Well-being and environment
The subjects that I had to address because they want to be essential are ecology and the animal cause. Even if they are too little present in makeup, there are several techniques to go in their direction.
Just as sorting, saving water and light are ecological gestures that are part of our habits, the same is true for make-up.
If the cotton swab is our best friend to correct our sometimes failed liner lines, it is also the worst enemy of the planet and often ends up polluting our oceans. A simple solution is to use reusable cotton swabs.
Ekotige "Ekotige classic and beauty washable and reusable cotton swabs"
Purchasable at Ekotige at the price of 14€ 99 with the attached link
https://ekotige.com/products/cotton-swabs-washable-and-reusable-ekotige
In addition to being ecological, you can find some for all tastes since some have irregularities in order to better clean the ear, you have more classic ones with the shape of an ordinary cotton swab or conical ones which will be very useful and precise to correct a make-up error. However , the negative point is that plastic unlike cotton does not absorb liquids but to overcome this it is possible to attach a sheet of toilet paper which will be much more respectful of the environment than a real cotton swab!
The konjac sponge is a very good make-up remover which, however, must be changed every two months but remains more ecological than cotton pads. It is a natural exfoliant which will be very useful during your skincare routine but can also be useful for ensuring deep make-up removal. All you have to do is moisten the sponge then rub in small circular motions with a make-up remover oil, for example, and finally rinse your face.
Sephora "konjac sponge"
Purchasable at Sephora at the price of 6€99 with the attached link
https://www.sephora.fr/p/eponge-konjac-visage---eponge-konjac-P3814097.html
In addition, there are several with different benefits.
Another more ecological device, which you can also make by yourself, is the reusable make-up remover towel/cotton.
These two MakeUp Eraser devices can be purchased on the Sephora website for €19.90 each with the links attached
the make-up remover towel: "Reusable Make-up Remover Towel"
https://www.sephora.fr/p/makeup-eraser---towel-demaquillante-reusable-P2406001.html
the cottons: "Kit 7 Days Reusable Cleansing Towel"
https://www.sephora.fr/p/kit-7-jours---towel-demaquillante-reusable-503913.html
But you can absolutely make them yourself with old clothes or fabrics and in particular recycle them into paper towels or even a tea towel for cleaning.
However, I remind you that it is better for old clothes in good condition to sell them or even better to give them to people in need. There are several associations that collect these clothes, such as La Croix Rouge.
Apart from these accessories there is also a way of consuming to have. Indeed rather than buying or even buying whole palettes to use only a small part of the shadows, some brands sell eye shadows individually. In addition you can buy them in pan (only the shadow in its metal container) this avoids unnecessary packaging. All you need to do is collect your collection in a customizable palette often also called a professional palette. I invite you to read more about it in the section provided on this subject. ( https://atilliole.wixsite.com/beeecurious/customizable-palettes )
In summary, here are the reasons to be interested in customizable palettes:
More ecological because of its way of consuming (buy only what is necessary, repair the broken and improve what is not liked). But also because it uses less packaging which brings us to the second point,
Less bulky since less packaging
Always more economical because there is less packaging but also because of the mode of consumption (buy what is necessary)
Customizable, both the palette and its layout or even the products themselves through mixtures
Applicable to all powders, creamy products (lipstick type) and even quite substantial liquids (which can be contained in a pan). Creams that are too liquid to be contained in a pan can be transferred to other containers.
In particular, you should know that some products (mascara or concealer) have an anti-surplus (small piece of plastic) which is perfect since it prevents you from wasting your product and your money. However, this anti-surplus prevents you from finishing your product entirely, much like toothpastes with a round structure that is too solid for you to press and push out the end of the product. You can therefore remove this anti-surplus to scrape the bottom of your products.
In order to avoid wasting your products, I advise you in particular to always moisten your sponge when applying liquid products. Indeed, instead of drinking your product, the sponge will already be satisfied with its humidification. In addition, it will therefore be easier to clean since the product will have remained on the surface. Also, do not put too much product because most cosmetics take shape mainly thanks to their application and not thanks to the quantity of the product. It is totally counterproductive to drown in products and therefore not succeed in working them correctly. Prefer to go little by little and work slowly to achieve the result you want to have.
