The ugly truth about beauty products is that disposing of the detritus they create isn’t easy. For one thing, mascara tubes, foundation sponges and anything else that could be contaminated by microbes or bacteria is actually considered a biohazard, which means you shouldn’t even throw it in the regular garbage.   Beyond that, most cosmetic containers can’t be recycled, even if they’re made of plastic or glass. Blue bin guidelines generally “do not include any material that has liquids, and that can contaminate other materials in the bin,” says Ernel Simpson, a V.P. at TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based company that has branded itself the go-to for all things “unrecyclable.”   Luckily, TerraCycle offers a few beauty-disposal options. Empties from its partners—Burt’s Bees, Bausch + Lomb, DECIEM, eos, Gillette, Tom’s of Maine and Weleda—can be dropped off at those stores, or sent directly to the recycling company for free.         Devotees of other brands can purchase a Zero Waste Box, fill it up with cleaned out lotion bottles and lipgloss tubes, and send it over to the company for recycling. (There are also Zero Waste boxes for everything from plastic snack packaging to cigarette butts and used chewing gum.)   Here, a few other companies trying to help green your cosmetic disposal routine.       The beauty giant was thinking about recycling well before it was trendy. Its Back-to-M.A.C. program dates back to the 1980s: customers who bring in six empty M.A.C. makeup containers receive a free standard lipstick, lipgloss or small eyeshadow. The brand says it reuses more than 100,000 pounds of material in the U.S. and Canada each year, and anything that cannot be reused is incinerated at waste-to-energy facilities.         A partnership with TerraCycle makes L’Occitane a convenient drop-off hub: customers who bring in empty beauty containers from any brand receive 10 percent off during their store visit. The brand has also pledged that every single one of its bottles will be made of 100 per cent recycled plastic by 2025.       The eco-conscious company’s goal is to get naked—a bunch of its products, from shampoo to body lotion, are sold entirely packaging-free. Last year, customers bought two million shampoo bars, keeping millions of plastic bottles out of landfills or the ocean. Liquid products come in the brand’s signature black pots, made from 100 per cent recycled plastic. Customers who return five empty pots get a free face mask.         Another TerraCycle partner, the Body Shop’s Return. Recycle. Repeat. program collects empty packaging from any brand for recycling at all of its Canadian locations (excluding products marked flammable or hazardous, such as perfumes). Bonus: club members get $10 worth of points when they bring back five Body Shop brand containers. It also launched a program last May to buy plastic waste collected in Bengaluru, India, which is recycled into shampoo and conditioner bottles.         Everyone from B.C. to Manitoba can take advantage of this Western chain’s extensive recycling program, available at all of its stores. Makeup isn’t accepted, but small beauty appliances such as hair dryers and curling irons are, as is most packaging, like the hard plastic and Styrofoam that cradles products bought online, as well as batteries and lightbulbs. In the last 10 years, the Canadian retailer has recycled more than 113 million pounds of waste—enough to fill two container ships.  

It’s time to kick those eco-efforts up a notch. We’ve got a cheat sheet of smart shortcuts, clever swaps and easy ways to green your home— and your days.   So you shop with a cloth bag, buy the occasional item in bulk, turn off the lights when you’re out and triumphantly organize your trash on garbage day. Still, it can be tough to know if you’re really doing enough.   Unfortunately, if you consider being a Recycling Queen the crowning achievement of your eco-efforts, you might need to rethink your sustainability strategy. “The problem—and this is a bit of a wake- up call—is that recycling really doesn’t work in a consistent and systemic way,” says Vito Buonsante, plastics program manager at Environmental Defence.   Canada. In fact, only about nine percent of all plastic waste actually gets recycled. The reason why so little gets repurposed is complicated, but it comes down to the high cost of recycling coupled with the types of plastics being produced.   Ultimately, it’s time to think beyond the blue bin when it comes to shrinking our environmental footprint at home. After all, there’s also the reduce and reuse mantras—as well as reclaim, renew, rethink and refurbish—to consider.   Here are some smart ways to make life in every area of your home a little more sustainable.     IN YOUR CLOSET   If you’re planning to add a few new items to your spring wardrobe, you’ll be happy to hear that sustainable styles are more readily available than ever. Nike recently announced a capsule collection of sustainable apparel, with pieces that meet a 90 percent or better marker of efficiency. (Basically, they’re made entirely from recycled materials.) Last fall, Canadian company Call It Spring launched a new line of shoes and accessories made with post-consumer recycled water bottles, diverting a load (295,629 bottles, to be exact) from landfills and waterways. Gap is using 33 recycled plastic bottles in each of its new Upcycled Raincoats. The brand is also launching its most sustainable denim yet, with 100-percent organic cotton and production techniques that use at least 20 percent less water.   On top of using sustainable materials, outdoor brand Patagonia goes a step further, helping you repair garments and gear to make them last longer. Just take a worn item into a participating 1 retailer and they’ll fix it up or help you recycle it if necessary. After all, it’s estimated that on average, each Canadian throws away more than 80 pounds of clothing a year. Thankfully, there’s a rental revolution underway and it’s designed to whittle away wardrobe waste while saving you money and adding variety to your closet. For example, online service Rent Frock Repeat promises to refresh your everyday wardrobe with a steady rotation of four items, selected by you or a stylist, for just $129 a month (including return shipping and dry cleaning, too).

