nearly one year ago, i decided my beauty routine needed a serious makeover. 

this time instead of opting to buy the most on-trend eyeshadow color, i decided to buy with the intention of living a little bit more sustainably each day. some brands made my makeup bag’s renovation way more difficult: from high price points to low performance … and don’t even get me started on greenwashing. 

other brands were a glimmer — or should i say sparkle — of hope in the midst of what i like to call the cosmetics crisis. this name is fitting to describe the global beauty industry as it is now not because of the alliteration, but because of big cosmetic’s contribution to destroying 18 million acres of forests every single year. not to mention the fact that nearly 90% of the 10,500+ ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated by any safety or regulatory agencies. 

kirsten kjaer weis, ceo and founder of kjaer weis beauty, sat down with me to discuss a holistic approach to makeup and skincare. the danish makeup artist — whose work is no stranger to the pages of vogue magazine — champions the idea that all makeup should be expected to both perform well and be sustainable. 

kjaer weis is known for their products which all have organic and natural certifications, supply chain transparency and refillable packaging. they use almost no single-use plastic, and instead rely on creativity. 

in learning about kirsten’s background, personal definition of clean beauty and opinion on the future of the beauty industry, i felt a spark of inspiration. 

solutions may not be waiting for us, but innovators like kirsten and her team have restored my faith that we can make these solutions… and do it in style.