Most women like the boost of confidence that comes with a bit of make-up each day. Your favourite make-up products might make your eyes pop, contour your jawline or plump your lips, but the only thing they bring to the environment is packaging waste.
Mascara tubes, lipstick casing, eyeshadow palettes, foundation bottles - most of these are destined straight for landfill. They're hardly ever recycled as they're difficult to clean, and made of mixed materials.
What's the solution? Sure, it's possible to use natural ingredients to accentuate your features to great effect - cocoa powder, burnt crushed almonds, charcoal powder. Think of Cleopatra - she seduced two Roman Emperors, and she didn't have a MAC counter around the corner!
But let's face it, ain't nobody got time for that.
Luckily, cosmetics designers are catching onto the sustainability trend, so we're starting to see luxury make-up in recyclable casing or refillable compacts. This is definitely going in the right direction, so let's keep the demand up!
Above: French brand Zao Make-up comes in refillable bamboo packaging. Magnifique!
Another brilliant solution is to get on board the cake mascara revival. This is the ultimate vintage throwback that will give you lashes like Marilyn. Cake mascara is super high-performing and flexible - you can layer it up into thick lashes, use it as eyeliner for a killer cat's eye, and even fill your brows. And the shelf life is 2 years - no more throwing out that plastic wand and tube every 3 months!
Above: Piece of cake. Add a couple of drops of water to mascara cake and apply as normal
To remove make-up, forget about those wasteful disposable make-up wipes soaked in harsh chemicals. The most effective method goes back to Chemistry 101 – “like dissolves like”. It’s true - rubbing cold-pressed oils (e.g. coconut or olive oil) around your eyes will gently dissolve your make-up, and nourish your skin at the same time. And if you don’t believe your chemistry teacher, you can always ask screen legend Sophia Loren - it's her anti-ageing secret!
Above: Use cold-pressed oils with soft and reusable make-up removal pads