One woman is letting people in on her secret to saving money while feeling good about helping the planet, and it's easier than it may seem.
TikToker Abby Baffoe (@abbybaffoe), who has nearly 900,000 followers, explains that "the best life hack" is to purchase large refill containers when restocking personal care products — not unlike checking unit prices when determining the best deals at grocery stores.
@abbybaffoe Work smarter, not barder 👏🏼 saves you so much money and you can reuse bottles 😇 #lifehack #soldejaniero #showeressentials #bodyproducts #loccitane ♬ original sound - Abby Baffoe
"Honestly, the amount of money that you save is actually crazy," she says, pointing out that the 16.9-ounce refill package was "basically like getting two [8.9 ounce bottles] for $15 less."
Another one of her products resulted in even more significant savings.
"Why not just buy the 49, keep the [13 ounce] tube, and you just keep refilling it. You basically get three of them," she says in amazement.
Another perk, as Abby points out, is the eco-friendly nature of the reusing bottles or containers.
As detailed by Forbes, research from Zero Waste Week found that 120 billion units of packaging are used by the cosmetics industry every year, which is a factor in 18 million acres of forest being destroyed annually.
That is concerning enough, considering that trees help regulate global temperatures by soaking up carbon dioxide and protecting biodiversity by providing food and shelter for native species.
However, the majority of those containers, many of which are made of plastic, never get recycled. Instead, they get sent to landfills or end up as litter in communities or oceans, contaminating the environment with toxins and becoming a deadly hazard for animals.
Happily, companies across multiple industries have incentives that empower consumers to reduce material waste — and maybe even get free stuff or discounts in return.
🗣️ Which factor would motivate you to pay more for a sustainable product?
🔘 Superior quality 💎
🔘 Trendier style ✨
🔘 Bigger environmental impact 💚
🔘 I wouldn't pay more 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
French beauty company L'Occitane partnered with TerraCycle to create a recycling program for empty product containers, and people who contribute items in-person receive a 10% same-day discount. Sephora has a similar program.
Abby pointed out in a comment that one refill package generated much less plastic than continually buying smaller containers, but bringing your own reusable refill containers to zero-waste stores can eliminate even more polluting packaging.
"This is super huge in Japan," one commenter wrote on Abby's TikTok video. "It's so cost-effective I'll do it forever now."
"Sold! Need to try this combo," another person said.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
