How Your Beauty Buys Impact the Earth

Beauty is a multi-billion dollar industry for a reason. Whether you like to admit it or not, beauty and personal care play a significant, unavoidable role in your daily life. From makeup to face masks to hair oils, you are consuming products that have an impact on the earth. It’s not worth it to stop participating in self-care. However, it is important to understand your impact and buy beauty products responsibly. Learn how to purchase more sustainable beauty products for a more beautiful planet and a more beautiful mindset about your self-care routine.

The Unregulated Truth of Beauty Products

Self-care for Black people is all about self-love. This is vital, especially for Black women who often must bear the weight of historical injustices and persisting societal pressures and stigmas. The beauty products you use can help you take control of your narrative, but they can also have unintended consequences for both your health and the environment. 

To participate fully and ethically in Black self-care, it’s important to understand the disproportionate risks associated with beauty products for Black women, specifically. The cosmetic industry can be largely unregulated by the FDA, particularly when it comes to products targeted toward a Black audience—including those rooted in racism, like hair relaxing treatments and skin lighteners. These products contain toxic ingredients that are potentially harmful to Black consumers, such as formaldehyde, which can lead to rashes, chest pain, nausea, respiratory issues, and even disorders of the nervous system or cancer. 

Disposal of formaldehyde can cause issues with water contamination. Some products also contain an abundance of oils that, while coveted for skin and hair, can contaminate soil. Although natural, oils like palm oil lead to deforestation and devastating effects on the earth’s ecosystems. To practice autonomy and self-preservation, look into beauty products that are non-toxic for you and the environment, advocating for safer products and sustainable sourcing. Examples include aloe vera, coconut oil, and shea butter. It’s possible to achieve radiant beauty while caring for the environment and your health.

The Importance of Choosing Sustainable Personal Care Products

If you value being kind to the earth, your beauty choices should reflect that. The better you feel about your positive impact on the environment, the more open you can be to loving yourself. There is a profound connection between your well-being and the well-being of the earth. Beyond vanity, you can use personal care products to make a difference. 

When looking to choose personal care products responsibly, consider how your choices impact the way you feel about yourself. Remember to include all of your beauty buys in this endeavor, including dental products, hair brushes, shampoos, makeup, skincare, lotions, sunscreen, and soaps. In these products, be on the lookout for harmful chemicals such as triclosan, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, mica, and talc. A lot of these products seep into your skin but are also washed down drains and disseminated into sewer systems. Instead, look for natural ingredients like shea butter, charcoal, and green tea extract. 

In addition to looking at ingredients, take stock of excessive packaging that can end up in landfills and oceans, endangering wildlife and adding to pollution. By caring about the environment when buying beauty products, you can enhance your glow while exhibiting role-model-worthy, eco-friendly behaviors.

Why Green Beauty Is Trending and How To Participate

The beauty industry thrives on marketing products to make you look and feel better. However, they are increasingly looking to add “act better” to that. Consumer demand for sustainability is impacting art, fashion, and beauty in an unprecedented way. Beauty trends are evolving to include products that not only make you look beautiful but also make you feel better about your impact on the planet. This includes using products with recyclable packaging, responsible sourcing methods, and alternative energy production processes. 

With the movement to embrace eco-friendliness comes a natural call to embrace imperfections. The earth is imperfect, but it relies on your efforts to protect and nourish it. Your body is much the same. Give your beauty routine the respect it deserves by swapping to cleaner products. Try finishing all of your current products or donating what can be salvaged. As you do, replace your everyday products with well-researched products from transparent beauty companies. Some examples include aluminum-free deodorant, natural toothpaste, pure coconut oil, and skincare that uses natural ingredients like fruit enzymes.

Even one step toward eco-friendly beauty is positive, and it will call you to look at yourself from a unique perspective. You’re worth so much more than what you put on your skin, but at the same time, responsible self-care can remind you that you’re worthy of pampering and nourishment.

Beauty Buys for a Better Future

While supporting Black-owned beauty businesses or learning to embrace your imperfections, pay attention to how your beauty product choices are impacting the environment. This level of awareness is enlightening and will give you the chance to experience holistic wellness. By understanding the impact of your beauty rituals, you can rewrite the narrative — for yourself and the planet. Build a better future by redefining what it means to be beautiful.