Green Product Recommendation: Organic wear Makeup

Last week Ariana posted some tips for reusing, reducing, and recycling that are easy to implement in our everyday lives. Following up on that, I'd like to recommend a product that can help with the reducing aspect of the three Rs of living green.

As people interested in making our lives a little more eco-friendly, I'm sure you've all read or heard that a simple change you can make is to look out for the products that use minimal packaging. But why not take it a step further, and be on the lookout for products that are packaged in recycled -- and recyclable -- materials?

Packaging is one thing I know I really take for granted. It's so much more than just the cardboard or shrink-wrap or any of those tamper-proof seals. Packaging is often the product itself. How many of you have ever thought twice about your makeup compacts? I never considered all the plastic that goes into my pressed powder cases, my palettes of blush and eyeshadow.

The other day I was shopping for makeup, and I noticed a line of organic makeup. It's called Organic wear, by Physicians Formula. Now, I'll admit, what attracted me to this product initially was the organic aspect, knowing that natural ingredients are probably a lot better for my skin than manmade chemicals. But then I noticed that the packaging is made from recycled materials, and in the case of the Organic wear pressed powder (and the blushes and eyeshadows, I believe), the compact is made primarily of paper, using 93% less plastic than traditional compacts. The makeup brushes in this line, too, are made of natural goat hair fibers, instead of synthetic materials.

The most recommending feature, of course, is that not only are these products packaged better for the environment, but that they're great for my skin. I'm not noticing a difference between the look of my old makeup versus the new; the tinted moisturizer covers surprisingly well, equal, I'd say, to my former foundation of choice; and a dusting of the pressed powder over that finishes the look. But I am noticing that at night, when I take off my makeup, my complexion looks healthier, so I'm wondering if the chemicals in the old makeup weren't contributing to skin problems! Good for you, good for the earth, and, as I've forgotten to mention, good for your wallet (the cost is equivalent to regular makeup at the drugstore or supermarket) -- what's not to like about Organic wear?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…

I’m sure we’ve all heard those three words before and they’re nothing new. However, I did want to share some little tips that I’ve been trying to follow lately.

Reduce

I’ve started reducing what I get. For example: I know people who get a large handful of napkins when they go out to eat and then use maybe half that. If I must use napkins, I only take what I know I’m going to use, so that nothing goes to waste.

I also try to reduce how much waste I generate in general. I’m more aware of what I shop for, trying not to buy individually wrapped items if possible. I keep scraps of paper around to write on rather than buying new notepads (which is a weakness of mine). I’ve also reduced the number of catalogs that arrive in my mailbox. https://www.catalogchoice.org/ is a great website that will take you off mailing lists.

Reuse

Well cloth bags would fall into this category, but I’ve started reusing other items as well. I’m a sucker for those bottled iced teas that come in glass containers (even though I try to stay away from them) and I’ve started saving those containers to reuse. You’re not supposed to reuse plastic bottles but there aren’t any problems with glass bottles, other than them being a bit heavier than I’m used to!

I also like to reuse envelopes (that my paystub arrives in) and boxes for mailing, whenever possible. At work I’ve started running off homework and other copies on paper that has already been printed on one side. Parents don’t seem to mind, kids don’t care either way and it saves me from having to ask the office for more paper!

Recycle

This might be a no-brainer but unfortunately it doesn’t occur to some people. I live in a small apartment but I’ve made space in my laundry room for buckets to hold my recycling. I’m still new to recycling so I’m not great about it but every bit helps… those 4 plastic juice containers that are waiting to go to the recycling plant are 4 containers that have been saved from doing nothing in a landfill.

Something else that I’ve been recycling lately is books. Well, it’s recycling in a way… I used to take them to used bookstores but sometimes I’d be lucky to make enough money to make it worth the gas to get there. These days I’ve started mailing books to my friends, and some of them are sending me their books as well. I find it works well – while I’m spending a bit of money to ship the books, I’m getting ‘new to me’ books in return, and I don’t have a bookshelf of books I won’t read anymore!

If you know of any tips that you’d like to share, feel free to add them in the comments!