Jul 5, 2019
Health & Lifestyle | Ella Glover
With more and more people becoming aware of the growing climate crisis – New York City,
the U.K. Parliament and even Pope Francis have declared a climate emergency – there’s no
wonder people are turning away from wasteful products. The beauty industry has been
striving for natural, organic and cruelty-free products for a while now, but are they paying
enough attention to the effects of their packaging?
Plastic contributes to the emission of greenhouse gasses at every stage of its life cycle and
nearly 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels. The burning of plastic releases tonnes of C02
into the atmosphere every year and it takes 1000s of years to decompose. Not only this,
plastic waste and microplastics are polluting our oceans. Single-use and throw away plastic
is not only a threat to the climate and thus human life, but also marine life around the
world.
Packaging is an integral part of branding especially for beauty products; it emulates
luxury, personifies a brand and catches your eye. The problem is that most beauty products
are packaged in plastic and cardboard.
According to an article by Lush called “Cut The Wrap: How makeup packaging is ruining the face of the planet”, around 1 billion lipstick cases (which are usually constructed of metal and plastic) end up in landfill each year. As well a this, “the Zero Waste Week initiative reports that cardboard packaging around perfumes, serums and moisturisers contributes to the global loss of 18 million acres of forest each year.”
Since launching their zero-waste product line in 2019, it is apparent that high street favourite beauty brand, Lush, is really doing the most in terms of using less.
If you’re trying to cut back on waste and are wondering how to fill your makeup bag with earth-friendly items, then these 4 “naked” makeover essentials are for you.
Slap Stick Foundation
This is a moisturising, medium coverage foundation made from Peruvian jojoba oil, a blend
of candelilla, sunflower and Turkish rose waxes, extra virgin coconut oil from Indonesia and
argon oil sourced by a women’s cooperative in Morocco. This handy little foundation “stick" comes in 40 different shades (yes, you read that right) and works to give anyone a radiant
complexion.
Trix Stick Concealer
The Trix Stick is a multi-use concealer that can be used to conceal, contour, highlight
or bronze. It comes in 10 different shades and is made from a blend of wax and oils.
A versatile product with natural ingredients that isn’t tested on animals AND doesn’t
produce waste! What more could you want?
Glow Stick
The Lush Naked Glow Stick is a zero-waste, easy to use highlighter stick that can be used
until the very last piece of plastic-free glitter. Made from community sourced oils and
vegan wax, this product is a must. Apply it with a small brush or your fingers to the high
points of your face (I usually go for my inner corners, brow bones, cheek bones and the
tip of my nose) for a snatched and dewy complexion. Choose from one of Lush’s five
colours and get glowing!
Lipstick Refill
The Lush Naked Refill is a vegan, cruelty-free product that has been designed to fit
into an empty lipstick container by any brand. Boasting forty different shades from
‘Cairo’ nude to ‘Los Angeles’ red, this product leaves no room for excuses. Lush even
put out a video on how to use the refill: