EARTH’S DEMISE FOR BEAUTY REALISED
THE IMPACT OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY ON THE ENVIRONMENT
As concern for the environment increases, more people are taking action to contribute to a positive change for our planet, such as; minimising use of plastics, lowering meat intake, using alternative transport, reducing food waste, decreasing paper usage [1] etc. These are all great contributions toward a greener earth but it certainly doesn’t end there.
The beauty industry is one of the biggest contributors to the environmental downfall. Not only are THE majority of products packaged and shipped in layers and layers of unnecessary plastic, they also contain in them ingredients that cause pollution, which is harmful to plants, animals and your health. [2]. Further, the beauty industry still largely tests on animals and makes use of animal ingredients, despite the ongoing protests from concerned individuals and groups.
ECO FRIENDLY BEAUTY BUYS – WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
1. RECYCLABLE PACKAGING
Beauty products are generally designed to last between 1-6 months, majority being 1 month’s supply. The packaging is therefore discarded monthly, ending up in landfill, oceans and the likes. Opt for products that use recyclable packaging such as glass, metal or cardboard instead.
2. FREE FROM MICROPLASTICS
Also known as ‘Microbeads’ in the beauty industry, microplastics, found predominantly in face scrubs, exfoliators and toothpaste, are tiny pieces of plastic that end up in our oceans which may be ingested by marine life. “In 2016, an environmental audit committee estimated that between 15 and 51 trillion microplastic particles have accumulated in the oceans, with between 80,000 and 219,000 tonnes of microplastics entering the sea from Europe each year.”[3]. Before purchasing beauty and skin care products, especially exfoliants, check that natural and plastic-free ingredients are used. Some of these include nuts, coffee and sugar.
3. FREE FROM SYNTHETIC PRESERVATIVES
Synthetic preservatives are the ingredient used in consumable and beauty products so that they last longer on shelf and in our homes. When these products are consumed and go down the drains, they enter our water systems, where aquatic life may ingest these harmful chemicals. When consumed in large quantities, they can be harmful to the animal that ingested them as well as other animals higher in the food chain [4]. There are many beauty brands currently on the market that are adding a few natural ingredients to their products and then labeling them as “natural”, it is therefore crucial to always read the fine print (in this case the ingredient list) before making a purchasing decision.
4. VEGAN
With the beauty industry putting demand on livestock farming for animal products, so the carbon footprint of such farming increases. Animal farming contributes to global warming, pollution, deforestation, land degradation, water scarcity and species extinction. [5] It is therefore critical to not only source cruelty-free beauty products but also vegan beauty products. The good news is, the demand for vegan beauty products, particularly in Australia, is on the rise.
5. CRUELTY-FREE
Apart from animal testing being cruel and unethical, these practices have massive negative impacts on the environment; not only do they impact water and air quality, the facilities who perform these practices dispose of many harmful items including the animals themselves, dangerous chemicals, food waste and a variety of supplies which also end up in our landfill and oceans.
CHOOSE QSILICA
Qsilica products are formulated around the mineral silica, an important mineral natural to sand and quartz which assists with the maintenance of skin, hair and nail health.
WHY QSILICA
Qsilica products are preserved using natural ingredients and careful formulation
Does not contain any micro plastics
Packed using recyclable cartons & bottles
100% vegan & cruelty-free
PETA Business Friends