Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1481047
62 ASCP Skin Deep Autumn 2022 PACKAGING Beauty packaging is transforming as consumers become more educated about the sustainability of materials used and how these materials are sourced. According to Bradley and Jonina Skaggs of Skaggs Creative, the key to sustainable beauty is less packaging and more reusable packaging. However, "Until the big brands decide to make [sustainable packaging] a priority—and start to create less and more thoughtful packaging—consumers will continue to buy and create waste," they say. How can estheticians assist their clients in choosing sustainable products that include sustainable packaging? The Skaggses say mindful unboxing is making its presence known, but there is still room to grow. "Smaller brands [are trying], but the difficulty lies in the supply chain. The packaging providers have been super slow in grasping the importance of sustainability and reusability. "There are a few brands we've worked with who asked us to help them with creating sustainable packaging by using less material; sourcing materials such as bamboo paper, banana husk paper, and hemp paper; and also minimizing the colors that are printed on the packaging . . . This is also a form of waste that most people (or companies) don't take into consideration," they say. The packaging trends that provide a big impact? "Containers that are refillable—but these haven't caught on with high-end or luxury brands, as they feel these options aren't 'luxurious' enough," the Skaggses say. "[But] this will change in the near future as the educated consumer will start to demand refillable options on all levels." The Skaggses also feel that QR codes and customer discounts will stick. And, "Less and lighter materials, reusable packaging, or no secondary packaging at all on reorders or refills" will be an important step in the right direction. A Cautionary Tale: Plastic Never Dies For years, the beauty industry has relied on plastic as its go-to for packaging. And that's bad news. Once plastic is created, it never dies. Every piece of plastic ever created still exists. It's not biodegradable and it never breaks down; it just breaks up into microplastic particles, which are then leaked into our soils, water supplies, and even our food. And before the enactment of the FDA's Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, "A typical exfoliating shower gel [could] contain roughly as much microplastic in the cosmetic formulation as is used to make the plastic packaging it comes in." 8 Even scarier? Glitter! Historically, glitter has been a microplastic. Luckily, University of Cambridge researchers have found a way to make sustainable, nontoxic, vegan, and biodegradable glitter made from cellulose—and it's just as sparkly as the original. 9 Companies like Projekt Glitter and EcoStardust Biodegradable Glitter (Bioglitter) are also helping solve the nonbiodegradable glitter problem. Sure, some plastics can be recycled, like postconsumer recycled plastics (PCRs). But there are seven types of plastic used worldwide, and five are not easily recyclable. Those aren't great odds. Typically, plastics 1 and 2 are easily and locally recycled, but plastics 3–6 are not easily recycled, and plastic 7 is never recycled. Plus, colored, complex, and small plastics can't be recycled. Unfortunately, personal care products and cosmetics tend to use packaging types other than 1 and 2. According to Terracycle, high-end cosmetic brands use black or dark plastic colors, which can't be changed into other colors the way white and clear plastics can, so they aren't recycled. 10 If Not Plastic, Then What? PCR packaging is one of the most eco-friendly uses of recycled paper, cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and metals. For example, silicone packaging is a great alternative to plastic packaging. Although it doesn't decompose, silicone is reusable, doesn't release toxins, is heat resistant and flexible, and can be used as a replacement for plastic bottles. Aluminum and stainless steel are good choices for sustainable packaging too. Most common metals can be recycled infinitely, making them a great packaging By-Product Beauty According to an article in Eco Watch, bioplastics are by-products that are good, sustainable alternatives to plastic. 12 These alternatives are derived from renewable sources, such as olive pits, sunflower hulls, fish waste and algae, plant sugars, and mushrooms. Oleuropein, from olive pits, acts as an antioxidant to prolong the life of bioplastic but is reduced to fertilizer within one year of composting. Sunflower husks are also a great source for the production of bioplastic. Fish scales and fish skin make a compostable alternative to plastic when combined with red algae. Instead of using PET (polyethylene terephthalate), plant sugars (one of the most recyclable plastics) can be used to make PEF (polyethylene furanoate), which degrades much faster than PET in industrial composting conditions.