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Mi-Anne wants her beauty routine to be more sustainable, so this week she tries a zero waste look.
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00:00Hey guys, it's Mian and this is Beauty With Me.
00:02I've always considered myself a pretty environmentally minded person.
00:06When I was in high school, I founded a couple of sustainability clubs.
00:10But something changed when I moved to New York.
00:13I got distracted, I got lazy.
00:16Basically, I stopped trying to be sustainable.
00:19This past year though, something clicked.
00:21You guys may have seen the federal reports that detail the impact of climate change.
00:24With the Trump administration rolling back a lot of environmental legislation
00:27and corporations continuing to pollute the earth,
00:30I felt really, really dejected.
00:33And I decided to start learning and educating myself about low impact living.
00:38Living a zero waste lifestyle basically means you're not sending anything to landfill.
00:42So you're recycling, you're composting, you're reusing, you're upcycling,
00:47you're repairing what's broken.
00:48I'll be the first one to admit that my job and the beauty industry as a whole really
00:52is just not set up for living a sustainable lifestyle.
00:56But I knew that I at least had to try to make sustainable choices in a way that's attainable for
01:02my lifestyle.
01:02But going low waste, let alone zero waste, is an extremely daunting and overwhelming task.
01:08So I decided to reach out to an expert to learn more.
01:10I sat down with Lauren Singer.
01:12She's the founder of Package Free and an expert in zero waste living.
01:14Let's talk about you and how you kind of got into this journey of having this zero waste, very low
01:19waste lifestyle.
01:20It started in 2012.
01:24I was in college at NYU and was studying environmental science, obsessed with sustainability,
01:29was like constantly talking at people, to people about all the changes that they needed to make.
01:34I went home one day after class and looked in my fridge to make dinner and realized that I was
01:39the biggest hypocrite on planet Earth
01:41because every single thing in my fridge was packaged in plastic.
01:44And then I looked around my whole apartment and all of my cleaning products were packaged in plastic.
01:48All of my beauty products were packaged in plastic.
01:50And it was actually beauty that helped me realize that zero waste was the stuff that I needed to take.
01:55The zero waste conversation can be very overwhelming for people.
01:58What would you say is the best way to start?
02:01I suggest to people that they start looking in their garbage cans and seeing what they're throwing away.
02:04The thing that I was throwing away the most was actually food.
02:07So I started shopping at the farmer's market and then I started making my own beauty products.
02:11And before I knew it, just through making those little simple changes, I had reduced almost all of my waste.
02:16Why is recycling not the best option?
02:18Every kind of plastic is technically recyclable, but that doesn't mean it will be recycled.
02:23The reason that certain plastics aren't recycled is just because it's too expensive to do so,
02:28and there's no value for the recycled product because it's probably cheaper to make it virgin.
02:33There are things like metals are a lot more recyclable.
02:36Still, it takes a lot of energy.
02:37So my solution is always invest in reusable, refillable options.
02:41So we are in my bathroom now.
02:43My skincare routine has become two slash three things.
02:47Okay.
02:47As opposed to like the 45 that I used to use.
02:50My journey in sustainable makeup has been a very explorative one.
02:54People are doing things that actually aren't sustainable,
02:56that their marketing is sustainable because nobody really knows.
02:59The best thing is like, okay, I don't wear any makeup, but that's also not realistic.
03:02I want to do this experiment justice, but I love makeup.
03:05But you also want to participate in what makes you happy.
03:07It's my job.
03:08Yeah.
03:08And so I want to do it the best way possible.
03:10And that's fair.
03:11And so we shouldn't like shun makeup.
03:13We should learn how to make it better.
03:15Lauren and I had a really enlightening conversation.
03:17We got to go to her store package-free and kind of look at a different way to do retail,
03:22which is really exciting.
03:23It was really nice to hear from her that going low waste, going zero waste is not a one-day
03:28thing.
03:28It is a series of lifestyle choices that you can make over days, weeks, months, even years.
03:35So armed with that knowledge, I decided to design my own low waste beauty routine from shampoo to lipstick,
03:40most of which I picked up locally to avoid having anything packaged or shipped.
03:44Before I show you the routine though, let's start with the basics.
03:46Which beauty products are recyclable and which ones are not?
03:49Paper and cardboard boxes are a pretty safe bet.
03:51Paper and cardboard is actually one of the most highly recyclable materials.
03:55When it comes to plastic though, that is a completely different story.
03:59You can check on the bottom of your beauty products to see if your products have that triangle of arrows
04:04called the Mobius Loop.
04:06If the arrows have a number inside it though, make sure you check with your local community rules.
04:10Every city has its own rules in terms of what is recyclable.
04:13So definitely check your local government website to make sure you know what the rules and restrictions are.
04:17So here's some surprising beauty product packaging that is not recyclable.
04:22Pumps, pipettes, squeezable tubes, things like that contain toothpaste, all those things are normally not recycled.
04:28They're usually destined for landfill.
04:30In terms of things that usually are recyclable, caps, screw tops, aluminum, hairspray cans, those sort of things,
04:36shampoo bottles that don't have pumps usually can be recycled in your blue bin.
