7 steps to a zero waste beauty and haircare routine
Switch up your beauty products with these sustainable alternatives, recommended by Kay Lee from Zero Waste Singapore
Text: Kay Lee
If there are any silver linings to 2020, it’s the fact that the pandemic forced us indoors, leading to the largest ever annual fall in CO2 emissions due to a decrease in industrial activity, transport use and electricity demand. We’ve also collectively become more aware of the importance of zero waste and the role that each of us have to play in the monumental battle against climate change.
Spending most of our time at home, we’ve all been kinder to the planet, perhaps without even realising it. Take our daily hair and makeup routines. Less effort in our appearance has caused less unnecessary consumption and the chance to be more mindful about our eco friendly habits. It’s been a great opportunity to commit to a more sustainable and zero waste way of life.
Zero Waste Singapore is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organisation leading the drive towards zero waste in Singapore through education and advocacy. We spoke to Kay Lee, their Project Executive who leads marketing, partnerships and social education, about what a zero waste beauty routine could look like.
Here, she shares her easy swaps for a more environmentally friendly skincare and haircare routine, thanks to the local sustainable beauty industry.
1. Switch to cleansing bars
For every skincare enthusiast, owning bottles upon bottles of cleanser is the norm. If this is a concern for you, give facial bars, like this one from Lush, a go. Because the cleanser comes in bar form, there’s no excessive packaging or wasted product won’t leave the bottle no matter how hard you squeeze.
Like any bar soap, it’s easy to apply and lather. It can sometimes be applied directly to the face, so if you wear makeup, the cleanser’s even consistency helps remove makeup residue efficiently. Cleansing bars from sustainable brands like The Body Shop are usually made from responsibly sourced materials too.
The Soothe Tip: Take your own container to Lush, or any other package-free stores, so you can pop the bar in there and save on extra packaging.
2. Try a DIY face mask
Face masks often come in unavoidable packaging, especially if they aren’t wash-off masks. Sheet masks are also basically single-used disposables — once you’ve used them, you can’t repurpose it into something else because they’ve been contaminated.
If you’re feeling disheartened about the waste skincare is producing, don’t be. Package-free stores like Scoop Wholefoods actually sell products like Australian Pink Clay, and you can re-use your own containers to store the product. Just mix in ingredients like water, toner, and honey, and voilà! The clay can be a base material for a lot of body and skincare mixtures aside from face masks, which beats buying a different product for each step of your routine.
The Soothe Tip: Before committing to any mixture on a large scale, always remember to patch test to check for potential allergies. The true path to zero waste!
3. Try natural deodorant
Natural deodorants often come in the form of a bar, sticks or other solid forms with minimal packaging. Switching from an antiperspirant to a natural deodorant is not an easy step, especially in a place as tropical as Singapore. Luckily, local brand Coconut Matter is fully dedicated to stepping up to the challenge. Their sticks are wrapped in a compostable paper tube and each stick can last for many months, even with continuous use. If you prefer going fully package free, try out these bars from The Sustainability Project.
The Soothe Tip: Unlike traditional antiperspirants, natural deodorants do not come with aluminium which clogs up your pores and stop you from sweating. Your body will need a few weeks to adjust to this.
4. Switch to reusable face cloths
If you wear makeup, you’ll know first-hand how many cotton rounds one can use just by removing eyeshadow. The good news is, instead of only being single-use, reusable face cloths can be easily reused and rewashed over and over again. Find them in-store at Scoop Wholefoods, and online at Unpackt. If you prefer traditional face cloths and have slightly more sensitive skin, Sephora stocks cotton muslin face cloth in packs of seven.
The Soothe Tip: To care best for your face cloths, don’t forget to pop them in a laundry bag when washing.
5. Swap your cosmetics
Aside from the unnecessary packaging that comes with so many beauty products, the majority of cosmetics are still created unsustainably. While it’s impossible to completely avoid packaging for cosmetics, local brand Solo Cosmetics tries to minimise its plastic-to-product ratio at an affordable price and with formulation comparable to traditional brands. Your Sustainable Store also stocks lip tints made without palm oil with biodegradable paper packaging.
The Soothe Tip: If, like us, you are overwhelmed at the amount of makeup you’re supposed to have, try out multi-purpose products. This cheek and lip stain from The Body Shop is an excellent place to start. Products can do two things, and you can save money and resources. It’s a four-pronged win!
Credit: @oasisskin
6. Swap to solid hair care
Many shampoo and conditioner bottles come in packaging which usually cannot be recycled or repurposed. Lots of hair care products are also created with microplastics, and therefore contribute to ocean pollution. Oasis Skincare stocks solid shampoos and conditioners with a promise to deliver exactly the same results as traditional shampoos, without the excessive packaging.
The Soothe Tip: If you’re having trouble with solid shampoos, check out The Social Space for lots of refillable, zero waste options.
7. Solid hair dyes
If you’ve been thinking about recolouring your hair, say goodbye to single-use plastic gloves, wasted product and unsafe synthetics. These henna-based hair dyes from Lush are easy to apply and come in a big brick of solid colour (like bar soaps) which is boiled to make the dye. You can chop exactly however much you want off the colour block depending on how strong you want your dye to be, which reduces unused product. They’re also an all-natural alternative to traditional dyes and are just as permanent.
The Soothe Tip: Because of the formulation, the colour continues to change up for up to a few days after application. To get a gauge of how your hair colour will look like, test it out at least 24 hours before the full application.
Making zero waste swaps for your beauty and haircare routine isn’t as much of a hassle as you might think. All products mentioned are also available locally, so no worries about adding to your personal carbon footprint. Not everyone will be ready to make the swap, but there’s no right way to go zero waste, and every little step counts.
Born in Singapore and raised across three continents, Kay has developed an affinity for writing, fashion, architecture, food and sustainability. A former Law nerd, she has been at Zero Waste Singapore since 2019 where she leads marketing, partnerships, projects and social education, and currently hosts ZWSG’s #LetsChat Live series. Being a part of so many different cultures has also turned her into an accidental purveyor of the elusive “best” tea blend. You’ll find her on a continual forage for the finest tea leaves at @zerowastesingapore or @kaylarhx.
