Browsing the subreddit for Sephora, one user was astonished to see an enormous pile of makeup and beauty items labeled as someone's "monthly makeup haul."
They posted a screenshot of it on another subreddit, r/AntiConsumption, asking, "It's not possible to use this much monthly is it?"
People chimed in to say no — it absolutely is not possible.
"Ain't no f****** way. NO f****** way," one person wrote.
"You cannot use this much makeup within a month, this is simply what's being bought in a month," another Redditor wrote. "Most of this will end up unused and remain in its packaging until it gets thrown out 8 years from now."
One person vented, "What a waste of money and resources."
This pattern of excessive purchasing is hardly unique to this one Sephora buyer. Americans have been buying more and more beauty products each year. According to Statista, the average American household spent $211.82 on cosmetics and beauty products in 2022. This was the highest number since 2010, when average spending was $134.20. That's an increase of 58%.
Unfortunately, those spending habits have a cost that goes beyond the price tag. Waste reduction group CleanHub reported that, in addition to harming animals, generating microplastics, and depleting natural resources, the beauty industry is a major contributor of waste via its excessive packaging.
The industry as a whole produces over 120 billion pieces of packaging each year, many of which are plastic. And 95% of it is thrown away, per the British Beauty Council, which means billions and billions of pieces of trash are creating an ugly side to the world of beauty products.
🗣️ When you're choosing health and beauty products, which of these factors is most important to you?
🔘 Cost 💰
🔘 Brand name 💅
🔘 Ingredients 🧪
🔘 Packaging 📦
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
To turn this around, it's helpful to examine our consumption habits, as the original poster did. Even swapping out a package of single-use razors for a reusable one, for example, can make a difference in the waste you produce.
And if you're not using a product, there are great ways to ensure it doesn't go to waste. Especially if it's unopened or barely used, you can give it away via community Buy Nothing groups or local shelters.
Finally, some organizations want to make recycling beauty packaging easier, so check out our resource page here.
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