Most of us are well aware of the need for a more sustainable lifestyle. The good news is that even small changes have a significant environmental impact, which can help you reduce your carbon footprint. Here is a quick beginner guide to building a more sustainable skincare & wellness routine.
What Is Sustainability?
Being sustainable means actively making choices that result in consuming less, reusing more, and making choices that protect our natural resources and keep waste out of landfills. Essentially, it’s factoring in how your lifestyle choices impact the earth.
Why Is Sustainability Important?
Protecting our planet's biodiversity has a lasting impact on every facet of our lives. Reducing pollution, conserving energy and water, and adopting zero-waste practices are essential for public health, climate, and the protection of natural resources. Living more sustainably can help delay global warming, fight microplastic pollution, and protect wildlife.
What Is a Carbon Footprint?
One of the most important factors of sustainability is your carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is a measure of the greenhouse gasses that are emitted as a direct result of our actions and activities.
Each person has their carbon footprint, and it’s derived from the decisions we make each day, like how we travel, what we eat, and how we live (right down to the air conditioning we use in our homes). Americans have some of the largest carbon footprints on the planet, and reducing our footprint can significantly decrease the probability that we’ll experience an increase in global temperatures.
If you’re looking for lifestyle swaps to cut your carbon footprint, consider eating less meat, opting for public transport, and swapping out your current lightbulbs for energy-efficient LED light bulbs. Other daily habits include your skincare and wellness routine - so evaluating these choices can help you to live more sustainably.
How Does Skincare Impact the Environment?
The 2020 British Beauty Council Report offers an eye-opening look at the effects of the beauty industry on the environment. This in-depth report highlights the need for more sustainable skincare and beauty products. The information called out several key factors that need significant change to become more sustainable:
Packaging
Much of the waste produced by the beauty industry comes from packaging. Packaging is a massive part of marketing a product, which means expenses usually aren’t spared to create a product that looks desirable on the shelf.
NuFACE is proud to use beautiful and sustainable packaging materials. Our packaging is not just cute enough for a shelfie (shelf selfie) - it’s also made from 100% recyclable materials. Furthermore, it is approved by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and SFI (Sustainable Forest Initiative).
These approvals are awarded for materials originating from responsibly managed forests that benefit the environment, local economy, and social structure of the people living near or in them. So you can be sure that your NuFACE skincare routine doesn’t just beautify your skin - it also beautifies the planet.
Plastic
Plastics account for the majority of pollution in the ocean. Much of this plastic pollution comes from single-use plastic packaging, like skincare products, makeup, and other toiletries. These products can end up in landfills or oceans or in photodegradation, where sunlight breaks down large plastics into tiny particles called microplastics. Microplastic is ingested by seabirds and fish, impacting the ecosystem in significant ways.
You can recycle most plastic packaging after use. Recycling plastic makes it more eco-friendly and keeps harmful pollutants out of rivers, streams, and oceans.
Some laws help regulate the amount of plastic the beauty industry uses. Microbeads, for instance, were banned in 2015. Typically found in products like scrubs and body washes, these tiny plastic particles were slipping down drains and filling bodies of water with plastic pollutants.
Air Pollution
Surprisingly, the beauty and skincare industry could contribute to air pollution. Still, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in certain products (usually aerosols like hairspray or deodorant) can contribute to carbon dioxide emissions.
Choosing products not packaged as aerosols can decrease your carbon footprint and message the manufacturer that this isn’t a viable option.
Deforestation
Deforestation is the most significant way the beauty industry contributes to global warming. It’s a multifaceted problem — natural forest land is cleared for the planting and harvesting plant-based product ingredients, many of which may not be sustainable.
Packaging requires timber for cardboard boxes and applicators which are typically thrown away. Lastly, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the environment, so when we cut them, they release it back into the atmosphere, increasing carbon emissions.
At NuFACE, we understand the importance of protecting the forests and ensuring our product ingredients don’t create harm. It’s why we are so meticulous with our ingredients and our packaging.
Sustainable Skincare
At NuFACE, we are committed to making beautiful, sustainable skincare easy and effective. From the NuFACE® Clean Sweep Applicator Brush, which boasts recycled aluminum ferrule, FSC-sourced birch wood, and biodegradable paint, to skincare products packaged in sustainable materials, we’re doing our part to contribute to a cleaner world.
As a consumer, you deserve reliable products that work — and we created NuFACE for this reason. You'll get accurate results packaged in more sustainable materials from our micronutrient-dense skincare products to our FDA-cleared, aesthetician-developed devices
Sources:
Why is Sustainability in Business Important and How to Achieve it | Emeritus.org