IN THE WASHROOM

  Since some plastic tubes, lids, bottles and caps can’t go in the blue bin, alternative recycling is essential. A few of the brands you already know and love, like Burt’s Bees, Eos and Weleda's Skin Food, can be returned through TerraCycle, an international recycling program. Even still, the waste from personal-care products can really add up. More than two billion plastic razors and cartridges are tossed in the trash annually in the United States alone. Vancouver-based Well Kept has a solution for that, selling stylish solid brass razors that are made to last a lifetime.   You can also eliminate a large amount of packaging simply by swapping bottled hand soaps, shampoos and body washes for cleansing bars, says Buonsante, who has banned most bottles from his own bathroom. “That’s an incredibly easy way to avoid creating a lot of waste,” he says. Try buying refillable glass bottles and purchasing your family’s basic hair- and body-care products at the zero-waste markets popping up across the country.  

IN THE KITCHEN

  “When we think about the circular economy, which is keeping materials in use for as long as possible at their highest form of value, it comes down to using better materials, designing items to be repairable and upgradable so you get that maximum life,” says Frances Edmonds, head of Sustainable Impact at HP Canada. In the not-so-distant future, 3D printing could give us the capability to have inventories of spare parts more readily available, extending the life of all sorts of technology in our homes, from printers to refrigerators. For now, our best bet is to shop thoughtfully, and that goes for big appliance purchases as well as small food-prep and storage options, like swapping disposable plastic wrap for reusable beeswax wraps.   When you’re grocery shopping, skip big-box stores in favour of bulk shops where you can bring your own reusable containers to fill up on everything from flour to dry cereals. Using your own glass jars eliminates excess packaging, plus it helps you buy only what you need, and curb food waste, which is good for the earth and your wallet. According to a 2019 report by Second Harvest, a Canadian food rescue organization that distributes food to shelters and breakfast programs, the annual cost of avoidable food waste is as much as $1,766 per household.   Sometimes our sustainability efforts, whether it’s remembering those cloth grocery bags or toting your aluminum travel cup, feel thankless and difficult and, frankly, like a pain. But some conveniences don’t actually come at a steep cost. Take time-saving Nespresso coffee pods, which are actually made from 100 percent aluminum, a material that is 100 percent and infinitely recyclable. Here’s some more good news: When it comes to cleaning up after dinner, the more efficient way to wash dishes is also the lazy way. Thanks to stricter-than-ever efficiency certification standards (like Energy Star), newer dishwashers use less water and energy than handwashing a sink full of pots and pans. Use an environmentally safe detergent (“loose powder formulas work very well, tend to come in a recyclable cardboard box, as opposed to a landfill-bound plastic pouch, and are often the cheaper option,” says Buonsante). Then, for best results, run a full load and skip the pre-rinse. This just messes with the machine’s soil sensors, wasting water and making more work for you. Because, let’s face it, you’ve got enough to do.

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IN THE OFFICE

  Opting for responsibly-sourced office supplies is the easiest way to green your home workspace. Refillable pens (some even made from renewable bamboo) are a great option. When you’re shopping for notebooks and printer paper, look for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification logo, so you know the product isn’t contributing to deforestation.   There are a number of ways we can be more eco-smart with our tech, from phones to laptops. HP recently released the world’s first digital notebook containing ocean-bound plastics and the company has committed to a goal of using 30 percent post-consumer recycled plastic across its portfolio of printers and personal computers by 2025. What our devices are made of is about to become an even bigger selling point for the eco-minded consumer. And so is a product’s potential staying power. "Extend- ing the product life as long as you can is an important consideration,” says Edmonds. “It’s very tempting to buy a cheaper product, but if it doesn’t last you as long, then you’re really defeating your sustainability goals,” she says.  

