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Ethical Beauty Trends

Ethical Beauty Trends: Green Your Routine

Ethical Beauty Trends: Green Your Routine

Look and feel your best while keeping your conscience clear with the latest ethical beauty trends

Ethical beauty trends have risen to the top of our agendas, albeit more slowly than in other areas of our lives. And now it’s really having its moment with gorgeous top-performing products that are better for you and the planet.

Clean living

If you’re still using cotton wool pads and face wipes then you have an easy switch here. Face wipes are bad for the environment and not great for your skin either. Try a muslin cloth with a cleansing balm and ditch the cotton wool pads for a more eco-friendly reusable version which can simply be popped in the wash after use. Try Face Halo, which uses high tech fibers to remove make-up – the pack of three can replace 1500 singe use wipes.

Green beauty tools

Look for vegan make-up applicators with handles made from recycled plastic. Consider how many you really need and take care of them. And swap your plastic disposable razors for a metal safety razor where only the blades need to be replaced rather than chucking the whole thing. There are some lovely designs available, too. Try Wearth London for a rose gold version.

Streamline your regime

A typical bathroom shelf is filled with countless plastic bottles, many of which are going unused. Do a spring clean and see which products you could actually use up before buying more.

Look for ethical brands

Many brands claim to be eco-friendly but take a good look at the label or the company’s website to find out exactly what they do to warrant the claim. There is a baffling array of logos – for a guide, try ecolabelindex.com. Some to look out for include Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance, which certify sustainable practices – social, environmental and economic.

Brands to try include London-based Pai for its natural, ethical and sustainable approach. The Organic Pharmacy uses organic as much as possible, as well as sustainably sourced ingredients and has never tested its products on animals. Its products are made in its London lab. Shopping locally will reduce your carbon footprint. Seekology in Richmond champions many local products such as its Facial in a Box by Meadow Botanical, with products made in Kent, they come in fully recyclable packaging and are vegan. Seekology’s vegan gift box is perfect for Mother’s Day and features a shampoo bar from KIND2 and Bowe Organics lip balm.

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Reduce and recycle

Opt for brands that use less packaging, recycled plastic packaging or glass. Try the Azure vegan haircare range, packaged in bottles made from sustainable sugarcane – we love the Amplify Styling Cream. Fragrance brand Floral Street has sustainability top of the agenda, from its ingredients through to its packaging. Its pulp cartons are 100% compostable. Recycle old containers. Have a bin in the bathroom for recycling as it will make life easier when you’re sorting out your rubbish. www.recyclenow.com has a great guide on what all the recycling symbols mean and a postcode checker to see what will be collected kerbside in your area.

Check out the Loop scheme, which picks up your empties, cleans them and refills them, then delivers the products back to your home. It runs across groceries too as well as beauty. Upcycle containers – Neal’s Yard Remedies’ famous blue bottles can be made into cute vases or candlestick holders – the company also uses the highest amount of organic ingredients it can, and ethically sourced botanicals.

Good hair days

Swap your traditional shampoo for a shampoo bar from the likes of Lush, Garnier and Ethique. One bar can replace three bottles of shampoo, and offer silky smooth and clean tresses with ease. With just minimal or no packaging, you’ll be doing a huge favour to the planet. Look for salons that care about the planet too such as Gina Conway, which uses the eco brand Aveda.

Multi purpose

Opt for cosmetics that do several jobs with one product. Axiology’s Balmie is a tube-free 3 in 1 crayon for eyes, lips and cheeks and is wrapped in paper. And switch to refillable lipsticks – Charlotte Tilbury and Hourglass both do them.