Eco Journey: Plastic Free Makeup

Hi, friends!

Today I’m bringing you the second installment of my $100 Swaps Challenge to live a more environmentally friendly and natural lifestyle! But first, instead of just jumping right into a consumer mentality, I decided to try another approach.

So at this point because fancy words such as “sustainable”, “eco-conscious”, and “environmentally friendly” were coming out of my mouth more often, I may have gotten a little carried away with the whole going “zero-waste” lifestyle. Not only did I start becoming greatly obsessed with YouTube videos by eco-conscious creators such as Gittemary but I started trying to create my own DIYs a bit obsessively, too. There I was at midnight baking beets and waiting to blend them into loose powders. I had screenshots of all types of DIYs found on Pinterest and was determined to make my beauty routine as waste-less as possible.

Now, if you are interested in some. natural, homemade products these are some “essential” items you might need according to the inter webs. Just keep in mind that these are recipes found online and that everyone’s skin is vastly different and may not react well, even to natural products. Here are a few screenshots from my No Waste Beauty Products Board (Credit goes to respective blog authors- click the link on the individual photo for their recipes!) *Note: I didn’t try making them all, just whatever I thought was the simplest*

Here are a few basic ingredients I noticed were very common in DIY recipes

For Lotion & Face: Shea butter, Coconut oil, Aloe Vera juice, Coconut butter, Argan oil

For Lip balm: Beeswax, coconut oil, cocoa butter

For Blush: Beets, cocoa, arrowroot powder, hibiscus powder, peach powder

For Facial toner: Rose water, witch hazel toner, essential oils, distilled water

And for a face wash: Liquid castile soap, Witch hazel, essential oils, foaming pump, glycerin oil

Attempt #1: The cocoa powder as face powder worked pretty alright besides it looking a little heavy. And the blush was fun to make (like a science experiment!) but for how long it’s shelf life is and the fact that I don’t buy beets often, it seemed like a little too much work for my lifestyle. Plus, I just could never get over the very strong beet smell.

Attempt #2: I had the best luck with the simple facial sprays. The only problem I was worried about was the shelf life of anything with water in it as I read it was only supposed to be good for like a week or two max. I definitely used mine for longer. Overall, it was okay and pretty refreshing but not something I couldn’t live without.

Attempt #3: Now as for my DIY facial wash, I really wanted it to work but it was so hard on my skin that it left little welts on my skin and left it feeling extremely tight. I probably made it wrong but until I can get the courage to try again, I’ll be looking elsewhere for a face cleanser (in a bar). Until then, the liquid castile soap makes an excellent hand wash and cleaning agent so it wasn’t a complete waste.

So, DIYs didn’t exactly work out…what’s the next solution for a low waste, plastic free beauty system? Along with those boxes to check I was looking for a beauty routine that was natural or clean, cruelty and palm-oil free, fair trade, and all those really wonderful words that should be the norm!

*Note: Try and finish up whatever products you have left! The first rule of becoming more sustainable is to finish up what you already have before buying more! Thankfully a lot of what I purchased can be used in cooking, cleaning, or on my skin separately so things aren’t going to waste.

Makeup

How about a refill system? Well here are a few options!

• Elate ☑️
• Zao
• Kjaer Weis
• Going Zero Waste has a fabulous list of 10 brands leading the market in the plastic free makeup movement. You can find it: here!

Three Step Clean and Sustainable Beauty Regime

A clean prepped face (post coming on this soon!)

1. Refresh Fresh Tint (in RN5

I will never switch back to any other foundation! It’s the perfect light, natural foundation and honestly, I’m even surprised by how well the color match was (online shopping for makeup is difficult!)  The only thing I have a tiny complaint about is that I wish they had the ability to get refill glass bottles without the plastic pump (the only plastic in the products) although I haven’t needed a new bottle just yet. Still, this is a much better alternative than other makeup brands that you can’t recycle via curbside!

2. Sunbean Bronzer

I also purchased the bronzer- the first one I’ve ever owned before! It definitely keeps a golden bronze look so I just use it all over my face and sometimes I use it as a blush, too. I don’t always use this in my daily makeup or when I’m working on the plane as I feel like it oxidizes weirdly and looks thicker on my skin. But, for normal, less dry days I love wearing it on!

3. Cream Blush in Bliss

The universal cream is so dreamy and just glides on. It’s also one of those three-in-one products that you can use as blush, eye-shadow, and a lip stain! It doesn’t stain the lips as much as I wish it did, but other than that it’s perfect in its bamboo compact. It’s my typical go-to for my working flights! Proof below!

All in all for challenge #2, it was about $83 for the three products. So worth it and definitely going to purchase the bamboo compact for my bronzer in the future. For now, however, I don’t really need any other makeup product as I’m content with what I have and that’s a very great thing for me to say. 🙂 By the end of the year I suppose I’ll need a new concealer as I’m halfway through the one I’m using now and I will certainly be purchasing from Elate again!

With Elate I’m checking off all my boxes for:

1. Vegan
2. Cruelty Free
3. Clean
4. Gluten Free
5. Sustainable Packaging and Values

90% organic clean makeup, sustainable packaging, cruelty free, and a refill system that allows me to keep the main packaging with me for as long as I want (and then crush it into my compost once I’m ready to move on- which will be NEVER.)

With three simple products I have my everyday makeup look!

My Current Makeup Stash

As for other makeup in my stash, I’m currently still using up everything I have left as that’s what’s most important. I’m finishing up an eyebrow gel with a plastic wand but after I think I’ll stick to old school brow pencils. Speaking of which, I thought it best if I completely laid out what is currently in my makeup bag (for total transparency!)

I clean my makeup brushes with that castille soap I mentioned earlier. Also, when I started flying I was really addicted (and in some way still am) to purchasing lipsticks because I thought flight attendants always wore something on their lips! I still try to on certain days I feel fancy, but most of the time I’m a simple chap-stick kinda girl. Then everything else is older and I’m finally hitting pan and the bottom of the barrel with the rest. Hallelujah! Oh, and if you’re wondering the bamboo toothbrush is my old one and I just use it as a brush for my eyebrows before and after filling them in!

Alright, that’s it for now, dear friends!

Thank you for sticking me through the start of this eco-journey! My goal is to make as good decisions for this world as possible in every aspect of my life! I post a lot more content on my Instagram if you’d like to follow along!

Until next time, friends!

-Mary

P.S. None of this was sponsored by Elate! Lol, I don’t know if I have to state that but I’m definitely not a big enough blogger to be sponsored (maybe yet?!)

P.P.S. Also just going all natural would be the most sustainable choice, but I personally think makeup can be fun! You do you! 🙂