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This year, being stuck inside a lot more than usual, we’re starting to discover a renewed appreciation for the beauty of nature and our Earth. We are reminded that the outside world is precious and magical. Beauty brands are recognizing this as well with their commitments to making more sustainable brand choices.   Whether it’s regularly donating to environmental causes, taking steps to provide less wasteful packaging, or using sustainable ingredients, in recent years the beauty industry has made great strides in reducing its environmental impact. While we still have a long way to go, you can feel good knowing that brands are doing more to make better choices when it comes to sustainability.   In honor of Earth Day, here are some eco-conscious brands and brands that are giving back to environmental causes to help you be more environmentally-friendly when making beauty purchases:  

Aether Beauty

Aether Beauty’s eyeshadow palettes are sustainably packaged. With the removal of eyeshadow pans and elastic, the paper palettes are fully recyclable and zero-waste. The brand also uses natural and non-toxic sustainable ingredients.  

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Alba Botanica

By using only botanically-based, 100% vegetarian ingredients, Alba Botanica consistently "does beautiful" by reducing its environmental footprint whenever possible.  

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Alder New York

Alder New York is a vegan skincare and haircare line based in Brooklyn. The brand’s founders Nina Zilka & David J. Krause are longtime best friends who have worked in the beauty and design industry together for the past 11 years. Everything Alder New York makes is vegan and cruelty-free, locally manufactured, and ethically made. From travel-friendly sizes to synergistic formulas, everything they make is designed to be efficient and —above all—enjoyable. For every $100 spent on their website on 4/22, the brand is planting one tree in New York State where the company calls home.  

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Artis

Makeup sponges and brushes that easily deteriorate are bad for the environment, which is why Artis, the one-of-its-kind brush line, is the perfect solution to combating wastefulness in your makeup routine. Incredibly long lasting, Artis brushes are durable and cut down on waste even more when using their Brush Cleansing Foam and Brush Cleaning Pad in lieu of disposable wipes.  

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Avalon Organics

Avalon Organics believes in using certified-organic ingredients from trusted sources that are safe, effective, and conscious of the greater good. This means no GMOs, no parabens, no synthetic fragrances or colors, and products free of sulfates! All Avalon Organics shampoo and conditioner formulas are now Environmental Working Group Verified, which means the product avoids EWG’s ingredients of concern, is committed to full transparency, and operates under good manufacturing practices. They are Leaping Bunny-certified, vegan, and biodegradable!  

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Aveda

85% of Aveda’s packaging for skin care and haircare products is made from 100% recycled materials. Learn more about Aveda’s commitment to responsible packaging here.  

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Bathing Culture

San Francisco-based bath and body brand Bathing Culture is designed for the adventurous, the design-driven, and the sustainably-minded. Founded by childhood friends Tim Hollinger and Spencer Arnold, the duo was searching for a non-toxic body wash that could hold up to their active lifestyles. Enter Bathing Culture: an homage to the joyful act of bathing and its centuries-old influence uniting cultures around the globe and across generations.   While it was an admittedly expensive investment for a young brand, Spencer and Tim have pledged to use #NoNewPlastic —from their packaging to shipping materials. They're one of the few companies to use bottles made from 100% pre-existing recycled material sourced locally in California. Every day is Earth Day at Bathing Culture! The carbon neutral brand makes it an ongoing mission to plant one native plant or tree for every five gallons sold of their biodegradable, organic Mind & Body Wash. Bathing Culture also also just launched Mind & Body Wash Home Refill Kits, so you can save on packaging.  

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The Better Skin Co.

The Better Skin Co. focuses on clean, multi-tasking formulations that mix natural and organic ingredients boosted with a bit of science. All of The Better Skin Co. products are Vegan, Paraben Free, Cruelty Free, Gluten Free and made in the USA. From April 20-24, Better Skin Co products will be 25% off on TheBetterSkinco.com and Amazon. (Use code ED2020 on Thebetterskinco.com) For every product purchased, The Better Skin Co. will donate one tree to American Forests in your name.  

THE BETTER SKIN CO.

Beauty Heroes

The “Living Lighter” box from Beauty Heroes is a sustainable supply kit packed with natural beauty and home products in elegant, reusable and biodegradable packaging that will seamlessly ease you into a new way of living. Along with helping to minimize your personal approach to a more conscious lifestyle, Earth Day and every day, Beauty Heroes is proud to feature forward-thinking brands that are planet-positive and give back to the communities that sustain them in a meaningful way.  

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Burt’s Bees

Burt’s Bees is committed to making the world a little greener and a little cleaner. The brand has a policy of sending zero waste to landfill. Each month, employees diligently volunteer to check over 200 recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy bins, ensuring everything is sorted properly. Burt’s Bees has also outfitted its facilities with energy-efficient lighting, resource management software, and efficient production equipment. You can read more about Burt’s Bees commitment to sustainability here.  

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Clairol Natural Instincts

The new packaging is eco-friendly by removing unnecessary printing, PVC plastics, and cutting down production and shipping to save energy. The new quick rinse formula also cuts down on rinsing time to save water!  

