Feeling stressed and overwhelmed at the thought of switching to a more sustainable beauty routine? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. You don’t have to do it all at once when you’re ready to make the switch. In this blog, we’ve got some tips and tricks up our sleeves to help the transition feel as smooth as ever.
The reasons you should switch to a clean beauty routine are plentiful — you’ll be avoiding common irritants, it’s more sustainable for the environment, and it’s plant-based, meaning that you’re protecting the world’s animals. But, of course, one should never compromise their health for skincare results, and with clean beauty, you don’t have to.
First, go through what you’ve got
Instead of rushing to the nearest department store for sustainable beauty products, sort and purge your current collection of items. This way, you’ll be able to make a list of exactly what you’ll need to purchase. Plus, you might stumble upon a few clean beauty items that you already own. This means going through your hair care, nail care, makeup, and anything else you use on your body.
With every product, ask yourself if it aligns with your current values and ethics and how often you use it. After you’ve answered these questions, it should be pretty clear whether or not you’re going to throw it into the “goodbye” bin. Because it can be hard to toss out products that you’ve spent your hard-earned money on, don’t feel bad about using it up before replacing it with a cleaner option.
Hit the Internet
Researching the top green beauty brands and what ingredients to avoid next time you go shopping will be incredibly helpful. Spend time browsing blogs, Reddit threads, and even asking around through Instagram or Facebook. The more information you’re equipped with before transitioning to a sustainable beauty routine, the better.
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few products or clean beauty brands, double-check that they source vegan and organic ingredients, that it is a cruelty-free companies, whether or not they use sustainable production methods and recycle, and if they have certifications or awards to back all of their claims up.
It’s also wise to educate yourself on the main “red flags” ingredients, like parabens, sulphates, phthalates, mineral oil, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, triclosan, and other synthetic fragrances and materials.
Take things a step further by downloading the Think Dirty App, which can be used as a tool to screen for the best sustainable products in different personal care categories. The app can be used to quickly gain information on the ingredients in your current products and how they can affect human health. It also gives a rating to a product, helping you evaluate your current products and decide on new ones.
Think about multi-use products
These are a great way to get the most out of your beauty products and minimize the number of things you must take when you travel. Multi-use products, for example, can be a cream blush stick, which can also be used on your eyelids for eye shadow or on your lips for a bit of added colour. You can also find specific balms, salves, or oils that can be used on your face, cuticles, and even the ends of your hair to prevent dryness.
Before splurging on one of these multi-use products, ask for a sample! Often, salespeople will be happy to provide you with a tester to take home, as this will ensure you’ll be a happy customer after you make the purchase. Plus, this way, you’ll rule out any skin allergies or sensitivities before committing to a full-sized product.
Don’t rush the changes
Changing everything at once can feel overwhelming, so don’t feel pressured to completely switch to a clean beauty routine right off the bat. Baby steps can still lead to long-term sustainability! Instead of purging everything and bringing in a new roster of green products, ease yourself into this change. To avoid being wasteful, finish up any current products that aren’t green but ones you still love and adore. Once these run out, you can replace them with a sustainable, cruelty-free version. Also, a slow transition won’t stress out your bank account.
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Clean Beauty Made Easy: Tips for a Smooth Transition to Sustainable Products was originally published in Think Dirty on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.