04:40So for all the products that I can't recycle, I actually signed up for a TerraCycle Brigade.
04:46HairCycle is a really awesome recycling organization.
04:49They recycle all the hard to recycle items.
04:52So Brigades are free recycling programs that are sponsored by different beauty brands
04:56to give consumers an option to recycle hard to recycle items for free.
04:59I signed up for the Garnier one and the Toms of Maine one.
05:02So the Garnier one deals with most like cosmetics, personal care, kind of hygiene products.
05:07You can recycle mascaras, you can recycle pipettes, all those sort of things.
05:10I have been filling boxes with the empties that I've been collecting over the past few months.
05:15I even opened it up to some of my coworkers for them to bring in their empties to me too.
05:20So that was really great.
05:21It's a really good option in terms of recycling items that normally can't be recycled.
05:26Alright, so now that we know the basics, let's get into the routine.
05:29Starting with hair.
05:31This is the unwrapped hydrating shampoo and hydrating conditioner.
05:34They are both considered naked products and they do not contain their own packaging.
05:38They are sent in recyclable or compostable paper.
05:42I'm a really big fan of this shampoo in particular.
05:45I thought that I would have to get used to using a product like this, but it actually is really
05:50easy.
05:50Cleans hair really, really well, is hydrating, doesn't strip my hair.
05:54These are also great for travel because they're solid.
05:56You can just stick it in a Tupperware and you're kind of good to go.
05:59Next up is the brand's conditioner, which I'm not going to lie, is definitely more difficult to use.
06:02Because it's full of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, you have to warm it up in your hands to get
06:07enough product to distribute through your mid-lengths and ends.
06:10And it just takes longer.
06:12It definitely hydrates the hair, but it will not make your hair feel super slick like some traditional conditioners will.
06:18You do kind of have to get used to it.
06:20Another great way to reduce your waste is to invest in refillable items.
06:24So Folane is this cute little store in the West Village.
06:27They have locations all over, but they just opened up a refillable soap bar.
06:31So the initial buy, so when you buy it with the packaging for this big size, which is the 24
06:35ounce, costs $16.
06:37There is also an 8 ounce and that costs $8.
06:40But then every time you go to refill it, this one only costs $8 to refill.
06:44The little one costs $4 to refill.
06:46And they have a punch card, so every fifth refill is free.
06:50This is a very nice, gentle soap.
06:52I like the peppermint one the most.
06:55So to clean my face and remove makeup, I use this solid cleansing bar from Lush.
07:01It melts with the warmth of your fingers.
07:04It's really easy to take off waterproof mascara.
07:07And then you just wash it off in the sink with water.
07:09Really nice. It's very hydrating because it has a lot of oils in it.
07:11I will say, though, this thing melts fast.
07:15It can get messy if you're holding it too long.
07:17It'll slip out of your hand.
07:18So definitely have a soap dish or some kind of container to keep it in.
07:21Onto toner.
07:22Now, when I went to Package Free, I spotted these reusable, washable face wipes.
07:30And I thought this is the perfect alternative to using disposable cotton rounds.
07:34So I used this to apply my toner.
07:36So I didn't actually go out and get a low-waste toner option for this video.
07:41Because I already have so many, and it felt a little bit counterintuitive to go out and buy even more.
07:45This is the Mia Mia Tweet Juniper and Carrot Seed Facial Oil.
07:49I've used this before.
07:50I like this facial oil.
07:50It's very lightweight.
07:51It absorbs quickly.
07:52It doesn't make your skin look too greasy.
07:54You can actually refill this at Package Free and save a couple dollars.
07:58Alright, so I have another Mia Mia Tweet product here.
08:00And this is the Cedar and Spruce Baking Soda Free Deodorant Stick.
08:03I like this deodorant.
08:05It's great because the packaging is cardboard, which I normally would just throw this in the compost bin and compost
08:11it at the end of life.
08:12It's a really good deodorant.
08:13So I really wanted to find an SPF sunscreen product that didn't come in plastic packaging.
08:18So I found this one from this brand called All Good, which is really dedicated to creating mineral, coral-safe
08:25sunscreen.
08:25It comes in an aluminum tin so you can recycle this at the end of life.
08:28What is upsetting, though, is that it came with a ring of plastic around it to protect the product.
08:33In New York, there's actually an act called the Film Plastic Reduction Act, where any store that gives out plastic
08:39bags that's above 10,000 square feet is required to also recycle them.
08:42So you can recycle plastic bags, bubble wrap, this kind of like film packaging.
08:47So that's what I did with the packaging that came around the All Good.
08:50This sunscreen butter is daunting to look at.
08:53It is stark white, thick.
08:55I think the base is something like a shea butter, so I was thinking it would be a good sunscreen
09:01slash moisturizer.
09:02And it actually really is.
09:04At first, you're like, oh, it's so white, and you definitely have to rub it in a lot.
09:09But once you rub it in, it creates a nice canvas for makeup.