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C’est Moi

C’est Moi products are clean, gentle, effective, Vegan, Cruelty Free, Hypo-Allergenic, Dermatologist Tested, made with natural & organic ingredients and do not contain any Synthetic Fragrances, Parabens, Phthalates, Sulfates, Mineral Oil, Silicone or Dyes. From April 13-26, all EWG-verified skincare & color-cosmetics products from C’est Moi will be 20% off on Cestmoi.com with code SPRINGCLEAN. All C’est Moi items purchased on Amazon between April 22-April 30 will be 15% off.  

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Coola 

Coola is committed to improving the health and safety of our communities, waterways, and habitats through responsible ingredient sourcing and sustainable packaging year-round. Through the various sun care, skincare and sunless tan offerings this innovative brand utilizes sustainable ingredients while working to reduce waste and increase recyclability. Currently over 75% of the brands product packaging is fully recyclable, with the goal of increasing that number to 100% by 2023.  

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Davines

Davines makes it part of their mission to create packaging that is as environmentally friendly as possible. You can read more about the steps they take here.  

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Eminence Organic Skin Care

Eminence Organic Skin Care is the first skin care brand to plant 10 million trees. The brand plants a tree in a developing country for every product purchased. The company is a Certified B Corporation, which means it’s committed to business practices that benefit the planet and make a lasting impact on the world. Through its Forests For The Future initiative, and in partnership with global tree-planting organization Trees for the Future, Eminence has planted trees in developing countries worldwide.  

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eos

eos is an active member of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA)—a non-profit industry association that promotes industry sustainability, quality practices and standards, and demand for shea in food and cosmetics. Also a part of GSA’s Sustainability Working Group, eos products support the use of Shea from registered cooperatives in West Africa, as well as assist in the development of sustainable practices and women’s empowerment by providing a critical source of jobs and income for women Shea collectors.   Additionally, Eos is partnered with TerraCycle, the global leader in recycling complex materials, to make recycling eos products less complex while substantially reducing the amount of waste contributed by the products.  

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Goldfaden MD

The dermatologist-founded, plant-powered skin care brand has established their business with the earth in mind, making major strides in reducing their carbon footprint by eliminating or transitioning. The brand utilizes packaging that contains over 70% of recycled plastics and are 100% recyclable, while all of their boxes are made from 40% recycled paper and are 100% recyclable.  

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Farmhouse Fresh

The Farmhouse Fresh Ranch also serves as a sanctuary for animal rescues. Their creed is “Life is Short. Save Something Furry.” Sales from purchases go towards caring for forgotten, neglected, and abused farm animals at the FHF Ranch and Sanctuary. They also fund, transport, and actively support other rescues.  

Fur

Fur proves that botanical beauty isn't just for your face. With their beautiful lineup of natural body and hair products (for hair everywhere), Fur extends its commitment to sustainability in the most thoughtful details, like in their Bath Drops.   Unlike bath beads from the 90s, Fur's Bath Drops are biodegradable, nourishing the skin without gelatin and using only the highest quality natural ingredients, like Red Seaweed and Jojoba Oil.  

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Garnier

Garnier pledges to continue to introduce measures to reduce plastic usage by committing to 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) waste for shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner bottles in its #1 selling hair care collection—Fructis Sleek & Shine—by the end of 2019. Presently, Garnier Fructis hair care products are produced in a zero-waste facility. The current packaging contains 50% post-consumer recycled waste, and the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine formula uses sustainably-sourced Argan Oil from Southwest Morocco.  

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GRACE + TONIC

This is Target's first COSMOS-certified brand—the gold standard for verifying the integrity and sustainability of natural and organic cosmetics. Products are free from parabens, artificial colors, GMOs, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, and mineral oil.  

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Guerlain

With an awareness for social and environmental responsibilities, Guerlain integrated sustainable development into its company strategy back in 2007. Steps they are taking include developing eco-friendly packaging and becoming “the leading house in bee protection.” Learn more about Guerlain’s commitment to the environment here.  

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Herbivore Botanicals

The leader in 100% natural skincare, Herbivore is the perfect choice when curating your Earth Day beauty arsenal. Made with recyclable and reusable glass packaging and food-grade plant-based ingredients, Herbivore bridges the gap between effective, luxury, high-impact skincare and crunchy clean beauty.   Their newest release, Prism 20% AHA + 5% BHA Exfoliating Glow Facial, is made from willow bark BHA, naturally derived AHAs, rose, and aloe vera to transform and smooth skin in the way nature intended.  

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Hey Dewy

Hey Dewy is a portable humidifier that works to replenish moisture that is lost throughout the day without all the hassle of using a traditional humidifier and can simply be plugged into the USB port from your laptop. 10% of every purchase is dedicated to initiatives that make an impact through water, starting with The Water Project.  

