How To Make Your Skincare Routine More Sustainable

5 tips to reduce your beauty footprint

Over the past few decades, the beauty world has grown exponentially, which unfortunately also includes its carbon footprint. With the rise of the beauty social sphere and public awareness of environmental issues, consumers demand more transparency and better environmental practices from their favourite brands—and they’re delivering! Individual changes in self-care practices can have a positive environmental impact. It all comes down to daily choices. 

Making more eco-conscious choices when shopping for new products and establishing your beauty routine is easier than ever. While positively impacting the environment may feel like a hopeless feat for a single person, every little bit helps. Here are five tips to get you started.

Shop from environmentally conscious brands

Make sure you buy products from companies committed to shrinking their carbon footprint, like Aveeno^®. The brand is making a number of changes to its packaging to be more sustainable, including their popular Daily Moisturizing Lotion, which is now packaged in 30 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic. Committed to being an environmentally conscious brand, more than 70 per cent of all Aveeno^® packaging is recyclable. They’re also working towards expanding their line of existing refillable packaging, along with plant-based, home-compostable wipes with recyclable packaging. By 2025, they aim to be 100 per cent recyclable and reusable and run their manufacturing sites solely with electricity. As a consumer, try your best to be educated on the brands you invest in. 

Recycle your jars and packaging

Find different uses for your jars and packaging to avoid them getting tossed in a landfill. Hot tip: clean out empty makeup bottles and use them as travel-friendly containers for your go-to skincare products or reuse glass jars to keep your beauty drawer organized—they’re perfect for holding bobby pins and hair elastics. 

Pay more attention to ingredients

Simplify your routine using cleaner products, like the Aveeno^® Daily Moisturizing Lotion. It’s formulated with prebiotic oat and rich emollients and has been proven to protect and balance your skin’s natural moisture barrier and keeps your skin hydrated for 24 hours. Plus, it’s free of fragrance, parabens and dyes. In addition, the brand uses a patented system called the “Global Aquatic Ingredient Assessment” tool to protect aquatic life and neighbouring ecosystems. Choosing clean beauty ingredients that are derived from natural sources and are non-toxic can help protect the ocean. All this said, look deeper into ingredients that are good for you and the planet. 

Reduce your consumption habits

Be mindful of overconsumption. It can be tempting to hop onto new beauty trends. Ask yourself: do I want to use this product or do I want to buy this product? A less-is-more approach is better both for your skin and your wallet. Stick to refilling products you know and love when necessary. Plus: makeup and skincare products expire faster than you think. If you hoard more than you can handle, it can lead to unnecessary waste. Try embracing a minimalist, “less is more” routine.  

Use reusable beauty tools

Reduce, reuse and recycle—that’s the name of the eco-conscious game and also applies to your choice of beauty tools. It’s time to get rid of those single-use products once and for all and invest in reusable cotton pads, makeup remover pads, cotton swabs (yes, those exist), and face and eye masks. Try opting for the Aveeno^® Refillable Moisture Pouch or the Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser Refill Pouch to kick-start your new reusable packaging routine. Minimizing your ecological footprint all comes down to these simple green swaps; you’ll be amazed by how easily you can adopt a more eco-friendly beauty regimen. 

Click here to learn more about Aveeno^® and how they care for the environment.