09:11So I actually love the way it looked underneath my foundation and concealer.
09:16Founding a foundation that was zero waste is pretty hard.
09:19I eventually landed on the RMS Uncover Up Foundation, which has a glass bottom and an aluminum top, both of
09:26which are recyclable.
09:27Although I did realize it has a foam insert at the top, and that you do have to throw away,
09:33unfortunately.
09:33But this one is what I used.
09:35It is a beautiful foundation concealer.
09:38If you like the Glossier concealer, I think you'll really like this.
09:40It's very dewy.
09:41It's very fresh.
09:42Definitely not a full-covered foundation, though.
09:43I would say it's probably sheer to medium, but it leaves a beautiful finish in the skin.
09:48So let's talk about blush.
09:49This is the cream blush that I used.
09:51It is a beautiful product.
09:53Not only is the packaging absolutely gorgeous, you can buy refills for the product inside.
09:59This is not a cheap product.
10:00If you're looking for refillable blushes that are much cheaper, Makeup Geek has some single pans that are beautiful powders.
10:07But if you are interested in this blush, it is super creamy, pigmented, blendable.
10:11So this is another brand that I've been wanting to try.
10:13It's called Elate Cosmetics.
10:14They create refillable bamboo compacts.
10:17Bamboo is considered a very sustainable crop, and then you can get bronzers, highlighters like I did here.
10:23The packaging that it comes in is actually seed paper, so you can compost that.
10:27Or you can plant the paper in your garden and grow something new.
10:30The bronzer is much more pigmented than I thought it would be.
10:34When I first used it, I kind of went into too heavy and it got a little patchy, but with
10:38some blending, it was totally fine.
10:39The highlighter is gorgeous.
10:41It's not too shimmery.
10:43It's not glittery.
10:43It just gives really nice glow.
10:45Most eye products, apart from like panned eyeshadows, are not normally recyclable.
10:52Mascaras in particular are usually destined for landfills, unless you send them to recycling organizations like TerraCycle.
10:58So I decided to go mascara-free during this challenge and just do eyeliner, because I cannot live without liquid
11:06eyeliner.
11:06I did a lot of research to find a product that was as low-waste as possible in terms of
11:10eyeliner, and I think I found one.
11:12This is the Surratt Autographique Eyeliner.
11:14I have the blue shade.
11:15It is a very, very, very nice eyeliner.
11:18It has a really cool brush tip that helps you get super crisp lines.
11:22Once your eyeliner is spent, you can buy refill cartridges for the ink, which is really awesome.
11:27So you can keep the, like, full apparatus of your eyeliner and just refill with whatever color you want.
11:33You do have to shake it quite a lot before the ink starts flowing, but once it is, it's great.
11:38What's awesome about it, too, is usually you can take these cartridges and recycle them wherever you recycle printer cartridges.
11:45Last but not least, lipstick.
11:46And I got this one from Axiology.
11:48It is in the shade Worth.
11:49It is kind of a bricky, orangey shade.
11:51I was really surprised with the quality of this lipstick.
11:54Usually, kind of eco-chic lipsticks tend to be kind of waxy, like, sheer color payoff.
11:59This stuff is pigmented, comfortable, creamy, so nice.
12:05And it comes in a cool little, like, spring-out package that's made of aluminum and can be recycled at
12:11the end of its life.
12:13That is it, guys.
12:14That is everything that I used this week.
12:15And really, I made this video to educate myself about ways that I can make my life a little bit
12:22more sustainable.
12:23With my job and my lifestyle, I don't think I can go completely zero waste.
12:28It's just not something that's for me.
12:31And I understand that and I accept that.
12:33But I know that I can make more sustainable choices.
12:36Throughout this entire experience, I thought a lot about whether having a zero-waste lifestyle is something that you can
12:43only do if you're wealthy.
12:44And I discussed this with Lauren.
12:45I think we buy too much stuff.
12:46I think using less, investing a little bit more is better.
12:50But making your own products is exponentially cheaper than buying products.
12:53Zero waste saves you money.
12:56Living low waste is something that you don't necessarily need a lot of money to do.
13:02This is the way that our parents, our grandparents, everyone like pre-50s when the plastic boom happened, have always
13:10been living.
13:10They repaired the things that were broken.
13:12They didn't buy what they didn't need.
13:15There wasn't this culture of single-use disposables.
13:18I know it sounds hypocritical given that my job is all about consuming beauty.
13:22But there's gotta be a middle ground.
13:24I'm not telling you to throw away all of your makeup right now.
13:27I'm certainly not going to do that.
13:28But I wanted to show you guys that there are options available that can help you transition your routine.
13:33Colin and I have, I would say, a pretty good recycling system.
13:36We take advantage of New York's pretty decent waste disposal processes.
13:41But I also know that not everyone has a farmer's market near them where they can bring their compost and
13:46dispose of that.
13:47So I think that this entire thing is about just figuring out how you can make more sustainable choices in
13:55your everyday life.
13:56I'm not saying that there's a mold that you need to fit to.
13:59But anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this video.
14:01Bye!