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HIGHBORN

Highborn is a body care line of naturally derived luxury botanical aromatics based in Brooklyn. The collection consists of 3 fragrance families: Défumé, Salome and Moon Saber. Featuring organic, sustainably sourced and extracted essential oils, reiki charged crystals and high vibes, each distinctive fragrance profile will deepen your self love regimen, helping you discover your moment of bliss. With bees being so crucial to the pollination of the incredible plants and flowers the brand sources, Highborn will donate 10% of sales for the week of 4/20 to the Honey Bee Conservancy.  

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Jurlique

At the heart of Jurlique is an organic and biodynamic farm that offers a sustainable approach to agriculture. Sustainability has always been fundamental to the brand, and any ingredients they don’t grow themselves are sourced from sustainable, fair-trade suppliers.  

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Keller Works

This eco-friendly, sustainable skin care brand makes its products with organic ingredients and natural additives ideal for sensitive skin. Their Dry Shampoo is packaged in a non-aerosol, recyclable container, and Elliot’s Oatmeal Soap is made with certified-organic oats and sustainable palm oil.  

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Kelsen

Kelsen offers premium, clean, unisex haircare products that you can feel good about, made with organic ingredients and sustainable packaging.  The line is top-rated by The Good Face Project, Peta cruelty-free and micro-plastic free. Kelsen packaging is eco-conscious (no single use plastics) and made with glass and recyclable squeeze tubes made with 85% plant-based sugarcane. Caps are made with biodegradable/compostable wood composite. The brand was created by pro skaters Curren Caples and Sean Malto and pro surfers Jack Freestone and Mikey February. Kelsen will donate 1 percent of sales to the 1% For the Planet.  

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Kevin.Murphy

Kevin.Murphy’s packaging is made from 100% recycled ocean plastic, making it the first-ever beauty brand to implement this practice. This is projected to save the planet over 360 tons of new plastic each year.  

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Kiehl’s

Kiehl’s is committed to sustainability through formulation, packaging, manufacturing and recycling, and community commitments. Through purchases of their Limited Edition Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado*, $50,000 will be donated to Recycle Across America™ to produce 65,000 standardized labels for recycling bins at 650 K-12 schools in the United States.  

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Kierin NYC

The brand offers recyclable, opaque bottles containing clean, conscious, cruelty-free, vegan, and sustainably sourced high-quality eau de parfums. The bottles are made from recyclable glass, using only natural paints with a diffuser and cap that are easily recyclable.  

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LASHFOOD

Brows and lashes aren't exempt from clean, eco-conscious beauty. LASHFOOD, the natural, safe, and effective line of eyelash and eyebrow enhancing serums and functional makeup products, has been at the forefront of beauty brands committing to a more sustainable world.   Made in a USDA organic certified facility from recyclable packaging, sustainably harvested ingredients, and environmentally conscious waste management, LASHFOOD extends its commitment through partnerships with companies like One Tree Planted, helping to restore balance and honor our home planet.  

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LALICIOUS

In 2009, the luxurious natural beauty line opened its 5500 square-foot headquarters featuring an eco-friendly design in Los Angeles. The brand’s founders found the ideal raw space in an industrial wind tunnel building and hired well-noted designer, Daryl Olesinski of O+ L Design, to bring their vision to life. Constructed of very simple, raw materials with exposed wood ceilings, finished wood cabinetry, and extensive amounts of glass which facilitates the use of natural light—the space is a beautiful, natural environment that echoes LALICIOUS products and the soul of the company.  

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May Lindstrom Skin

Their natural skin care collection is handcrafted using only the finest exotic and nutrient-rich ingredients that are organic, bio-dynamic, wild-crafted, cruelty free, sustainable, and/or harvested with social consciousness in mind. The brand encourages environmental thoughtfulness in every step of production—from the growth, harvesting, and processing of raw ingredients to the packaging of products. Packaging is recyclable and made from recycled ingredients.  

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La Mer

La Mer advocates for ocean protection through charitable donations, awareness-raising initiatives, and supporting ocean conservation projects. La Mer’s Blue Heart Oceans Fund is committed to marine-protected areas in the Azores Islands, Grenada, and the East China Sea.  

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Lunette

One vegan, zero-waste Lunette period cup lasts over two years (the FDA-recommended life of a period cup) and eliminates about 325 tampons or pads from the environment per person.  

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Moon Juice

Each of Moon Juice's ingredients are sourced from quality-focused, environmentally-conscious organic growers and wildcrafters, and the plants used in juices, Dusts, and skincare are harvested from their native regions. Their newest skincare line is not exempt from their sustainability efforts; packaged in beautiful glass jars and sustainable sugarcane bottles, Moon Juice's cult-favorite lineup of Milk Cleanse, Cosmic Cream, and Plump Jelly harness the best of natural beauty, inspired by and good for the Earth.  

