Essentials

When it comes to beauty/body and household products, buying eco-friendly essentials has never been easier, and switching to sustainable alternatives can have a pretty big impact over time, not only on the environment, but also on your health. Just think: what can a cosmetic product be made of and how could it be an issue? The same question works with household products. But let’s answer the question about how non-sustainable, non-organic cosmetic products can be an issue.

• Chemicals: take a look at my article on cosmetic safety here.
• Palm oil: it is a major cause of deforestation and threats to wildlife habitats. Palm oil’s derivatives show up in about 70% of the cosmetic products
• Plant farming practices and water use (for manufacturing and farming).
• Packaging: even the smallest amount of product can be so packaging intensive! Think of an eye cream. You will most likely have a plastic container with plastic lid using a pump that is not recyclable, then a pamphlet with some info on the product and again a cardboard box. All this just for not even half an ounce of product!

With all this being said, here are some brands that are doing their best to conserve quality while being gentle on the planet and its resources.