While we are piling our shelves with beauty products galore, we seldom step back and realize the environmental impact of our simple purchases. We hardly have an idea about the pollutants emitted by the cosmetic industry in the race to produce the next best skincare/ haircare product in the market. Thanks to environmentalists, people are now getting up and smelling the toxins. It’s high time we start counting our carbon footprints and make some major changes in our daily practices to protect planet Earth.
In a bid to combat the negative environmental implications of the beauty industry, many brands are trying to stand out, by making changes in their formulations, packaging, recycling policies, etc., marking the advent of the clean beauty movement. This era is all about being accountable for the kind of impact we are making on the environment and embracing eco-friendly choices.
It is imperative to understand the importance of clean beauty and its impact on our environment. Many beauty brands now understand the importance of going green by introducing environmentally friendly practices in the manufacturing and recycling of their products, so let's examine the implications of clean beauty.
What Is Clean Beauty?
The term 'clean beauty' in the personal care and wellness industry means the products are manufactured considering the safety of both people and the planet. This means that they have used a nontoxic ingredient as a baseline and other active plant extracts for desirable results. Like clean eating is about avoiding processed foods. Similarly, clean beauty focuses on using natural, plant-based ingredients that provide all the vitamins and antioxidants necessary for nourishing and moisturizing your skin, giving you a youthful glow.
Clean beauty products contain wholesome, nourishing ingredients known to enhance the texture and appearance of the skin. Clean beauty products are cruelty-free and manufactured in such a way that it has less impact on the environment. It also improves the user experience, as you no longer need to worry about the side effects of harmful toxins.
People are becoming aware or rather curious of what they apply on their skin and are turning to clean or sustainable beauty products. With the clean beauty movement gaining momentum, many eco-friendly beauty brands are developing sustainable beauty products that do not contain toxic chemicals or pose environmental hazards.
Identify The Toxic Ingredients In Your Beauty Products
Your conventional or synthetic beauty products contain harmful chemicals which can have an adverse effect not only on your skin but your health, and the environment as well. These toxic chemicals readily get into the bloodstream, causing irreparable damage to your healt, when used frequently over a period of time. And the unfortunate part is that FDA has not regulated these toxic chemicals. Let's have a look at the list of ingredients in your beauty products that have a detrimental effect on your health and the environment.
- Parabens
- Phthalates
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
- Synthetic fragrances
- Artificial colours
- Formaldehyde
- Hydroquinone
- Oxybenzone
- Triclosan
- Refined petroleum
- Talc
- Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA)
Also Read : Parabens - All you Need to Know
In addition to these toxic compounds, many of your favourite personal care products contain synthetic preservatives, artificial colourants, and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. These can cause skin problems such as dry, flaky skin, skin irritation, and health concerns such as migraines and hormone imbalances. The consumer is increasingly becoming aware of the health hazards posed by toxic chemicals in these beauty products. This awareness fuels the clean beauty movement, and many eco-friendly beauty brands have joined this movement.
How Are Beauty Products Damaging The Environment?
Regular makeup and skincare products containing toxic chemicals can cause skin irritation and pollute the environment as well. These toxic substances are dumped into water resources, polluting rivers, oceans, etc. They can wreak havoc to ecosystems and threaten many aquatic species. Microbeads from facial cleansers are ingested by turtles and other marine creatures in the ocean. Eventually, the beads can build up, blocking the digestive system of many aquatic animals, thus causing a threat to their lives. The same is true for many other beauty products, such as wet wipes, sheet masks and earbuds that we carelessly throw away into the trash.
Conventional beauty products containing synthetic ingredients have a huge impact on our ecosystem. These malpractices should be stopped immediately. We can save our precious aquatic ecosystem from perishing by not using these harmful chemical-laden personal care products. We need to stop using conventional beauty products and switch to clean beauty products made with ingredients that are not harmful to people and the environment.
What Are The Benefits Of Switching To Clean Beauty?
Clean beauty products are devoid of nasties; hence when these active plant extracts are used in skincare products, it gives instant hydration and nourishment to your skin. Plant-based ingredients are known to have a soothing effect on inflamed skin. The high level of antioxidants in the plant extracts repair and heal the damaged skin cells, giving you vibrant, youthful skin.
1. It’s Safe On The Skin
Clean beauty uses ethically sourced, natural, and organic ingredients that are free from toxins. Eco-friendly beauty brands with plant-powered constituents work towards making skin, as well as, hair healthier without harming the environment. Plus, the consumer has full knowledge about the ingredients they are using on their skin, and this kind of transparency is always welcome.
2. Cruelty-Free
Clean beauty products are made of natural ingredients and plant extracts, wherein no animals are harmed during the product's manufacturing. Hence they are labeled as cruelty-free.
3. Product Empties Can Be Recycled
Sustainable beauty brands make a conscious effort to not the harm the environment. Consequently, they devise new techniques of recycling empty containers of their products so that the aquatic ecosystem is not burdened with plastic waste.
Also Read : All You Need To Know About Sustainable Beauty
4. Reduces Carbon Footprint
Sustainable brands are committed to serving the environment with transparent and responsible practices. Using clean products free of silicones and other harmful chemicals will have a lower carbon footprint.
How To Switch To Clean Beauty Products?
Using clean beauty products is always safe since they contain natural ingredients and plant extracts that neither harm your health nor the environment.
- Instead of using exfoliants or scrubs containing plastic microbeads, you can use sugar or coffee scrubs which are safe on your skin and considered more sustainable.
- Another major constituent of clean beauty products is natural oil such as jojoba oil, almond oil, avocado oil, which nourish and moisturize your skin while improving its the barrier function. Discard your regular moisturizer and replace it with natural oil.
- A tinted lip balm containing almond oil can replace your lipstick. Plus it will keep your lips, moist, hydrated and nourished.
The emergence of clean beauty indicates a new era of organic, natural, toxin-free, cruelty-free beauty products. It is high time we give up conventional beauty products and embrace clean beauty products. This small initiative from your side can help bring a drastic difference in making the earth more beautiful.
Also Read : Shampoo Bars Are The Perfect Environmentally Friendly Pick For Your Hair
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