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Natureofthings

Inspired by the delicate ritual of nature, natureofthings is a luxury bath and body line that uses the highest quality botanicals and broad-spectrum hemp extract to restore and energize from the inside out, so you feel good today and even better tomorrow.   Rooted in the synchronicity of body, mind, and the natural world, sustainability for natureofthings is a holistic touchpoint for the brand. Their beautiful packaging was thoughtfully crafted from glass and wood and minimally branded, so that you feel compelled to repurpose and display on your vanity, well after use.   

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Naturium

Naturium, a new plant-sourced, scientist-developed skincare line takes a stunningly contemporary approach to nature-inspired beauty and sustainability. Packaged with minimal plastic and recyclable glass vessels, each of Naturium's products--from their Virgin Marula Oil to their Retinol Cream--are formulated with the best, most biocompatible ingredients that Earth has to offer, all at an accessible price point.  

One Love Organics

Products are formulated, manufactured, and packaged in a high-tech, ECOCERT certified lab on St. Simons Island, Georgia. The small batch manufacturing method ensures superior freshness and quality. The brand’s legendary moisturizing cream uses uses sustainably-sourced sea kelp to help preserve ocean resources.  

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Orveda

Orveda uses less than 5% plastic in their products and uses glass bottles in their packaging. They strive to use sustainable ingredients and are mineral oil-free, plastic bead-free, and vegan.  

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Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell was the first professional hair care company to take a stand against animal testing. It continues its strong commitment to giving back by supporting a wide range of environmental causes, including Sea Shepherd, California Wildlife Center, Elephant Action League, and Beequilibrium.  

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Plaine Products

Plaine products was founded to provide natural, quality products in sustainable packaging, making it easier for everyone to use a little less plastic in their lives. The products are refillable and they are shipped in eco-friendly packaging by EcoEnclose.  

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Renpure

Each product is formulated with renewable, plant-based materials that are harvested in nature. They undergo minimal processing and the residual materials are much safer for daily use by consumers. All of the products are made with zero sulfates, zero dyes, zero parabens, zero formaldehyde, zero propylene glycol, zero phthalates, and zero gluten.  

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Siblings

In an effort to eliminate waste in the candle buying and burning cycle, Siblings created DIY candle kits consisting of eco-friendly coconut-blend wax in a plant-based bag and lead-free cotton wicks. At first you microwave the bag, the wax melts, then you pour into any vessel and top it off with a wick. The process is super easy, under $100 and makes for an amazing DIY project while you’re stuck inside.  

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SUPERNAL

Founder Melissa Medvedich began her education at the renowned New York Institute of Aromatic Studies, where she became a certified aromatherapist and later continued her studies in botanical beauty formulating. Supernal launched in early 2019 after two years of developing her singular debut product, Cosmic Glow Oil. This silky and easily absorbed facial oil full of glow-inducing ingredients including organic Camellia Seed Oil, Squalene and organic Baobab Seed Oil. Fortified with Vitamin C and Omega 3, 6, and 9, Cosmic Glow is designed to revitalize the skin’s natural luminosity. On 4/22, 22% of proceeds on Supernal.co will be donated to Grow NYC, a non-profit that works with communities in New York City to improve the quality of life through environmental programs.  

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UMA

Crafted from plants grown on founder Shrankhla Holecek's centuries-old family farm in India, UMA redefines luxury with its gorgeous Ayurvedic inspired skin and wellness oils. Once each plant is processed from the UMA farm, it is distilled in a uniquely self-sufficient and environmentally friendly facility, where any waste product is converted back into reusable fuel and water is cycled back into the farm. Here, oils blend together to become UMA's signature products and are bottled in beautiful glass vessels that can be repurposed well after use.  

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Valmont

Made in Switzerland by luxury skin care brand Valmont, L’Elixir des Glacier made a commitment to the protection of bees allied with local partners with the launch of this special collection. Valmont partnered with Pollinator Partnership—a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of bees and their ecosystems, and invested in 50 beehives in Switzerland to help save the bees, promote their awareness, and incorporate them into their skin care products sustainably.  

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Youth to The People

The brand strives to be as sustainable as possible using recyclable glass bottles and jars. A dollar from each Limited-Edition Youth To The People Earth Day Cleanser sold will be donated to organizations working to protect the planet.  

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Tata Harper

The brand consciously made the decision to have the majority of their packaging made from glass. They also  use 100% post-consumer materials or recycled paperboard, and they use soy-based ink for printing.

