;Resize=(280,110) "Dove - Let’s Change Beauty logo")
I decided to start in one room and over time, replace the wasteful products I used with more sustainable options. It was one small decision at a time, but then months later, I realized how much waste I was saving. The first room I started in was the bathroom. So here are some simple steps you can take to reduce plastic waste in your beauty routine.
Use up what you have and donate what you don’t use
I can’t get into talking about reducing waste in your life without addressing the products you already own. If you have products you are using in your bathroom right now that don’t meet your eco standards, let me remind you that one of the most sustainable things you can do is use what you already have. Use up old products, and the products you don’t use anymore, give to a friend or donate.
Try refillable products
Refillable products are an AMAZING concept to me. I love the business model of getting one container for a product, and then using that same container over and over again. This not only reduces plastic waste, but reduces the pressure on production to make new plastic – so it’s saving even more than you think.
One product I love is the Dove Body Wash Reusable Bottle - Concentrate Refill. The container is reusable and the refill concentrates are made from 100% recycled plastic that can be recycled again. Once you’ve finished two body wash concentrate refills with the aluminum bottle, or four with the more affordable 100% recycled plastic bottle, you’ll start using 50% less plastic with every refill compared to using a standard Dove body wash.
The concentrate bottles are designed to click onto the reusable bottles for a simple refill process. I have always loved Dove body wash, so I’m excited about this new option while still getting the same Dove care I know and love. Plus, it comes in three scents: Daily Moisture, Cucumber and Shea & Warm Vanilla. It’s a win-win all around!
Use reusable makeup wipes
We use a makeup wipe once, and then we throw it away for it to take hundreds of years to biodegrade because – yes – makeup wipes contain plastic. I have been using reusable cotton rounds for years, and I haven’t missed disposable wipes once. There are plenty on the market to buy, but you can also make your own out of old t-shirts.
Try a bar of soap for other needs besides body wash
Bars of soap are such a simple way to reduce plastic in your bathroom. A lot of soap bars are just packaged in cardboard, leaving those single use plastic bottles behind. And there are bars of soap for everything – face, shaving, shampoo, conditioner. Sometimes, the easiest way to live more sustainably is to go back to what our grandparents did. Who knew
Reducing your plastic waste doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming, it can be one fun step at a time. Tiny habits compound overtime and lead to big changes. Small actions can make a huge difference, so take that power and make small sustainable decisions that over time, will have a lasting impact.
And thank you, Dove, for implementing systems that work toward a more sustainable future like the new Dove Body Wash Reusable Bottle - Concentrate Refills, plus increasing use of renewable energy in manufacturing to work toward your goal of becoming carbon positive by 2030.
Follow Jessica on Instagram for more tips.
Try for yourself
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I have accomplished things that I am proud of and that is what gives me my confidence and my beauty."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
You aren’t meant to fade into the background."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Your worth has nothing to do with your weight."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
It was only when I realized that what makes you different and unique also makes you beautiful, that’s when my confidence grew."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
My beauty routine starts with embracing my own natural beauty and its uniqueness."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Real beauty to me means challenging yourself to do the things you can’t and showing yourself kindness along the way."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I have stopped trying so hard to fit in - my beautiful personality is written all over my face and that’s the only beauty I need."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I learned that beauty is from the heart, it’s all about kindness."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I don't often see dark skin in the media, and skin conditions even less so. I want everyone to see that being a Black woman with vitiligo is a source of resilience and pride."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Growing up as a transgender woman, I was pressured to change who I was to fit others' ideas about who a woman should be. Now I'm representing myself and my beauty on my own terms."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I want to shatter the stereotype that I need breasts to look like a woman. Choosing to live flat after my mastectomy has made be stronger and more confidenand that's truly beautiful."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I've carried three babies in this belly, and earned every grey hair. I want all mothers to see that their bodies are perfect just the way they are."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
There's a lot of pressure for women to 'act their age'. I want to show that aging means continually growing and experiencing life beautifully."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Femininity is often depicted as a formula - cut your hair like this, wear that. To me, it's about loving yourself fearlessly for who you are."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Growing up, I never saw women wearing hijabs in media & advertising. Now girls can see me, achieving my career goals and defining beauty on my own terms."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I grew up surrounded by narrow ideas about how a woman should look and what she could be. I’ve overcome those limits and make no apologies for embracing my ambition and my natural beauty."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
I'm not worried about fitting into anyone else's ideas of beauty. As a brown-skinned multi-media creator, I want to redefine beauty to include all of us in the melanin pride community."
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF DOVE LOVE
Women with Alopecia often feel that baldness will hold them back from realizing their full personal and professional potential. Showing the beauty of bald women helps open doors for us to opportunities that others take for granted."