Blogs | 8 steps towards a more sustainable beauty routine

8 steps towards a more sustainable beauty routine

We’re all familiar with ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, but what about going beyond that? When it comes to sustainability, we should challenge ourselves to repurpose, refill and rethink our consumption in order to ‘clean up’ our beauty habits.

Tackling the true cost of the beauty industry can feel intimidating, especially when you consider the Plastic Revolution to Reality report by World Wildlife Fund Australia highlighted that 166 million disposable plastics (like shampoo, conditioner and lotion bottles) are thrown out each year in Australia. As a brand inspired by the strength and beauty of our environment, we’re acutely aware of the need for sustainable beauty practices — which is why, for over twenty years, sustainability has been a guiding principle in everything we do. From sourcing to manufacturing and packaging, we’re determined to make choices that consider our planet, its resources, and the beings that inhabit it.

Real change doesn’t happen overnight, but rather with considered and conscious actions over time. And the good news is, there are plenty of small swaps we can introduce to our beauty routines that make a world of difference to Mother Nature.

Switch to eco-friendly packaging

Making thoughtful, planet-friendly beauty purchases can be simple. An easy, fail-safe place to start is with packaging. Not only is refillable beauty typically more affordable, it’s a great way to significantly cut down on packaging while minimising transport-related carbon emissions. Our clean™ by endota range offers refill pouches (reducing plastic use by 86%) as well as bottles specifically made from post-consumer recycled plastic, (that is, material that’s already in circulation) which are 100% recyclable.

Less is more

Think of your holy grail products, you know the ones you love and have been repurchasing for years? If you have the chance to buy these in larger sizes, go for it, as this cuts down the amount of materials extracted at the beginning of a product’s lifecycle. For this very reason, our Organics™ skincare range includes larger sizes so that you can buy your favourite beauty and bathroom staples less often — what we buy, how often we buy it and where it ends up post-use matters.

Recycle mindfully

When recyclable products are recycled there are many benefits associated with this action. According to the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in the Australian Recycling Sector Key Findings, the major benefits of recycling are ‘Energy savings, avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions, water savings, avoidance of waste, and significant reductions in natural resource use, eutrophication of waterways and airborne pollutants.’ All endota products can be part recycled, with many able to be recycled in full. And as much of our packaging is glass, the recycling process is continuous — allowing packaging to be recycled again and again.

The bottles and pumps of our clean™ by endota range are accepted in kerbside recycling — a very important feature that is a step forward for beauty packaging. When recycling the pump insert should be removed from the bottle with the internal tube and pump lid separated.

On any packaging you can check the product’s label to see whether it is able to be recycled. A coloured recycling symbol indicates the packaging can be recycled in its entirety, whereas a transparent symbol means a little extra care needs to be taken (for example, this could be a shampoo bottle that should be rinsed and dried, or a product with a recyclable bottle, but non recyclable pump or lid) before it’s ready for the kerbside bin.

It’s what’s inside that counts

When reading skincare ingredient labels, we typically know what we’re looking for: hyaluronic acid to hydrate, vitamin C to brighten and SPF to protect — but what about the ingredients we should avoid? Once washed down our drains, toxic chemicals hidden in everyday products pollute our oceans and have a detrimental effect on marine life.

When in doubt, look for certified organic skincare that won’t jeopardise the health of your skin or the planet. endota’s Organics™ and Organics Nurture™ ranges are COSMOS certified (meaning they champion ingredients grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals and fertilisers) and like all endota ranges, are free from harmful parabens, sulphates, silicones and synthetic fragrances.

Repurpose what you can

Take things one step further and reimagine your used beauty packaging by giving it a circular second life. Empty candles offer a great place to store makeup brushes, old spray bottles can be filled with water and used to mist household plants, and small screw-top pots (like the glass jars used for our endota Organics Intense Moisture or Charcoal Detox Masks) are perfect for housing bobby pins, jewellery and trinkets — or, you could decant smaller, travel-sized portions of your skincare lotions into these when you’re on the go. Once you challenge yourself to think outside the box (or should we say container?) you’ll find that the possibilities are endless. For more inspiration, see our blog on upcycling.