Ecology is not limited to accessories and containers but affects in particular the product itself, its transport and its manufacture, which is why making homemade is your best friend. Indeed it will have a lower carbon footprint especially if you buy the ingredients from your region. You will use reusable containers reducing plastic waste, and finally the homemade allows you to adapt the recipe according to your needs.
Most recipes have solid soaps as their major ingredient; so you can directly use it as you buy it or transform it to your liking. No excuse there are all kinds, all flavors. There are even solid soap shampoos! Finally because we love them and we want to use them until lesser little bit, I recommend these little bags which gather your leftover soap in order to appreciate them until the end!
You can find this small sachet at the link below for the price of 3€90
https://www.boutiquezerodechet.com/salle-de-bain-zero-dechet/353-sac-a-savon.html
This little wonder has really helped me to appreciate bar soaps because it creates a delicate foam very easily, you just have to moisten your hands or the sachet and rub them with the sachet.
For the lazy people who care about the environment, there are solutions.
There are BIO labels which ensure that the production is made from organically grown products. Be careful, you have to differentiate organic from natural because ORGANIC comes from necessarily from a culture, which is not the case with natural. This poses a problem for water and salt which are not considered as crops and therefore fall into the natural and not organic. Knowing that :
natural products must be composed of at least 95% ingredients of natural origin (plants, honey, wax, minerals)
organic products must be composed of at least 95% natural ingredients, and among the plants that compose it, at least 95% must come from organic farming.
as you detail this site:
https://kadalys.com/blogs/infos/difference-entre-un-produit-bio-et-naturel
There are variations from one label to another, however no label allows the following:
Silicone
mineral oil
GMOs (genetically modified organism)
Synthetic perfumes and dyes
Phthalates (these are plasticizers)
Sodium laureth sulfate (detergent and strong ionic surfactant, in other words cleanser and foamer)
PEG (polyethylene glycol) (water-soluble and fat-soluble, it is used to modify the consistency of the product to thicken or gel it, in medicine it is used in particular for its laxative properties. Don't worry, it's not the same dosages...)
here is a link that details the different organic cosmetic labels
https://www.moncornerb.com/fr/content/536-quel-label-bio-choisir
Being green is good but being more considerate for the animal cause is better! On this subject, there are two different labels: cruelty-free which assures us that the products have not been tested on animals (which has been prohibited in Europe since 2013) However, certain non-cruelty-free products manage to circumvent European regulations , it is for this reason that it is necessary to keep informed and to remain critical on the credits granted to the labels.
Here is a very good site on the subject:
https://www.cosmebio.org/fr/nos-dossiers/2018-07-comparatif-labels-vegan-cruelty-free-cosmetics/
The Vegan label assures him that nothing in the composition comes from animals. However, it is not necessarily cruelty free. Yes it is bizarre...
Finally, a last subject that affects your health as much as ecology, menstruation.
Indeed, in addition to not being ecological at all, expensive due to pink taxes, tampons and industrial sanitary napkins are terribly dangerous products. Indeed they contain a lot of harmful chemicals for your health. An alternative to these products are menstrual panties, which are becoming more popular and therefore more affordable. Although the price will always be more expensive than a pack of towels, consider them as an investment that in the long term will be much cheaper and more respectful of your body and the environment.
you can find this article at the link below for the price of 25€50
Another alternative is that of reusable pads which will therefore adapt to your underwear
However, these two solutions actually require a lot of water to clean them, which is therefore not the best from an ecological point of view. That's why I 100% recommend cups.
There are several sizes and several shapes that will adapt to your body. In addition you can keep them long enough 8 hours in some cases. It's a very discreet solution that allows you to do sports without even realizing its presence.
For maintenance, you just need to sterilize it by immersing it for 5 minutes in boiling water once at the beginning and at the end of your cycle and of course clean it briefly under water once in the morning and once in the evening
You can buy the pack with a cup on the site below for the price of 29€
https://socup.fr/collections/menstrual-cups
you can buy them in particular in pharmacies.
