I Tried A Zero Waste Beauty Routine | Beauty With Mi | Refinery29 - video Dailymotion

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This week on Beauty With Mi, our host, Mi-Anne Chan researches what it takes to have a garbage-free beauty routine. She tries zero waste living when it comes to her makeup and interviews expert Lauren Singer on how to go package free. Watch this episode of Beauty With Mi to be inspired to be more environmentally conscious!  https://packagefreeshop.com/ http://trashisfortossers.com/ https://terracycle.com/en-US/  Products Used:  Unwrapped Life The Hydrator Shampoo & Conditioner https://fave.co/2U1R6CP Lush Naked Cleansing Balm https://fave.co/2XgviFJ Marleys Monsters Cotton Cloth Wipes https://fave.co/2TY8ics Meow Meow Tweet Juniper Carrot Seed Oil https://fave.co/2BNOPEn Meow Meow Tweet Cedar Spruce Deodorant Stick https://fave.co/2BLZPSx All Good Zinc Sunscreen Butter https://fave.co/2ShWFvn RMS Beauty Un Cover-Up https://fave.co/2TWT3AI Kjaer Weis Cream Blush https://fave.co/2BM1bwB Elate Cosmetics Illuminate + Contour Kit https://fave.co/2BMYoTZ Surratt Auto-Graphique Eyeliner https://fave.co/2SiG5eK Axiology Natural Lipstick https://fave.co/2TY9896  ABOUT SERIES Explore the craziest trends, most unique treatments, newest products, and strangest subcultures in the beauty world alongside Refinery29’s very own beauty writer, Mi-Anne Chan. We dare to find and try the fringes of beauty — for better or worse.  ABOUT REFINERY29  Refinery29 is a modern woman's destination for how to live a stylish, well-rounded life. http://refinery29.com/  RELATED CONTENT I Turned My Bathroom Into A Spa For $25, $100, & $750 https://youtube.com/watch?v=2uPD7C0jbFs I Dyed My Virgin Hair For The First Time https://youtube.com/watch?v=_GcsQuOGPPk I Tried This Terrifying Facial https://youtube.com/watch?v=kUSFXFYEXa8  SEE MORE REFINERY29 VIDEOS http://refinery29.com/video  SUBSCRIBE TO REFINERY29 Subscribe to the Refinery29 channel: http://bit.ly/subscribe-to-r29 For the latest trends and videos, visit: http://refinery29.com Like Refinery29 on Facebook: https://facebook.com/refinery29 Follow Refinery29 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/refinery29 Heart Refinery29 on Instagram: https://instagram.com/refinery29/  TALENT Follow Lauren Singer on Instagram: https://instagram.com/trashisfortossers/ Follow Package Free Shop on Instagram: https://instagram.com/packagefreeshop/ Follow Terracycle on Instagram,: https://instagram.com/terracycle/ Follow Mi-Anne Chan on Instagram: https://instagram.com/mianne.chan/ Follow Unbothered on Instagram: https://instagram.com/r29unbothered/ Follow OnHerTurf on Instagram: https://instagram.com/onherturf/ Follow Refinery29 on Instagram: https://instagram.com/refinery29/

Transcript

00:00Hey guys, it's Mi-Anne and this is Beauty With Me.

00:02I've always considered myself a pretty environmentally minded person.

00:06When I was in high school, I founded a couple of sustainability clubs.

00:09But something changed when I moved to New York.

00:13I got distracted, I got lazy.

00:16Basically, I stopped trying to be sustainable.

00:19This past year, though, something clicked.

00:21You guys may have seen the federal reports that detail the impact of climate change,

00:24with the Trump administration rolling back a lot of environmental legislation

00:27and corporations just continuing to pollute the earth.

00:30I felt really, really dejected.

00:32And I decided to start learning and educating myself about low-impact living.

00:38Living a zero-waste lifestyle basically means you're not sending anything to landfill.

00:42So you're recycling, you're composting, you're reusing, you're upcycling,

00:47you're repairing what's broken.

00:48I'll be the first one to admit that my job and the beauty industry as a whole really

00:52is just not set up for living a sustainable lifestyle.

00:56But I knew that I at least had to try to make sustainable choices

01:00in a way that's attainable for my lifestyle.

01:02But going low-waste, let alone zero-waste, is an extremely daunting and overwhelming task.

01:08So I decided to reach out to an expert to learn more.

01:10I sat down with Lauren Singer.

01:12She's the founder of Package Free and an expert in zero-waste living.

01:14Let's talk about you and how you kind of got into this journey

01:17of having this zero-waste, very low-waste lifestyle.

01:20It started in 2012.

01:24I was in college at NYU and was studying environmental science,

01:27obsessed with sustainability, was like constantly talking at people,

01:31to people about all the changes that they needed to make.