Wet Brush

Get your shine on with the new earth-friendly WetBrush Go Green Treatment & Shine Collection. Built-in natural oils distribute nutrients to your hair that instantly moisturize, repair, and restore as you brush. The all-natural biodegradable plant starch handle naturally breaks down in a landfill within 5 years

When my beauty products run out, I often find myself looming over the trash and recycling bins, debating which receptacle deserves my empties. If I throw them in the trash, will I turn on the TV and see a helpless sea turtle being impaled with the product I tossed? Will I be tagged in a viral video of a penguin with the subtitles “Thanks a lot Dana, now my lungs are full of glitter!”? If I opt for the recycling bin, will it even be recycled? SO MANY IFS. Even after working in the beauty industry for two decades, I don’t have all of the answers. I remember the moment my curiosity was heightened. I had just purchased a handful of new products and as I was unwrapping their plastic-on-plastic-on-plastic packaging, I became increasingly anxious about the ugly truth.   This industry is built on making people feel beautiful, but are we simultaneously devastating our planet? There’s an undeniable feeling of guilt when you throw something out that could have been recycled or repurposed, but once it’s out the door or down the chute, it’s “not your problem” anymore. The truth is, it’s still your problem; it’s our collective problem. Trash is like karma—it comes back to haunt you.   All of this waste is compromising our ecosystem and it’s making me nervous, so I asked Terracycle—a company that’s paving the way in recycling—to put my IFs to bed and give me the hard facts to share with you. Because garbage is scary and knowledge is power. I hope you learn as much as I did and take an extra moment to consider your options before your next purge.   What happens to a product once it hits the recycling bin?   Once a product is placed in a recycling bin, it begins a long process of sortation, separation, cleaning (if applicable), and processing before it can ultimately be recycled into a new product. For instance, plastics (a major component of much beauty and cosmetic packaging) may change hands through sales several times before it even begins processing. The Atlantic published a very comprehensive article a few years back that detailed a plastic bottle’s recycling journey.   What can we do at home to reduce waste from our personal beauty routines?   One tip that individuals can easily implement into their beauty routines is to replace disposable items like makeup wipes and sponges with durable, multi-use alternatives that can be washed and used again and again. Likewise, planning ahead of time for the end-of-life phase of the plastics that you can’t cut out is also advantageous. Consumers are invited to mail in or drop off various types of beauty care waste via TerraCycle’s free brand-sponsored recycling programs. However, it is important to remember that simply buying less is the single-most effective way to reduce beauty care routine waste.   When and how should we get rid of old or unwanted beauty products?   Great question. A lot of people have the best intentions when attempting to recycle their beauty or cosmetic products but forget to empty out any residual material. The presence of leftover material not only contaminates the original product (relegating it to landfill) but also risks contaminating more otherwise recyclable material that also encounters the residuals. Likewise, when emptying out products, it is important to remember to seal the residuals in a non-recyclable container and dispose of it in the normal garbage since some modern beauty products contain microbeads that risk exacerbating the plastic pollution crisis if flushed down the drain. Consumers can check their town’s recycling guidelines via the easy-to-use database maintained by Call2Recycle to avoid wish-cycling, a counterproductive practice that can cause recycling machinery to break down and that contaminates otherwise recyclable material. They are also invited to see if their waste can be recycled through any of TerraCycle’s free recycling programs.   Where do the majority of beauty products end up?   Unfortunately, much of the beauty product waste generated worldwide is destined for landfills and, in the worst possible scenarios, it contributes to litter or the plastic pollution of natural marine habitats. The Ocean Conservancy reports that “every year, 8 million metric tons of plastics enter our ocean on top of the estimated 150 million metric tons that currently circulate our marine environments.” While it is unclear how much of that ocean plastic is a result of people’s beauty routines, a 2014 study by Care to Recycle reports that while an impressive 95% of consumers claim to recycle waste produced in their kitchens (aluminum cans, glass bottles, etc.) only about half do so in other rooms, including the bathroom where a large volume of beauty/cosmetic waste is generated. So, it can be extrapolated that much of the beauty/cosmetics waste that can actually be recycled municipally (like glass bottles and some plastic shampoo or lotion bottles) is not finding its way to a recycling center.   How much waste does the beauty industry account for?   According to a study by Zero Waste Week and an article published by Stylist, the global cosmetics industry produces 120 billion units of packaging every year, which translates to the yearly loss of 18 million acres of forest. To put this statistic into perspective, after just six decades of producing plastic en masse (a staple material in most beauty product packaging), 8.3 billion metric tons have been produced and 91%, the overwhelming majority, has not been recycled.   Can you name a few beauty brands that are taking necessary steps to make a positive change in the waste department?   Over the years, many notable beauty and cosmetic brands have sponsored free recycling programs through TerraCycle to solve for their product’s end-of-life cycle. To name a few, Garnier, Burt’s Bees, eos, Herbal Essences, L’Occitane, Josie Maran, Limelife by Alcone, and Paula’s Choice all currently have TerraCycle programs, and Head & Shoulders partnered with TerraCycle to create the world’s first recyclable shampoo bottle made with beach plastic in 2017.   