Because here we like to go to the end of things here are some other actions to adopt if you too want to save our planet:
Rather walk or take public transport or even carpool. Don't forget that physical effort will ensure better health, which in the long run will save you a lot of medical costs! that I could hear that it is a diesel, a gasoline, an electric or a hybrid there is always a problem then prefer to invest in a bicycle or a horse they are cuter!
Save energies and a fortiori your money:
save electricity: just turn off what you don't need. Yes we have all heard "it's not Versailles here" even if we would like to remember that they had candles and no electricity! Think in particular of new equipment which consumes less, they are marked with the A logos. In addition, there is a lot of state aid to change certain equipment in favor of equipment that is not only new but more ecological. Here is a site that will tell you more if you are interested: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/aides-financieres-renovation-energetique . In winter avoid heating, expand your style with sweaters and for those who are more comfortable than stylish, adopt plaids, frankly the blankets are still super cool! Now there are even sweaters / throws that will ensure you have a great book or Netflix night.
Save water: we never say it often enough but, turn off the tap when you don't need it, run short washing machine cycles. and yes the eco mode on your machines washes just as well, we promise! and in addition it saves you money since it consumes less. Some shower heads and mixer taps save water. In fact, the shower head recreates a natural rain which avoids having a torrent that rushes away as soon as it touches your skin. As a result, it provides you with better hydration of the skin. If your boiler or water tank is not very efficient, use a bucket to collect the water you run when you heat the water and use it to water your garden or do your housework. . In particular, you can collect rainwater to water your garden. Finally adopt the gourd and the carafe they avoid the plastic of the bottle. moreover, the water from our taps has many benefits. if you don't like its taste, invest in a Brita, it will filter your tap water.
Finally when you make your purchases keep this in mind:
The principles of 0 waste which can be summed up in 5 Rs
Refuse to buy the unnecessary
Reduce what we have to the essential
Reuse what we can
Recycle
Reinvent
Second-hand sales are becoming more popular in many different areas, such as fashion with Vinted.
these sites and / or applications will help you a lot to fulfill these 5 Rs, provided you use them well. Indeed, as with everything, some people misuse it. Indeed, second-hand clothing sales sites are sometimes used to feed fast fashion. In other words, people sell their outdated clothes in order to buy more fashionable ones, and this too often. It has therefore become a means of financing too frequent dressing changes. This type of use is harmful. The proper use of a clothing resale site should serve ecological and not economic purposes, the reasoning should be the following "I want to sell a garment because it is not useful to me but will be for someone else. other and not "I'm going to sell these old-fashioned clothes to buy the latest releases". Remember in particular that the clothes you sell or even donate to associations must be in good condition otherwise use the fabrics to make them. things.
If you can't find 2nd hand, try to make what you need yourself, it will always be more up to your expectations if you perfect them to meet your needs.
In particular, you can consume local and therefore avoid pollution linked to transport, this gesture supports in particular local producers who really need it. If you are committed to this social cause, cooperatives are your best friends. In particular, remember to buy foods from saison to make sure they are not imported. In particular, you can buy without packaging or at least choose products with as little packaging as possible and preferably in cardboard. Buying in large quantities allows you to reduce packaging somewhat. To avoid packaging, remember to bring your own reusable bags. If you don't want to damage your bags when you buy fruit and vegetables, remember to gather and stick the weight labels on a piece of thick plastic (such as a plastic office folder for example) you can easily peel them off. house and use it again. For the little failures of 0 waste, think in particular about sorting and composting it will give you landscaping talent and believe me your friends will compliment your garden. here is a link that will guide you for the tri
https://recyclage.ooreka.fr/astuce/voir/745361/tri-selectif
as well as for compost
https://www.aujardin.info/fiches/comment-faire-compost.php
Finally when you cook, try to make the right amount for the number of people eating. First of all, since there is a psychological effect behind all this, indeed your satiety will generally adapt to the plate you have served yourself. So you may be eating too much simply because you are serving yourself too much. This will allow you to stay healthy because being overweight has harmful effects on your body. Unfortunately in the world there are huge sums spent on weight loss products and dietary supplements rather than adapting one's diet to overcome these problems. This budget would be a great help in fighting hunger in the world. I fully understand that obesity and overweight are very hard to live with, the best way to get out of it is not always the simplest way like taking pills but a longer and more complicated way like rebalancing food that will ensure you a much better health in the long term. Do not forget in particular that the weight should in no case be a subject of "bodyshaming" since beauty is very subjective but above all that it only concerns you and your relationship to yourself. I like to think that no matter how heavy a person is, what makes them glow is their self-confidence. In addition the body is the mind its closely linked so have faith in yourself and in life so that you finally reach the "mens sana in corpore sano" that is to say a healthy mind in a healthy body._cc781905-5cde- 3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_
If you can't cook at all what to use, tupperwers or even BEEWRAPs. these will replace your food storage bags or your plastic or aluminum films. They play exactly the same role by being completely compostable and made of natural material.
