Our beauty regimens revolve around a lot of little bottles. A 2020 study by Johnson and Johnson estimated that 552 million shampoo bottles end up in landfills. It’s enough bottles to fill 1,164 football fields.
So can we reduce our environmental footprint but still look and feel good?
Actually, sustainability is a big thing in the beauty industry today, as companies are adjusting to sustainable practices.
To promote this new eco-friendly trend, Good Housekeeping now gives out sustainable innovation awards. One winner, HiBAR, is a shampoo and conditioner that has no bottles and no plastic — it comes in a solid bar.
Good Morning America reports there are savings to be made, too.
Ethique, a maker of a similar shampoo bar, says it lasts six times longer than bottled shampoo. Compare that with a mid-range product from your bathroom, and you get $40 a year.
The next example is makeup wipes. Replacing disposable wipes with washable reusable ones could save you $100 a year. Buying dishwasher soap in bulk for refillable pumps, on the other hand, can save you $80 a year.
But plastic is recyclable, right? So what’s all the fuss about?
Well, not all parts of bottles and dispensers are recyclable, so there’s the problem. The only impact we as customers can make is to encourage manufacturers to make smarter packaging and reduce the use of plastic.
Watch the video report from Good Morning America below.
