Mindful Beauty: The New Sustainability Standard

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The environmental impact of the beauty industry is significant, though often overlooked. There are few government regulations controlling its harmful practices, so beauty enthusiasts have begun practicing mindful beauty as a new sustainability standard. Mindful beauty focuses on only purchasing products that manufacturers source, create and dispose of ethically. People who practice it must carefully research what to buy and how to use it sustainably.

Environmental Impact of the Beauty Industry

The purpose of mindful beauty is to counteract the lack of environmental regulations in the beauty industry. The following are some ways the cosmetics industry is harmful toward the environment, either through marketing or actual manufacturing practices.

Lack of Federal Regulation

There are next to no federal regulations on the products in the beauty industry. For instance, the United States has banned significantly fewer chemicals than Europe, even though many of the ingredients have studies confirming their health risks. If there is no support from the government, brands lack an incentive to practice sustainability beyond customer demand.

Plastic Overuse

The cosmetics industry produces significant amounts of plastic packaging waste. Almost every item comes in a small, plastic package that consumers tend to throw out. It is also difficult to recycle many cosmetics. In fact, consumers recycle less than 10% of beauty products each year, which is far too low given the number of products purchased in the same time frame. 

Resource Consumption

The creation of beauty products requires significant resource consumption. For one, it takes a lot of water to manufacture specific products. Water is a core ingredient in many popular formulas, contributing to their overuse. 

Also, beauty brands source many raw materials that pose significant environmental threats. Palm and mica are common, unsustainable ingredients. Mica is found in many foundations, but children mine the earth to extract it, raising ethical and environmental concerns. Palm oil production contributes to the ongoing deforestation in tropical forests. Sourcing raw materials like these is dangerous for the workers’ well-being and the environment. 

Greenwashing or Greenhushing

Another thing to watch out for with beauty brands is their greenwashing or greenhushing practices. Greenwashing is when brands mislead consumers by saying their products are natural or eco-friendly, even though they actually contribute to sustainability issues. Greenhushing is when brands do not discuss their environmental impact at all, which usually means it is unethical.

Consumers who want to practice mindful beauty must be aware of the scenarios outlined above to avoid environmentally irresponsible companies and products. 

What Mindful Beauty Means

Mindful beauty begins with using non-toxic ingredients, but there are many other ways to practice it as well. The following are the four key pillars of the mindful beauty standard. 

Choosing Multipurpose Products

The first pillar of mindful beauty is to choose multipurpose products. It is a common practice on social media for beauty influencers to have many products they apply to their skin every day, but this is not a sustainable way to use cosmetics. Finding products that serve multiple purposes, like a cleansing and hydrating cream, is better for the environment because it produces less waste.

Researching Product Ingredients

Because there are insufficient regulations in the beauty industry, consumers must research product ingredients themselves to ensure the brand practices sustainability. Consumers should look for evidence that the manufacturer produced the item using ethical methods. Mindful brands should also be transparent about their supply chain, since some transportation methods are more sustainable than others.

Examining Recycling Methods

Mindful beauty products must also be easily recyclable. To find these items, consumers can look for sustainable packaging. The brand should practice water conservation whenever necessary, as the cosmetics industry often overuses water. The formulas in products must be biodegradable as well. Many products contain harmful chemicals that pollute the earth after use, so finding brands that use recyclable materials and practices is ideal.

Viewing Beauty as a Ritual

The final aspect of mindful beauty really takes the word “mindful” into account. Beyond seeking sustainable products, mindful beauty practitioners must view the process as a ritual, prioritizing self-care and fostering a deeper connection with themselves. In fact, a study showed that people who used facial skincare felt more at ease than a separate group who did not. The last step of mindful beauty is to be mindful while doing it.

How to Practice Mindful Beauty

Understanding the key pillars of mindful beauty is essential, but consumers must practice mindful beauty by thoroughly examining specific cosmetic products. The following are a few attributes to aid new mindful beauty enthusiasts.

Support Brands That Actually Practice Sustainability

When starting down a mindful beauty journey, consumers may struggle to find brands with real sustainability measures. A good guideline is to look for products with third-party certifications. One example is the B Corp Beauty Coalition, which is a group that offers certifications to proven sustainable brands. Another group is 1% for the Planet, which certifies many sustainable brands beyond just cosmetics. Products with these or similar certifications are typically the most ethical.

Search for Sustainable Packaging Methods

The packaging for cosmetic products is critical, since the industry tends to overuse plastic. Refillable pods are a good indicator because consumers are not consistently throwing out single-use bottles that end up in landfills. Brands that use compostable materials are ideal too, as the packaging can go directly back into the earth without polluting the environment. Another good sign is when companies use glass or aluminum because these materials are typically safer than plastic.

Look for Credible Certifications on Logos

There are several certifications with proven credibility that consumers can use to examine product logos. One is Leaping Bunny, which certifies companies that are natural, green or organic, not just through advertising. Brands with EWG’s Skin Deep certification are available under a database that provides consumers with safe cosmetic options. A final accreditation is through Fair Trade, which assesses products for sustainable sourcing practices. Any of these certifications on product logos is usually a good sign of sustainable, mindful beauty. 

Changing the Beauty Industry With Consumers’ Wallets

Mindful beauty is a powerful form of personal and political action. In the absence of regulations, consumers can choose products by adopting mindful beauty standards. This could convince brands to change their methods to suit eco-conscious consumers if enough people adopt mindful beauty. Consumers can use their daily routines to drive positive change in the cosmetics industry.