01:34I went home one day after class and looked in my fridge to make dinner

01:38and realized that I was the biggest hypocrite on planet Earth

01:40because every single thing in my fridge was packaged in plastic.

01:44And then I looked around my whole apartment

01:45and all of my cleaning products were packaged in plastic,

01:48all of my beauty products were packaged in plastic.

01:50And it was actually beauty that helped me realize that zero-waste

01:53was the step that I needed to take.

01:55The zero-waste conversation can be very overwhelming for people.

01:58What would you say is the best way to start?

02:00I suggest to people that they start looking in their garbage cans

02:03and seeing what they're throwing away.

02:04The thing that I was throwing away the most was actually food.

02:07So I started shopping at the farmer's market

02:09and then I started making my own beauty products.

02:11And before I knew it, just through making those little simple changes,

02:14I had reduced almost all of my waste.

02:16Why is recycling not the best option?

02:18Every kind of plastic is technically recyclable,

02:21but that doesn't mean it will be recycled.

02:23The reason that certain plastics aren't recycled

02:26is just because it's too expensive to do so

02:28and there's no value for the recycled product

02:30because it's probably cheaper to make it virgin.

02:33There are things like metals are a lot more recyclable.

02:36Still, it takes a lot of energy.

02:37So my solution is always invest in reusable, refillable options.

02:41So we are in my bathroom now.

02:43My skincare routine has become two slash three things

02:47as opposed to like the 45 that I used to use.

02:50My journey in sustainable makeup has been a very explorative one.

02:54People are doing things that actually aren't sustainable,

02:56that their marketing is sustainable because nobody really knows.

02:59The best thing is like, okay, I don't wear any makeup,

03:00but that's also not realistic.

03:02I want to do this experiment justice,

03:04but I love makeup.

03:06But you also want to participate in what makes you happy.

03:08And so I want to do it the best way possible.

03:10And that's fair.

03:11And so we shouldn't like shun makeup.

03:13We should learn how to make it better.

03:14Lauren and I had a really enlightening conversation.

03:17We got to go to her store package free

03:20and kind of look at a different way to do retail,

03:22which is really exciting.

03:23It was really nice to hear from her

03:25that going low waste, going zero waste is not a one day thing.

03:28It is a series of lifestyle choices that you can make over days, weeks, months, even years.

03:35So armed with that knowledge,

03:36I decided to design my own low waste beauty routine from shampoo to lipstick,

03:40most of which I picked up locally to avoid having anything packaged or shipped.

03:44Before I show you the routine though, let's start with the basics.

03:46Which beauty products are recyclable and which ones are not?

03:49Paper and cardboard boxes are a pretty safe bet.

03:51Paper and cardboard is actually one of the most highly recyclable materials.

03:55When it comes to plastic though, that is a completely different story.

03:59You can check on the bottom of your beauty products

04:01to see if your products have that triangle of arrows called the Mobius Loop.

04:06If the arrows have a number inside it though,

04:08make sure you check with your local community rules.

04:10Every city has its own rules in terms of what is recyclable.

04:13So definitely check your local government website

04:15to make sure you know what the rules and restrictions are.

04:17So here are some surprising beauty product packaging that is not recyclable.

04:22Pumps, pipettes, squeezable tubes,

04:24things like that contain toothpaste,

04:26all those things are normally not recycled.

04:28They're usually destined for landfill.

04:30In terms of things that usually are recyclable,

04:32caps, screw tops, aluminum, hairspray cans,

04:35those sort of things, shampoo bottles that don't have pumps,

04:37usually can be recycled in your blue bin.

04:40So for all the products that I can't recycle,

04:43I actually signed up for a TerraCycle Brigade.

04:46TerraCycle is a really awesome recycling organization.

04:49They recycle all the hard to recycle items.

04:51So Brigade are free recycling programs that are sponsored by different beauty brands

04:56to give consumers an option to recycle hard to recycle items for free.

04:59I signed up for the Garnier one and the Toms of Maine one.

05:02So the Garnier one deals with most like cosmetics, personal care,

05:06kind of hygiene products.

05:07You can recycle mascaras, you can recycle pipettes,

05:10all those sort of things.

05:10I have been filling boxes with the empties that I've been collecting over the past few months.

05:15I even opened it up to some of my co-workers for them to bring in their empties to me

05:19too.

05:20So that was really great.

05:21It's a really good option in terms of recycling items that normally can't be recycled.

05:26All right, so now that we know the basics, let's get into the routine starting with hair.

05:31This is the unwrapped hydrating shampoo and hydrating conditioner.

05:34They are both considered naked products and they do not contain their own packaging.

