and body scrubs which land in our waterways… consumed by marine life. And eventually by us. Ughh.
The best bet is to purchase waste-free cosmetics in glass returnable containers, or … some stores have even gone the extra mile and you can refill ‘em! Avoid plastic bead scrubs at all costs. Instead, reach for natural substitutes, like sugar, oats, or rice (these are perfect for the face). Use the rougher apricot seed scrubs for the body.
Only Feed Your Skin Goodies
Why do we care more about what we eat than what we put “on” our bodies? Our skin is the organ taking up the largest surface on our body. It absorbs 64% of what we put on it, so be mindful of your cosmetic choices. Otherwise, you might end up intoxicating yourself without even realizing.
While, everything in this world is some kind of chemical (yes, even you!) you should get your know-how on which chemicals are harmful and which are “ok”. It’s important to avoid heavy metals in your products, as well as the long list of nasty chemicals mentioned at the end of this article.
How Can We Make Smart Choices?
1. Make your own cosmetics
You can have a lot of fun creating your personalized mixtures of creams, lotions, and washing gels or foams. The base ingredients are wax, oils (olive, coconut oil, sesame, avocado, rosehip… all varying in thickness), clays (great for detoxing the skin), starch, and butter (such as cocoa butter). There is a wide array of DIY tutorials online; here are a few we found particularly good:
Face Moisturizer
Facial Cleanser
Body Lotion
Mouth Wash
2. Make A Conscious Choice
Feeling inspired? We certainly are! Be your own cosmetic designer – save money, give cute gifts to your friends, while saving the planet and being eco-friendly. What else could you ask for?
By being extra mindful about the beauty products you buy – most products have specific symbols on their stickers. They include: SLS-free, Paraben-free, gluten-free (for those of you who are allergic, and…
Ever wondered about those cute bunny logos?
Perhaps you already have a hunch. Yep, they mean the product’s cruelty-free. There are three of them:
There a few things you should keep in mind, though. It could be that the company cannot afford to pay for the license of these logos, and still be cruelty-free. And, there are – unfortunately – loads of imitations of these logos that don’t guarantee the company doesn’t test on animals. Sad, but true. Many of these producers are just boosting their PR.
Only buy from waste-free and verified natural cosmetics brands. Numerous companies have invented (or, actually re-invented) some pretty effective natural cosmetics. You can buy some affordable and 100% natural basics on these websites:
Or, you can go for some upper-shelf, natural remedies, like:
Dr Hauschka (available at De Tuinen or Ekoplaze)
Skins
A professional cosmetics brand, which is cruelty-free and natural is Dr Bauman
Armed with information, you can now confidently pick up any cosmetic and immediately know if it’s it’s a keeper. Or you might decide the best place for this product is the bin. There’s also one more thing you should know. By supporting the right kind of manufacturers, we change the world we live in. Buying less plastic waste and animal cruelty-free cosmetics, we inspire other less mindful companies to make changes to keep up with the game. You have soo much more power than you think!
- written by Michelle Prygiel
