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.

almost exactly a year ago, i made the decision to switch to clean beauty products. on a random september morning, i quite literally stumbled into the cosmetics crisis and my soon-to-be favorite store, take care, for the first time. i liked the lip gloss. i went back again when i ran out of my favorite mascara. then again and again and again. the more time i invested, the more inspired i became to learn more about the impact of my most beloved brands. it didn’t take much digging to learn that the beauty industry is bigger — and badder — than i had ever imagined. from 2018 to 2019, the beauty industry grew nearly 6%, generating around $320 billion in retail sales. 

i sat down with take care founder becky waddell to talk about our shared love of makeup, her inspiration for the shop and my quest to makeover my beauty routine for the better. i was most curious to get her expert opinion on what the term “clean beauty” really entails, as its use is diverse and debated. in waddell’s eyes, clean beauty is the creation of affective cosmetics without causing harm. the product selection she curates in her shop exemplifies this, as she strives to help customers new and old choose cosmetics that can “transform something that is aesthetic into something that supports our wellbeing.” 

defining clean beauty also meant confronting one of the biggest obstacles i came across in my journey: greenwashing, or attempts by companies to convince buyers that they are doing more to protect the earth than they are. large makeup brands have hopped on clean beauty as a trend; but often call products “clean” or “natural” when they have floral packaging… as opposed to actually being eco-friendly. this practice is more than just misleading. 

as it turns out, huge consequences come in really small cute packages. zero waste europe reports that the global cosmetics industry produces more than 120 billion units of packaging every year.. most of which cannot be recycled. this means that even the most innocent of plastic shampoo bottles is likely to end up in landfills or the ocean where it will take 400+ years to decompose. environmentalist ellen macarthur claims that if we do not make a change, there will be more pounds of plastic than fish in the ocean by the year 2050. pretty scary right? 

there is some good news too. these scary problems have emerging solutions. brands like rms are innovating to reduce harm throughout their products’ lifecycles by using packaging made from 80% post-consumer recycled fibre and manufacturing using 100% wind power. another leading company, kjaer weis, has created packaging that can be refilled and reused. although such undertakings can be costly for companies — which in turn drives up prices — waddell offered me a new approach: a change in the way we think about how we consume. she calls for a more intentional approach to shopping, encouraging people to buy less things that means more. the industry still needs to make massive strides in terms of accessibility: it is my hope that one day it will be expected that all products do more good than harm. in the meantime, don’t toss your plastic moisturizer bottle just yet! however, when you are looking for a replacement i’d encourage you to invest some time into learning about more sustainable options… in trying something new, you might just find something really beautiful.

according to the microbead-free waters act, a “plastic microbead” is defined as “any solid plastic particle that is less than five millimeters in size and is intended to be used to exfoliate or cleanse the human body or any part thereof.” microbeads often are found in products such as toothpaste, face wash, shampoo or body scrub.

though microbeads are small, they cause extreme contamination. according to a study performed by environmental science and technology, 8 trillion microbeads per day are emitted into aquatic habitats in the united states. if you line those microbeads up side-by-side, there are enough to cover 300 tennis courts daily.

                                                                                                                          (illustration by anders larsson)

microbeads are designed to be discarded down the drain. due to their small size, they easily trickle into wastewater plants, which are not equipped to filter such small particles, and eventually emit the microbeads into the oceans. because of this, microbeads have largely contributed to the microplastic debris littering our oceans and lakes.

in addition to microbeads’ contribution to pollution as they enter oceans and lakes, they also threaten the aquatic food chain. as described by the natural resources defense council, when microbeads enter the water, they attract toxic substances, such as pesticides, motor oil and other industrial chemicals. then, due to their small size, fish mistake the microbeads as food, causing the toxins to sink into their tissues. this can also cause additional side effects, such as internal abrasions and stunted growth.

                                                                                                                                                      (illustration by sam bradway)

so, what can be done to prevent microbeads from leaking into our oceans, lakes and rivers?

the best thing you can do is read the labels on face wash, body scrubs and toothpastes before you purchase them. the food and drug administration (fda) requires products containing microbeads to make note of them in their ingredient list, but you might not recognize them because of potentially unfamiliar, scientific terms. look for these words to see if a product contains microbeads: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate or polymethyl methacrylate.

if you don’t want to memorize or keep those words saved in your phone, there are (several) apps for that. one example: beat the microbead, created by the north sea foundation, an organization that strives for a complete approach to the problems concerning the north sea, and the plastic soup foundation, an organization that promotes and supports measures that prevent the breakdown and proliferation of plastic waste at sea. this app allows you to easily check if a product contains microbeads by scanning its barcode with your smartphone camera. the app is constantly updated with products containing microbeads and has localized product listings. 

while the microbead-free waters act is heading in the right direction to put an end to plastic pollution, its beneficial enactments do not officially begin until 2017. until then, it’s up to you to be a conscious consumer and do your part to prevent microbeads from entering our waterways.

(photo at top by thegreenj)