05:38They are sent in recyclable or compostable paper.

05:42I'm a really big fan of this shampoo in particular.

05:45I thought that I would have to get used to using a product like this,

05:49but it actually is really easy.

05:50Cleans hair really, really well, is hydrating, doesn't strip my hair.

05:54These are also great for travel because they're solid.

05:56You can just stick it in a Tupperware and you're kind of good to go.

05:59Next up is the brand's conditioner, which I'm not going to lie, is definitely more difficult to use.

06:03Because it's full of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter,

06:05you have to warm it up in your hands to get enough product to distribute through your mid-lengths and

06:09ends,

06:10and it just takes longer.

06:11It definitely hydrates the hair, but it will not make your hair feel super slick

06:16like some traditional conditioners will.

06:18You do kind of have to get used to it.

06:20Another great way to reduce your waste is to invest in refillable items.

06:24So Folane is this cute little store in the West Village.

06:27They have locations all over, but they just opened up a refillable soap bar.

06:31So the initial buy, so when you buy it with the packaging for this big size,

06:34which is the 24 ounce, costs $16.

06:37There is also an 8 ounce, and that costs $8.

06:40But then every time you go to refill it, this one only costs $8 to refill,

06:44the little one costs $4 to refill, and they have a punch card, so every fifth refill is free.

06:50This is a very nice, gentle soap.

06:52I like the peppermint one the most.

06:55So to clean my face and remove makeup,

06:58I use this solid cleansing bar from Lush.

07:01It melts with the warmth of your fingers.

07:04It's really easy to take off waterproof mascara,

07:07and then you just wash it off in the sink with water.

07:08Really nice.

07:09It's very hydrating because it has a lot of oils in it.

07:11I will say, though, this thing melts fast.

07:14It can get messy.

07:16If you're holding it too long, it'll slip out of your hand.

07:18So definitely have a soap dish or some kind of container to keep it in.

07:21Onto toner.

07:22Now when I went to Package Free, I spotted these reusable, washable face wipes,

07:30and I thought this is the perfect alternative to using disposable cotton rounds.

07:34So I used this to apply my toner.

07:36So I didn't actually go out and get a low waste toner option for this video

07:40because I already have so many,

07:42and it felt a little bit counterintuitive to go out and buy even more.

07:45This is the Miam Miam Tweet Juniper and Carrot Seed Facial Oil.

07:49I've used this before.

07:49I like this facial oil.

07:50It's very lightweight.

07:51It absorbs quickly.

07:52It doesn't make your skin look too greasy.

07:55You can actually refill this at Package Free and save a couple dollars.

07:58All right.

07:59So I have another Miam Miam Tweet product here,

08:00and this is the Cedar and Spruce Baking Soda Free Deodorant Stick.

08:04I like this deodorant.

08:05It's great because the packaging is cardboard,

08:07which I normally would just throw this in the compost bin

08:10and compost it at the end of life.

08:12It's a really good deodorant.

08:13So I really wanted to find an SPF sunscreen product

08:16that didn't come in plastic packaging.

08:18So I found this one from this brand called All Good,

08:21which is really dedicated to creating mineral, coral-safe sunscreen.

08:25It comes in an aluminum tin so you can recycle this at the end of life.

08:28What is upsetting, though, is that it came with a ring of plastic around it to protect the product.

08:33In New York, there's actually an act called the Film Plastic Reduction Act,

08:36where any store that gives out plastic bags that's above 10,000 square feet is required to also recycle them.

08:42So you can recycle plastic bags, bubble wrap, this kind of like film packaging.

08:47So that's what I did with the packaging that came around the All Good.

08:50This sunscreen butter is daunting to look at.

08:53It is stark white, thick.

08:55I think the base is something like a shea butter,

08:58so I was thinking it would be a good sunscreen-slash-moisturizer.

09:02And it actually really is.

09:04At first, you're like,

09:05oh, it's so white, and you definitely have to rub it in a lot.

09:08But once you rub it in, it creates a nice canvas for makeup.

09:11So I actually love the way it looked underneath my foundation and concealer.

09:16Founding a foundation that was zero waste is pretty hard.

09:19I eventually landed on the RMS Uncover Up foundation,

09:23which has a glass bottom and an aluminum top, both of which are recyclable,

09:27although I did realize it has a foam insert at the top,

09:31and that you do have to throw away, unfortunately.

09:34If you guys have any other recommendations in terms of great zero waste foundations,

09:38please let me know in the comments.

09:40But this one is what I used.

09:41It is a beautiful foundation concealer.

09:43If you like the Glossier concealer, I think you'll really like this.

09:46It's very dewy.

09:47It's very fresh.

09:47Definitely not a full-covered foundation, though.

