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By Shilpa Bhim

You’ve probably heard the words ‘sustainable’ or ‘sustainability’ a lot lately. 

As we (consumers) become more aware of the impact of our actions on the planet, we are becoming more mindful of what and how we consume. And businesses are also being more mindful of how and what they produce and sell us. So, sustainability is used a lot in this context.

But have you ever wondered what sustainability really means when it comes to your skincare? Because, same. We love to break down the unknowns in the beauty industry so keep reading to learn more about what sustainability means when it comes to skincare, and how we’re playing our part at Zove to protect our planet.

HOW IS SUSTAINABILITY DEFINED?

We scoured multiple dictionaries and university resources for this one! In short, sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

When it comes to sustainable products, we need to consider the social, environmental and economical aspects throughout the production chain to support an overall positive impact.

Some obvious factors spring to mind when we think about sustainability in skincare - like whether the packaging is reusable or recyclable. 

Other factors can include if a product is single use, and whether the product is made with your health in mind.

There’s a few factors to consider! Let’s break them down further.

PACKAGING PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN SUSTAINABLE SKINCARE

Yep, what your product comes in is just as important as the product itself when we’re talking about sustainability.

There’s a few options to choose from on this front. Packaging that’s 100% recyclable or compostable, or refillable/reusable is always a win. Glass and metal are the easiest to recycle, but plastic can be recycled as well.

Some skincare brands also use post-consumer recycled materials and/or offer recycling schemes which takes out the guesswork of recycling for you.

SINGLE USE SKINCARE PRODUCTS? NOT IF WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY!

Single use anything is basically a no-no when it comes to sustainability. With skincare, there’s a couple of factors to consider under the ‘single-use’ umbrella:

1. Can you use the product more than once? E.g. with face masks, a cream based face mask in a tube or tub will last a lot longer than one sheet mask. 
2. If you’re using a skincare tool, what’s the quality like? Is it a product that will last you years, or one that will fall apart after a few uses? When it comes to skincare tools and sustainability, you want to focus on quality to avoid contributing to waste.

WHAT’S IN THE PRODUCT MATTERS!

Obviously we like to know what ingredients we put on our skin, and how they work. And this is important from a sustainability point of view too.

Remember: the social, environmental and economical aspects of a product all matter when it comes to sustainability.

We’re not going to ponder the meaning or impact of non-synthetic, ‘clean’ skincare here. Because sometimes, a synthetic ingredient is better for the skin and has less of an impact on the environment. 

But there are certain ingredients that are known to be harmful to humans. Like parabens - a chemical preservative that can interfere with the hormone balance of your body. Parabens can also irritate sensitive skin. Likewise, skincare products with fragrance added to them can trigger allergies and irritate the skin. So, they don’t tick the sustainability box. 

Another important factor when thinking about sustainability in skincare is whether your products harm other living creatures. Look for products that are cruelty free or PETA approved - so you know your skincare products haven’t been tested on animals. 

SO HOW DOES ZOVE BEAUTY STACK UP?

Sustainability is important to us at Zove - we care about our planet and all of its living creatures.

Our facial roller and gua sha tools are made from 100% genuine stone materials. They’re made to last a long time, so we don’t produce unnecessary waste. Fun fact, we seasonally sell our tools that have imperfections in the stone at a discounted rate - to  minimise waste! Make sure you're subscribed to Zove Beauty to stay in the know of when the next round of imperfect, discounted tools drop.

Our Glow Slow Overnight Face Mask comes in 100% recyclable packaging which is locally made to reduce our carbon footprint and support Australian jobs. The mask itself is cruelty-free, paraben-free and fragrance-free and it’s not single use (like sheet masks) - winning!

We’re continuing to learn and grow on our sustainability journey, keeping people and the planet in mind at all times. 

Have any other questions about sustainability in skincare? Feel free to reach  Instagram or email us - we love hearing from you!

Shilpa is a freelance beauty and lifestyle writer and the founder of Glowreel. You can check out her latest articles here and keep up with her adventures over at @shilpa.bhim.