9 Simple Steps To Make Your Beauty Routine More Sustainable

Creating a sustainable beauty routine doesn’t have to be a chore. At the end of the day, we all just want to do our bit of the environment and every small effort can count.

So rather than put pressure on yourself to go from zero to environmental hero in one leaping bound, start with some simple changes that can be easily incorporated into your routine.

Here, we share nine sustainable beauty tips for beginners that can make a difference. And some of them are even a little fun too.

Find your local Terracycle

A task that has become increasingly less difficult since Priceline introduced their Green Together initiative. In line with Terracycle and Maybelline, you can now take your beauty empties (from any brand) and drop them into a recycling station. The materials from your empties will be turned into new products and removed from becoming landfill.

See the list below for Priceline’s breakdown on the beauty products you can and can’t recycle:

Find your closest drop off, here.

Donate unwanted products

Whether you’ve got an excess of hotel toiletries, skin care, makeup or haircare, there are plenty of people who are in need of your spare beauty products. Not sure where to start? From domestic violence to cancer treatment and general hardship, we’ve compiled a list of all the organisations seeking beauty product donations for a good cause.

Familiarise yourself with sustainable brands

If you typically head straight to the ‘shop’ tab and skip the ‘about us’ section, we urge you to go and have a read. This is the best way to get a better understanding about a brand’s values and practises. Are they cruelty-free? Plastic-free? Sourced locally? Find out whether they align with your personal values.

Up-size your beauty products

Love your body wash? Buy it in the biggest size available. While consuming more might sound counterproductive, by supersizing your favourite products, they’ll last longer = creating less waste.

Opt for face masks in a tube

While sheet masks are great for a scary selfie and deliver some pretty impressive skin-brightening benefits, they often aren’t biodegradable. Avoiding single-use packaging is a sure-fire way to do your bit for the environment. We don’t expect you to skip face masks altogether, no, no. Instead, try a face mask formula that comes in a tube or tub.

bh recommends: Alpha-H Liquid Gold Ultimate Perfecting Mask ($89.95, Adore Beauty)

Recycle properly

Make sure to read the recycling labels of your beauty products to ensure you’re sorting them into the right bins and removing any labels necessary. And always ensure they’re rinsed clean.

Switch to a shampoo bar

Making this shower switch will help to reduce plastic waste. According to research conducted by Lush, one shampoo bar is the equivalent to three 250 mL shampoo bottles. And thanks to products like the Beach Road Naturals Hemp Seed Oil & Juniper Berry Shampoo Bar ($12, Beach Road Naturals) and Glow Lab Shampoo Bar Repair ($12, Woolworths), switching to a shampoo bar won’t mean sacrificing shine, strength or strand nourishment.

Maximise the use of multi-purpose products

This will not only save space in your makeup bag, but it will also have a lower environmental impact. Instead of purchasing a lipstick and a cream blush, shop for brands that offer both in one.

bh loves: The Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain ($25, The Body Shop)

Clean up your makeup removal routine

For starters, swap out your single-use wipes and cotton rounds with biodegradable versions like the Swisspers Eco Aloe Vera Biodegradable Facial Wipes ($8.62, Chemist Warehouse).

If you still use plastic cotton tips, consider switching to the plastic-free Swisspers Cotton Tips with Paper Stems ($3.15, Woolworths).

Better yet? Invest in a reusable makeup remover pad like the Fitcover Makeup Remover Sponge ($11, Fitcover) or the  Biologi Microfibre Cloth ($25, Adore Beauty).

Main image credit: Getty

What’s your best sustainable beauty tip?