09:49I would say it's probably sheer to medium, but it leaves a beautiful finish in the skin.

09:54So let's talk about blush.

09:55This is the cream blush that I use.

09:57It is a beautiful product.

09:59Not only is the packaging absolutely gorgeous, you can buy refills for the product inside.

10:05This is not a cheap product.

10:06If you're looking for refillable blushes that are much cheaper,

10:09Makeup Geek has some single pans that are beautiful powders.

10:12But if you are interested in this blush, it is super creamy, pigmented, blendable.

10:17So this is another brand that I've been wanting to try.

10:19It's called Elate Cosmetics.

10:20They create refillable bamboo compacts.

10:23Bamboo is considered a very sustainable crop.

10:25And then you can get bronzers, highlighters like I did here.

10:29The packaging that it comes in is actually seed paper.

10:32So you can compost that.

10:33Or you can plant the paper in your garden and grow something new.

10:36The bronzer is much more pigmented than I thought it would be.

10:40When I first used it, I kind of went into too heavy and it got a little patchy.

10:44But with some blending, it was totally fine.

10:45The highlighter is gorgeous.

10:47It's not too shimmery.

10:49It's not glittery.

10:49It just gives really nice glow.

10:51Most eye products, apart from like panned eyeshadows, are not normally recyclable.

10:58Mascaras in particular are usually destined for landfills.

11:00Unless you send them to recycling organizations like TerraCycle.

11:05So I decided to go mascara-free during this challenge and just do eyeliner.

11:10Because I cannot live without liquid eyeliner.

11:12I did a lot of research to find a product that was as low waste as possible in terms of

11:16eyeliner.

11:17And I think I found one.

11:18This is the Surratt Autographique eyeliner.

11:20I have the blue shade.

11:21It is a very, very, very nice eyeliner.

11:24It has a really cool brush tip that helps you get super crisp lines.

11:28Once your eyeliner is spent, you can buy refill cartridges for the ink.

11:32Which is really awesome.

11:34So you can keep the like full apparatus of your eyeliner and just refill with whatever color you want.

11:39You do have to shake it quite a lot before the ink starts flowing.

11:43But once it is, it's great.

11:44What's awesome about it too is usually you can take these cartridges and recycle them wherever you recycle printer cartridges.

11:51Last but not least, lipstick.

11:53And I got this one from Axiology.

11:54It is in the shade Worth.

11:55It is kind of a bricky, orangey shade.

11:57I was really surprised with the quality of this lipstick.

12:00Usually kind of eco chic lipsticks tend to be kind of waxy, like sheer color payoff.

12:05This stuff is pigmented, comfortable, creamy, so nice.

12:11And it comes in a cool little like spring out package that's made of aluminum and can be recycled at

12:17the end of its life.

12:19That is it guys.

12:20That is everything that I used this week.

12:21And really I made this video to educate myself about ways that I can make my life a little bit

12:28more sustainable.

12:29With my job and my lifestyle, I don't think I can go completely zero waste.

12:34It's just not something that's for me and I understand that and I accept that.

12:39But I know that I can make more sustainable choices.

12:42Throughout this entire experience, I thought a lot about whether having a zero waste lifestyle is something that you can

12:49only do if you're wealthy.

12:50And I discussed this with Lauren.

12:51I think we buy too much stuff.

12:52I think using less, investing a little bit more is better.

12:55But making your own products is exponentially cheaper than buying products.

12:59Zero waste saves you money.

13:01Living low waste is something that you don't necessarily need a lot of money to do.

13:08This is the way that our parents, our grandparents, everyone like pre-50s when the plastic boom happened, have always

13:16been living.

13:16They repaired the things that were broken.

13:18They didn't buy what they didn't need.

13:21There wasn't this culture of single-use disposables.

13:25I know it sounds hypocritical given that my job is all about consuming beauty, but there's got to be a

13:29middle ground.

13:29I'm not telling you to throw away all of your makeup right now.

13:32I'm certainly not going to do that.

13:34But I wanted to show you guys that there are options available that can help you transition your routine.

13:39Colin and I have, I would say, a pretty good recycling system.

13:42We take advantage of New York's pretty decent waste disposal processes.

13:47But I also know that not everyone has a farmer's market near them where they can bring their compost and

13:52dispose of that.

13:53So I think that this entire thing is about just figuring out how you can make more sustainable choices in

14:01your everyday life.

14:02I'm not saying that there's a mold that you need to fit to.

14:05But anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this video and let me know what you think in the comments.

14:10Bye!

14:12Thanks so much for watching, guys.

14:13Click here to subscribe to Refining 29 and click here to watch another video.

14:17Bye!

I Tried A Zero Waste Beauty Routine | Beauty With Mi | Refinery29

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