How Awareness of Beauty Waste Transformed My Habits

When I first started working in beauty, receiving new products felt like a dream come true. But over time, I became acutely aware of the waste piling up from excessive packaging to unused products. While testing beauty items is part of my job, I knew I needed to take responsibility for my habits. After two weeks of tracking my beauty waste and consulting a sustainability expert, I found tangible ways to reduce my footprint while still indulging my love of beauty.

1. Managing My Stash

My overflowing collection of beauty products while exciting needed a reality check. Tracking my waste revealed that I wasn’t using everything I had. So, I committed to being more selective about what I bring in and mindful of what I already own.

For beauty lovers, staying organized is key. Regularly audit your stash to ensure you’re using items before they expire. Beyond that, sustainability expert Jhánneu Roberts suggests creative ways to repurpose products:

• Use face creams as hand creams.

• Turn lipstick into creamy blush.

• Use leftover shampoo and conditioner as shaving cream.

This approach helps minimize waste and ensures every product gets used, even if it’s not your favorite.

2. Disposing of Excess the Right Way

Despite my best efforts, some beauty waste is unavoidable. However, smarter disposal methods can make a significant difference.

Composting Disposable Items 

While I can’t part with essentials like tissues, cotton swabs, and makeup sponges, I’ve swapped traditional options for compostable alternatives. I also created a separate trash can for compostable items under my vanity, making it easy to add them to my kitchen compost pile. This small step has drastically reduced how much waste ends up in the landfill.

Recycling Beauty Empties 

Many beauty containers are made of mixed plastics that municipal centers can’t recycle. Thankfully, programs like Nordstrom’s BEAUTYCYCLE and Credo Beauty accept empties for proper disposal. My two-week challenge motivated me to clear out the collection of empties accumulating in my closet. Dropping them off at Nordstrom was simple and left me feeling accomplished.

3. Staying Mindful

The most transformative part of this process was realizing how mindfulness affects sustainability. While achieving a completely zero-waste lifestyle feels impossible, I’ve learned that small, intentional steps matter. Paying closer attention to my beauty habits has reduced my waste and inspired improvements in other areas of my life.

Being mindful of my beauty waste hasn’t just helped me feel more aligned with my values it’s also a reminder that small, individual efforts add up. If you’re considering taking stock of your own habits, I promise the journey is worth it.

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