"Buy less, choose well, make it last—Vivienne Westwood"
Okay, let’s be honest: few of us live truly sustainable lives, even if we’d like to; we live in a modern world where quick, easy solutions control our culture which isn’t kind to our planet. Not to bore you, but anthropologically, humans have always created a culture to meet their needs; anything that requires minimal effort and produces maximum results is what we seek, and this has led us to where we are today in the twenty-first century, where overconsumption and wastefulness surround us. However, humans also have this amazing ability to take care of one another and go above and beyond for loved ones, even strangers, and the environment. It takes remarkable people to be out there working for this and, despite their fast-paced lives in this modern society, continue to use sustainable techniques. Today, there are more and more ways to be sustainable. If you’re not already on the sustainability train, it’s time to hop on and this article will help you do so.
Here’s what I do: first and foremost, I realise that I will only be able to make minor changes in the larger scheme of things. I simply aim to reduce my consumption. The less we consume, the less we need to discard. Also, I ask myself questions and you should do this too. The next time you shop for something, ask yourself about the products’ origins, from production to distribution. Where is this coming from? Can I obtain this locally? Is this a sustainable brand? Do I really need this? Your skincare and beauty products are a great place to start making conscious efforts. You could apply these principles to fashion as well. Here is how you can do this:
1. Shop locally as much as you can
If you can buy your beauty items locally, do so rather than ordering them online because a lot goes into bringing a product to your doorstep. We need to consider everything from production to distribution. Shipping generates a lot of waste, from the container, labels, tapes, and packing paper to the fossil fuels used to bring them to you.
2. Find reusable products
Don’t buy empty containers from Amazon to make your stuff
“reusable”.
It is essentially counterproductive. It wastes materials. Instead, use and purchase sustainable skincare containers and consider using refillable cosmetics and skincare. Many brands sell refillable pouches for shampoos and refillable lipsticks, lip balms and so much more. Start your research. Buying reusable cotton is another way to accomplish this; it’s a wise investment, particularly for makeup users. I personally use micellar water to remove my makeup. At first, I used two to three cotton pads each time, but I’ve concluded that reusable cotton is a more efficient choice. Single-use wipes are another item that you don’t need. Fortunately, the production of this substance has decreased recently; nonetheless, if you use it, it takes 100 years for it to biodegrade. Seek out balms for cleansing instead.
3. Shop from sustainable brands- whether in fashion or beauty
What makes fast fashion so attractive is that it is more economical, and while the environment should be important, it is difficult when we’re living constrained lives. Luckily today, there are so many brands and e-commerce sources offering more affordable yet sustainable products and following practices to promote a greener future. Look for these companies that follow guidelines to house eco-conscious products, reduce their usage of plastic packaging for delivery, and promote programs that encourage customers to return empties.
Adapted from: Elle
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