How to make your beauty routine more sustainable

One of the biggest, and arguably most important, beauty movements at the moment is sustainability. We should all be working towards a more sustainable beauty routine, and in order to do this it requires a shift in the way we ‘do’ beauty. We need to know which are the most sustainable products and beauty brands, yes, but it all starts with creating a sustainable beauty routine that is kind to the planet, people, and the environment. Simply by making a few tweaks to your routine, you can make it more sustainable.

We’ve put together a selection of Secret Spa’s top tips for creating a sustainable beauty routine. What’s more, sustainable choices which are caring to the planet are often caring for you and your skin too, so it’s definitely a win-win.

How to create a sustainable beauty routine

1. Consider packaging every time you use a beauty product

Throughout your routine you’ll have lots of different beauty products. From shampoo and hairspray for your hair, to mascara and foundation for your makeup, it all comes in packaging. 

A big way that you can make a difference is to be conscious when choosing beauty products in terms of the packaging they use. A good rule of thumb is to choose products which use packaging that’s either recycled or recyclable. Look for ones which use as little plastic as possible (glass is a great alternative), or offer refillable packaging.

This is getting easier to do as more and more beauty brands are realising that this is what their customers are looking for. 

2. Dispose of packaging responsibly

As well as buying more brands which use more responsible packaging, you should also be mindful about how you dispose of your products. If you’ve bought a beauty product in recyclable packaging, make sure you follow the right process to ensure it will actually be recycled. For example, wash it out and place it in the correct recycling channel.

Many sustainable beauty brands offer recycling schemes directly, often offering incentives if you use them, such as money off future products. Make sure you understand the instructions and take care to follow them. John Lewis offers £5 credit back to spend across their beauty department if you take in five full sized products to recycle with them.

3. Reuse as much as you can

Before you recycle or dispose of anything, consider: can you reuse it? More and more packaging is being designed so that you can reuse it, rather than simply replacing it. For example, with eyeshadows, often you only need to replace the palette rather than the whole container. Or perhaps you can use that moisturiser jar to store next year’s seeds for the garden, or pens on your desk? Think creatively about how things can be reused.

It helps to specifically choose products which can be reused, such as sustainable razors, rather than their disposable counterparts. Simple cotton face cloths instead of disposable (and dehydrating) wipes are another good example, which is better for your skin as well as the environment. 

One of our favourite tips for reusing a beauty product is to reuse mascara wands. Wash them well and they can be used for your brows or for separating out lash extensions. Or, if you prefer, contact a local animal shelter or wildlife sanctuary and ask if they need old wands. They are often used for gently grooming injured and vulnerable animals – what could be a better new home for an old mascara wand? 

4. Go for packaging-free swaps

When you start to consider sustainability in your beauty routine you can feel quite overwhelmed with the amount of plastic you bring into your home in the name of looking good. There are some big products that really come laden in plastic, such as shower gel and shampoo. 

The good news is that some simple swaps can see you loving your beauty routine and avoiding plastic. Shampoo bars and good old fashioned soap bars don’t use plastic, and are often free of environment-harming and skin-harsh chemicals too.

5. Be selective with your chosen brands

At Secret Spa, our beauticians choose their products carefully according to lots of different criteria. You too can choose your beauty brands carefully. Opt for eco-friendly brands and you won’t need to worry about knowing your sodium lauryl sulfate from your hyaluronic acid. We’d always recommend choosing brands which are cruelty-free and against animal testing.

Remember that it’s not just about the products you use directly on your skin and hair. Also consider investing in eco-friendly and sustainably made beauty tools. By owning high quality long-lasting beauty tools, you are less likely to send others to landfill. 

6. Reduce your water usage

We’ve all been guilty of leaving the tap running once or twice while we’re applying cleanser or brushing our teeth. Turn the tap off when you’re not actually using water. Every little helps!

7. Think differently about cotton

Cotton wool and cotton wool pads are easy to grab and use. But, even if they are made using organic cotton, cotton production is tough on the environment. Instead, opt for reusable cotton pads which can be washed. They are more eco-friendly and we find they are really gentle on your skin. 

8. Simplify where you can

It’s easy to add more and more steps to your beauty routine then are needed. If you’re beauty addicts like us, you’ll have a lot of  different products for different things! It can all get quite complicated and isn’t very sustainable for the planet or your time!

Instead, try to simplify your routine as much as possible. For example, getting your legs waxed will reduce the need  to keep buying razors or worry about a regular shaving routine!

9. Make changes gradually

It’s tempting to want to make changes quickly once you are committed to creating a sustainable beauty routine. However, it’s actually not a sustainable practice to simply throw everything out and start from scratch!

Part of consuming beauty sustainably is to use every product you own to the fullness of its life. This way you can also replace products with sustainable alternatives more gradually and still get to discover new beauty brands and products.

10. Let the salon come to you

At Secret Spa, we bring beauty treatments to you at home. This is also a sustainable choice. Beauticians can buy carefully considered products in bulk and have all the needed tools. This stops you buying them yourself for just a few uses. 

Sustainable beauty is possible, and as a consumer it comes down to making small sensible changes.