The hype around living green is no new concept in SA. Many of us have adapted our lives to live more sustainably. We’ve switched out our plastic toothbrushes for bamboo ones, swapped out plastic wrap for bees wax, and we’re conscious about the waste we create, how we recycle, and how we do our household, fashion and beauty shopping. As far as we can be, at least.
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There is a new focal point, though. A sort-of subdivision of green beauty, specifically. It’s called blue beauty…
You’ve probably guessed right, it’s to do with the great big blue ocean and all that it contains.
We can’t highlight the importance of blue beauty without addressing the reasons why it is so crucial to consider.
Here are some facts to put this into perspective:
- About 380 million tons of plastic are produced each year. 50% of this is manufactured for single-use items.
- 80% of plastic waste produced ends up in landfills, dumps or in the natural environments (like our rivers and oceans)
- 11 million metric tonnes of plastic waste ends up in our oceans every year.
- Plastic waste makes up to 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.
- If we don’t do anything about it, by 2050, oceans will carry more plastic than fish in weight.
- The beauty industry alone produces over 100 billion plastic packages and about 22 billion single-use sachets too.
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If we don’t do something to address the insurmountable mass of plastic waste produced every year, we’re well on our way to destroying our oceans and the life that pervades it. As grim as it may sound, working towards a cause that will save the ocean, is something to be positive and excited about! It starts with our beauty routine.
Luckily for us, there are a growing number of earth-passionate beauty brands out there, paving the way forward and finding alternatives for the green (and now blue) beauty community. Finally, we have brands who are transparent about their sustainability practices, who are working to eliminate plastic packaging and microplastics from beauty completely.
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We need to be really careful when we’re shopping according to blue beauty standards. Small things like plastic laminates on cardboard boxes is what draws the line between plastic and plastic-free. To help ourselves narrow in on our next blue beauty spree, here are a few pointers to guide you along the way:
- Check the ingredients! Products containing microplastics like glitter and ‘microbeads’ accumulate in the ocean and are harmful to marine life. Avoid any of the following plastic-containing ingredients: silicones, teflon and oxybenzone.
- Avoid any ingredients that accumulate in the environment and don’t break down.
- Say no to brands who use virgin plastic packaging ie. plastic that does not break down and cannot be recycled.
- Shop local to avoid packages wrapped in plastic. By going local, you also cut gas emissions.
- Be disposal smart. Ask yourself, when you wash your face, do the products you use break down and degrade? Or do they pollute our waterways with microplastics?
- Go for multi-use. If you can’t eliminate the use of plastic completely, cut down where you can. Use cosmetic products like Gloei who reduce the amount of products you need to incorporate into your routine, with minimalist, multi-use makeup.
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Feature Image: Unsplash