How can brands better educate their consumers about recycling?   Brands can help their consumers recycle their products by prominently displaying the product’s recycling symbol and number on their packaging along with the advisory that they should first check what type of plastics are recycled in their town. Likewise, many brands (such as Febreze) have TerraCycle’s symbol on their packaging to denote that their product is recyclable via a TerraCycle program.   Would you agree that manufacturers should be leading innovation, since they’re typically the first point of contact when it comes to packaging?   Manufacturers have responded to the plastic pollution crisis with several alternatives, namely compostable plastic containers. While these products are certainly innovative since they are produced from renewable resources as opposed to petrochemicals, it is important to note that, according to Greenbiz, “If these materials are not correctly disposed of at their end of life, they will cause just as much damage to our land and marine environments as traditional petrochemical-based plastic litter.” Simply put, there has yet to emerge a “silver bullet” that is poised to solve our plastic pollution crisis. As TerraCycle’s founder and CEO Tom Szaky says, one of the best ways to elicit change is by voting with your dollar since, while we may cast a vote for a political candidate every so often, we decide what brands to support every day through the purchases we make. If brands are willing to innovate by making their product packaging more environmentally friendly, the conscious consumer will respond to their efforts. A lot of brands have already reacted to increased consumer demand for more eco-friendly packaging by either cutting-down on existing packaging or by reinventing their packaging from the ground up through TerraCycle’s Loop, a platform designed to take us from disposability to reusability through cutting-edge technology and packaging design.   What are the most conscious options for packaging that exist today?   Since much of the packaging currently utilized by beauty brands is comprised of different materials like plastics, glass, and metals, it can be too costly (in terms of time and money) to separate and process. As a result, much of the beauty packaging waste thrown in the blue bin is sorted out by municipal recycling centers and relegated to landfills because even if the consumer does their best to recycle the conventionally recyclable parts of beauty/cosmetic packaging (i.e. cardboard, #1 and #2 plastics, and glass bottles), the remaining pumps, trigger heads, and product tubes are still not accepted by many municipal recycling programs. A good example of this phenomenon are deodorant tubes, described in an article by National Geographic. While the consumer can easily recycle the cardboard box the deodorant might be packaged in, they would need to dismantle the entire deodorant tube (including its tiny plastic pieces) in the hopes of getting it recycled. Even then, the separated plastic components will not be recycled if the municipal recycling facility does not process that specific type of plastic. Even with the best intentions, the act of throwing waste in the blue bin without first consulting your town’s recycling guidelines is known as wish-cycling and is a major stressor for recycling experts. To avoid this, it is recommended that consumers check their town’s specific guidelines via the resource offered by Call2Recycle. Reusable packaging, like that employed by TerraCycle’s Loop, is resoundingly the most eco-conscious option, but since glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled continuously without any loss in the resulting quality, it is the next best thing compared to reusable models.   What advice would you give a founder who’s in the research & development phase of a future brand?   As aforementioned, eco-friendly packaging design, in the form of reuse models such as Loop, or containers that utilize recycled or less overall material, seem to be the trajectory of packaging design. As consumers become hyper-aware of environmental stories like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, for instance, they will begin to expect more environmentally friendly alternatives.   How is TerraCycle helping brands make a smaller environmental footprint?   The following is an excerpt from TerraCycle’s website on the environmental benefits of recycling through TerraCycle: “By sending waste to TerraCycle you will avoid it ending up as litter, in a landfill or incineration facility. Instead, new materials and products will be made with your collected waste, reducing the need to extract new materials from the planet. This avoided impact is not small; for an average product over 90% of the environmental impact comes from extracting and refining the raw materials from which it is made.”   Well, there you have it. As members of the beauty industry, we need to wake up and start making some serious changes. As TerraCycle said above, there are a handful of simple things we can all do to help…  

1. Send our used products to TerraCycle, which is free and takes two seconds to sign up for.
2. Discard residue from packaging in a non-recyclable container (aka any type of multi-layered plastic bag or pouch) and throw it in the trash instead of flushing it into the water system.
3. Buy less single-use products like wipes and sponges and switch to reusable options instead.
4. Contact your local government officials to find out best recycling practices.
5. Shop less.
6. Spread the word and share this article with your community.

  Here’s to making smarter choices for our planet! Photo: Angela Compagnone via Unsplash DANA RAE Dana Rae is a published makeup artist with two decades of experience in the beauty industry. She is also a founder, product innovator, brand consultant, contributing writer, and creative.