Skincare: Another Cause of Environmental Damage

The skincare industry is known for products that offer smooth, glowy skin, but they present a grave problem: these products do not last forever. Most containers of skincare have a “tiny image of an opened jar with a number on it,” as Byrdie describes, which indicates the number of months the product will last. Products that expire quickly have the potential to do a lot of environmental damage. This article will highlight three skincare products that produce great harm to the environment.

1. Palm oil

Palm oil is one of the many popular ingredients in skincare, but it is also the most harmful to the environment as “one of the number one contributors to rapid deforestation, wildlife extinction, and climate change” according to Botanical Trader. Many companies claim they produce sustainable palm oil, but such a thing does not exist. Palm oil is collected from palm trees, and when the trees grow too high to easily reach the fruits, the trees are cut down to replace smaller palm trees. Additionally, in some places like Australia, it is difficult to tell which products have palm oil as guidelines allow for a more generic term like vegetable oil.

2. Oxybenzone

Another common chemical ingredient in skincare is oxybenzone, also known as Benzophenone-3. It is a product that “absorbs UVA and UVB rays, therefore protecting the skin from the sun,” but has a very negative effect on coral reefs. These chemical ingredients are shown to bleach coral reefs and cause deformities. Coral bleaching can lead to organisms not being able to find food, which can create barren underwater landscapes. Critically, coral reefs also provide habitat and food for many marine organisms, which can generate billions of tourist dollars for local economies. Alternatives to products containing oxybenzone include sunscreens with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

3. Wet wipes

Wet wipes are used to clean your face of makeup but are very problematic for sewer systems. They often bunch together and trap waste to form giant blockages clumps made of fat from food waste and wipes. Even though many products are marketed as disposable, most contain plastic and are not biodegradable. According to The Guardian, “In the U.K., the number of wet wipes found along the coastline has increased by more than 400 percent over the past 10 years.” Instead of opting for a wet wipe, you can use washcloths or even toilet paper.

Although overwhelming companies use harmful ingredients in their products, there are brands dedicated to mitigating the harmful effects of skincare. An environmentally friendly skincare brand to use instead is Blendily, which uses vegan ingredients to create its products, with the exceptions of honey and beeswax, and does not test on animals. It also hand-makes products and delivers packages that can be reused. Facetheory, Dew Mighty, Acala, Blue Heron Botanicals, and Activist Skincare are also some brands that do not greatly damage the environment.