I am certainly the first to hate eating things reheated in the microwave so here are some tips: reinvent your recipe recook your dish in the oven or in the pan by adding spices.
Finally, be creative and reuse packing boxes or fabrics or other materials, you can do a lot of very useful things with them. Namely that cardboard furniture is becoming more democratic. Yes, I can assure you that cardboard, once treated, can be used as a raw material for many pieces of furniture which are just as, even more resistant than your kit pieces of furniture and in addition they are more personal, assert your style by saving the planet! here is a video on how to build cardboard furniture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht8AsavSw9Y
Finally, if you are not very good with your hands, consider buying on ecological sites
Here is the link of two sites related to ecological products :
https://www.boutiquezerodechet.com
Here are, in my opinion, some great ecological purchases to make:
- dish brush / washable sponge
-toothbrush
- reusable baking paper (which you can find in supermarkets)
If you take the animal cause to heart, here are some actions you can take:
Do not eat meat excessively, it is recommended by Mgc prevention to eat a portion of meat (approximately 100 g to 120 g) per day, i.e. reasonably 4 to 7 times per week
https://www.mgc-prevention.fr/quantites-manger-de-viande/
Find out about the breeding conditions of the meat you consume, the red label is a good indicator.
https://aconsommerdepreference.lexpress.fr/label-bien-etre-animal/
The ecological footprint of different animals is not the same:
indeed the production of 1 kg of beef is much more expensive in water and food (13,500 l) than that for 1 kg of chicken (4,100l) without counting the water necessary to produce the cereals necessary for their food. In addition, beef produces 4 times more co2 (gas contributing to the greenhouse effect) than chicken.
https://www.wenow.com/2021/06/07/carbon-footprint-of-meat/
This last argument is more about ecology than animal welfare, even if taking care of our land also means taking care of their habitat.
If you want to adopt a pet:
Prefer adoption in shelters, however these animals are often traumatized and require special attention so if you do not feel able to do so, do not adopt to avoid an additional imbalance for the animal. Prefer farms to pet stores. The price difference is totally justified, in particular by the care given to the animals. Finally inform yourself (vets, book, internet) to ensure that you provide everything your animal needs (physical and mental expense) in order to establish a good cohabitation. If you encounter problems with your animal, do not abandon it, but rather try to understand the causes and effects in order to set up the rehabilitation adapted to the situation. Just like humans, animals communicate by their posture or their growl. Learn to communicate with them, it avoids a lot of problems and greatly strengthens your relationship with them. In particular, you can turn to professional educators. I can only advise you to seek advice from your veterinarian. Finally, if you really can't take care of your animal properly, place it in a shelter but don't leave it alone anywhere.
Remember in particular that no one is perfect, but that ultimately what matters most is goodwill. So you probably won't do all the green gestures that I could list but it doesn't matter as long as you try. Little by little these gestures will become automatic and you will be able to introduce more. Finally, faster than you can imagine, you will be an expert in ecology. Remember there are no small gestures and all of them count!