Monday 14 January 2013

All Consuming

As I have said before, on the whole, being a Make-up Artist is neither the most ethical or ecologically sound profession. Setting aside everything with regards to toxic ingredients in products, the animal testing debates and brand ownership issues (to name but a few), Make-up Artistry is just not green.

One of the biggest and frustrating problems (certainly for me) is the amount of waste we produce as Make-up Artists. From cotton wool to tissues, false eyelashes to cotton buds and wet wipes to mascara wands, the bid to maintain high levels of hygiene means that we throw away so much.

Obviously the answer is not to forgo our hygienic practices but to find a way to lessen the waste we produce and to use products that minimise their environmental impact. Thankfully there are things you can do to make the disposable, consumable side of your kit tip towards the greener end of the scale...
 
Disposable Wands
A vital addition to any Make-up Artists armoury, I discussed the use of bamboo disposable brushes in a previous post; bamboo is a highly sustainable resource and so perfect for helping cut back on unnecessary plastics.

ECO disposable mascara, lip gloss and lipstick wands are available online from the Pro Make-up Shop and and are priced at £6.75 for a pack of 25 wands.

Cotton Wool and Cotton Buds
Choose products made from certified organic cotton, this means that the products are produced without the use of chemicals that have negative environmental impact. One of the most widely available brands in the UK is Simply Gentle; they offer a range of Soil Association certified organic cotton wool products including Cotton Wool pads, balls, rolls and cotton buds. Another great brand available in the UK is Organyc; a range of ECOCERT certified cotton wool and buds.

Simply Gentle products are available in John Lewis and most good health food stores or are available online at (amongst others) Love Lula and Content - Prices start at around £1.75

Organyc products are available online from Pravera - prices start from £2.39
 
Tissues
As with cotton wool products, using organic cotton or recycled paper tissues can help lessen the impact on the environment. Cotton Soft tissues are my tissue of choice and are available in both standard and packet sized packs (perfect for your set bag!).

Cotton Soft tissues are available online and in store at Waitrose. Prices start at around £1.50

Wet Wipes / Facial Wipes
There are now a multitude of organic facial and wet wipes available on the market. My favourites include; Earth Friendly Baby and Beaming Baby for general use and Beaming Beauty or NYR Organic facial wipes If I need something face specific.

Check out the great variety online or at your local health food store - Prices start from about £2.95

Want more...?
Want a completely natural and waste-free alternative? Why not save on wet wipes and cotton wool completely with these lovely washable pads from Love The Planet. A favourite of Pussy Cat Dolls singer and BM Beauty founder Kimberly Wyatt.

Available in white or coloured packs of five online from Lucy Rose or in all good health food stores. Priced at £5.49
 
 
 
 
If you thought that changing to using organic and natural products is are far as it goes, then hopefully these will give you some more ideas on how to make your kit even greener and cleaner.
 

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