Style
Disclaimer: I am not a beauty expert. I am not a journalist. My name is Laura Hayden. I am a Barcelona-born girl in a band called Anteros, trying to make it in the Big Smoke.
In recent years I have found myself feeling increasingly aware about my impact on the environment, and the state in which we are leaving our planet. However, I am only part-time vegan. Sometimes I forget to take my reusable bottle with me. I don’t always wear sustainable brands. What I am trying to say is that I’m just a girl, and I'm trying my best. Sometimes I’m good at it… and other times I suck at it. The good news is that, as time passes, I'm definitely getting better at it. I'm adapting, kicking the bad habits and adopting healthier ones.
Information is so easily accessible in 2019. It gets harder to ignore facts, and it becomes easier to pay attention. The more we care, the higher the demand for sustainable products grows. Brands are listening. They will keep putting money towards products that not only help enhance us and our busy lives, but also care for our planet.
Lately I have come across some awesome brands that are doing just that. Before I list my sustainable beauty go-to’s, I would like you to ask yourself the following question: how many half-empty bottles do I have sitting in my make-up bag/shower/bathroom drawer right now? I have certainly been guilty of this in the past. Products that make waves all over social media — the new 'it' product that will make you look and feel just like an Instagram filter — are all too tempting to buy, even if you already have a virtually identical item in your collection already. But cluttering up your bathroom with unused products is not only bad for your bank balance, it's also wasteful. That's a habit you want to kick, FAST. So, if you see something you like on the list, why not try saving or bookmarking it until you are close to running out of your current ones?
1Pai Skincare
From London with love, made with sustainable and certified organic ingredients. There are no nasties: no parabens, alcohol, phenoxyethanol, petrochemicals, detergents (SLS/SLES), or artificial fragrances, making Pai Skincare products a great choice for troublesome or sensitive skin. Currently, around 70 percent of the brand’s product packaging is recyclable (with the exception of certain lids and pumps). I recommend the Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil, as it has really helped smooth my skin and reduce my acne scarring.
2Beauty Kitchen's Wish-A-Wash Wet Wipes
Wet wipes are essential to so many of us, but standard wipes (including those marked "flushable") are taking their toll on our seas: the Marine Conservation Society has seen a 400 percent increase in the amount of wet wipes found along our coastline over the past decade. As the wipes fragment, they release microscopic fragments of plastic into the UK's waterways.
Fear not, because Beauty Kitchen’s Wish-a-Wash’s Wet Wipes are vegan, made from 100 percent natural ingredients, and come in sustainable packaging. Used Wish-a-Wash wipes biodegrade in the compost bin. Et, voila!
3Eco Tools
Eco Tools' brushes are made from recycled aluminium and plastic. The brush handles are made of renewable bamboo (one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet.) The packing they come in is 100 percent cruelty free, PETA certified. This brand also supports women globally by collaborating with The Girl Project, which school supplies, mentorship programs, and scholarships to girls around the world. I recommend the Wonder Cover Complexion Brush for liquid and cream foundation.
4Davines
Davines have been offsetting the company’s carbon footprint since 2014. They have done this by purchasing carbon credits deriving from the creation and safe guarding of growing forests, and from renewable energy production projects. Their products contain 98 percent biodegradable ingredients and no animal-derived ingredients, and they are packaged using recyclable materials. If you are after sulphate- and paraben-free options like me, check out their Naturaltech line. I love the Naturaltech Detoxifying Scrub Shampoo.
5Face Halo
Cotton pads are making more of an impact on the planet than we like to think about, especially when the cotton is not organically sourced. Chemicals can pollute rivers, damage local wildlife and severely impact our ecosystems. Swapping single-use pads for reusable ones is a step in the right direction. There are a lot of options out there. I like Face Halo pads because they remove your makeup without needing to use anything other than water. These pads are also non-toxic, suitable for all skin types, and have been designed to survive up to 200 machine washes. Most importantly, they are fully recyclable once their ‘life’ is over.
6Neal's Yard
London-based Neal's Yard have been certified Carbon Neutral since 2008. Their product line is entirely manufactured at their ECO factory, using certified organic ingredients only, and they work with conservation charities to protect natural habitats and limit deforestation. Neal's Yard have never animal tested or used plastic in any of their formulas. And, as well as supporting global communities, their Bee Lovely campaign has raised over £120,000 since its launch in 2011, with sales of the brand’s Bee Lovely range.
7Goodwell+Co
Over 99 percent of the toothbrushes the world uses are plastic — the kind that isn't recycled. The average toothbrush is only used for 270 minutes, yet exists for more than 10 human lifetimes thereafter. Goodwell+Co provide alternatives made out of sustainable, 100-percent-compostable materials.
8
I would love to hear your tips and go to’s, especially when it comes to sustainable beauty brands and products. Find me on Instagram at @lauralahayden or @anterosofficial and send me your suggestions!
Anteros' latest single, Drive On, premiered on Radio 1 as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World on Jan. 23 2019. Listen to it here. Laura was inspired to write the track after reading about the Great Pacific garbage patch, a floating island of rubbish that is estimated to be twice the size of Texas. Anteros are currently going to massive lengths to make sure that all of their merchandise and live shows are as environmentally friendly as possible, working alongside Project Zero, one of the leading ocean conservation projects.
