We have a waste problem.
In 2019, there were more than 3,100 skincare product launches in the United States alone.
Remember all of those skincare hauls, sponsored products, or "products you should buy on amazon!"
videos that pop up on our recommended pages? That's where our problem starts.
These consumeristic beliefs have been so deeply entrenched within our culture- on social media and YouTube, we see influences promoting product after product- whether it be through sponsorships, PR, or haul.
a lot of people will say, “I impulsively bought x amount of dollars worth of y.” and it becomes something that is seen as funny and cool.
These values are continuously being pushed, in turn, causing an upward spiral in the amount of waste we accumulate.
So many skincare products remain unfinished- “empties” are rare, yet we continue to buy more.
120 billion units of packaging are produced every year from the beauty industry alone.
The packaging is the biggest contributor to plastic production in the world and cause of plastic waste pollution. Tons of this plastic ends
up in the ocean both destroying sea life while also contaminating our diets.
There is also such thing as using too many products. While 10-step skincare routines had their moment in the past few years,
scientists have found that a lack of attentiveness to the ingredients in products and/or too many products can result in a weakened skin barrier.
Certain combinations of ingredients from mixing certain products will end up either cancelling each other out, or damaging your skin.
As an example, retinol loses all function efficacy when mixed with vitamin C and AHAs.
Having a damaged skin barrier can lead to compromising your skin's defense system. This makes it easier for irritants and bacteria
to penetrate your skin.