As humans, we have always found ways to beautify ourselves. Even at the cost of the environment, we have worked in creating products that are not organic and are processed.

But what is the cost of our experiments and innovations with cosmetics?

Let's see what is the hype all about
Packaging in the beauty industry is less practical and more towards attracting people to buy. Big cosmetic companies seem to go all out for packaging. Often the more expensive or luxurious a product is the more non-essential packaging that you may find in the market.

More than 50% of the cosmetic industry's waste comes from packaging.

These include plastic, paper, glass, and metals, all of which end up in landfills year after year. Many people will say, we can recycle glass and metals, but sometimes recycling is not always straightforward with cosmetic packaging because brands make most boxes, bags, and containers with mixed materials. Even when the components are separable, it is usually a waste of time for recycling workers.

Not many people prefer recycling shampoo or hair oil bottles. They consider it convenient to buy the new one and put the old one in the trash.

Whether the product is washed down the sink or disposed of in the bin, all the chemicals, toxins, and plastics are poisoning our waters and planet which then results in killing several aquatic and land life.

Some facts about cosmetic product waste;

1. The packaging of cosmetic products can take hundreds of years to break down in landfills and still they can leak toxins into the soil and waterways.
2. Most mainstream cosmetics are filled with toxic chemicals, these chemicals eventually make their way into our soil and oceans destroying natural habitats and wildlife.
3. Several raw materials are coming from agricultural lands where pesticides are used, that poison our planet as they seep into the soil and make their way to bodies of water.
4. Several aquatic animals are ingesting microbeads, wet wipes, and plastic packaging which eventually block their digestive tract and cause them to die.
5. The toxic ingredients found in mainstream sunscreens are killing corals and marine ecosystems at an alarming rate.

As consumers are becoming more and more educated about the health dangers posed by cosmetics and personal care products thanks to all the not-for-profit agencies working so hard to raise consumer awareness in hope that it forces brands to do better.

However, the negative environmental effect that cosmetics and personal care products are having on our beautiful planet is not common knowledge for the everyday consumer.

"Natural" is Destroying Our Planet
Companies are making money in the word "natural". They seem to think by putting a few natural ingredients in their product makes their product natural - even though it is overflowing with other chemicals and toxic ingredients.

Now, because more companies are seeking out natural ingredients, the demand for natural ingredients has increased at an unsustainable level. To supply the rising demand means that more farming and mining need to occur.

Although this is a good thing, big companies want to buy it in mass quantities and they want it cheap and fast. Therefore, more pesticides are being sprayed on agricultural land and more human rights are being exploited. If it is done without taking care of nature, the mining of minerals and oils for natural ingredients disrupts ecosystems and depletes non-renewable natural resources. 

Solution;
Well, there is a simple solution, and that is to be mindful of choosing the companies that produce cosmetic products. 

Choose beauty companies and beauty products that use a high amount of either organic ingredients or wild-crafted ingredients in their products. Also, if you choose to buy a product that doesn't contain organic ingredients, at least do some research on how that company is using ingredients and how it may affect the environment.

There are companies around the world, which are working on cosmetic products that have ingredients that are not invasive to nature, and they are also using more natural ways of producing these products.

So, the choice and solution, both remain in our hands.