The beauty industry is one of the biggest culprits of waste. The global personal care and beauty industry produces over 120 billion units of packaging every year. Most of which are not recyclable, let alone reusable.

In the U.S. alone, nearly 7.9 billion units of single-use plastic were created just for beauty and Green Beauty personal care products in 2018.

And as brands try harder to compete for consumers' attention, the problem is only set to get worse. Just think about those unboxing videos when a brand sends an influencer pounds of fluff just to make a splash on their social channels.

Let's talk about fast beauty

You’ve probably heard of fast fashion. Well, fast beauty is similar in that it is trend-driven and cheap. Big beauty brands, like fast-fashion brands, want to hop on a trend and get products out FAST, and at the lowest cost possible. What does it take to do this? Harmful ingredients, unethical labor, and an unconscionable amount of waste.

More on how the beauty industry works…

Brands outsource their formula development to a third-party lab, get their products filled by a contract manufacturer, then have them shipped to retailers through a distribution center. That’s a lot of back and forth and a lot of time with nobody seeing what’s going on.

Consumers aren’t the only ones taking out the trash. Brands deal with a tremendous amount of waste. Contract manufacturers require astronomically high minimum order quantities. Unless a product is laden with synthetic preservatives or chemical ingredients, the shelf-life is only 1 - 2 years. That leads to a lot of products being tossed out before they ever get used.

What makes us different.

Small batch manufacturing.

We do everything in-house. Our offices, distribution center, research & development labs, and filling equipment are all under one roof. Why should that matter to you? It guarantees transparency. By manufacturing ourselves, we’re able to create smaller batches to minimize waste and maximize freshness.

Ethical sourcing.

We investigate the source of each ingredient and component that comes into our facility. Making sure no animal cruelty or unethical labor is involved in the procurement of our materials. Sadly, it’s so easy to order ingredients that have already been tested on animals. And too many color pigments used to make makeup come from small children going into mines.

Quality ingredients.

Third-party labs also use a lot of fillers to cheapen the formulas they develop in order to make a profit. So often, brands call out an ingredient to market their skincare benefits. In reality, that ingredient is often so diluted it has little to no effect. Not only do they not know where their ingredients are coming from, but the efficacy is rarely validated.

We meticulously monitor our sources to ensure each component comes to us ethically. Then we make sure it is of the highest benefit for your skin and your routine.

Efficient travel time

Now let’s talk about the third part, shipping. From the lab to the factory to the distribution centers and all the offices and homes in between, that’s a lot of extra shipping. Then, when you think of those over-the-top mailers… the excess is sooo, extra. We use easily recyclable materials and reusable shipping boxes to send Caley out into the world.

What you can do...

You care about mother earth and have real concerns over the future of our planet. But you're still a sucker for the latest and greatest makeup remover and just have to hop on that neon eyeliner trend you saw on TikTok. It's okay! You can still be a makeup junkie and make strides toward sustainability. Here are a few ways you can mindfully curb your environmental impact.

Use up what you got

Packages piling up on your doorstep? Slow your roll on those add to carts. Your wallet and the planet will thank you. Feel like you're on too much of a spending spree? Make a list of the things you want or keep track of the carts you're forcing yourself to abandon. Wait a week. Better yet, wait 2 weeks. If you're still dying to have it. Get it! If after some time you still feel like this purchase will bring you tremendous joy, by all means, hit checkout. What this will do will keep you from making impulse purchases. Most of the time, you'll be over it after a few days. You'll realize you already have 10 eyeliners like the one you're trying to order. And you'll be over it before you did the damage!

Shop small

Small businesses have a much smaller carbon footprint. They tend to be conscious brands that offer mindfully crafted products. By shopping small, you are supporting individuals who produce their goods responsibly and package them with love. Shopping local is one of the best and easiest ways to go green.

Since we manufacture everything in-house, we are able to make small batches. This guarantees freshness and minimal waste. It also allows us to come out with on-trend colors and innovative formulas without them ending up in a landfill.

Green Beauty, Multi-task, reuse & recycle.

Products with multiple uses not only simplify your life but also calls for less waste. Anything you can get 2, 3 for 4 or more uses in 1 product is a huge win for your routine and for landfills. Don’t forget to remove the label if you can, rinse out the bottle or jar, and toss it in the blue bin at the end.

Reusing, recycling, and shopping small are all mindful steps we can do to make strides against changing the beauty industry. By discouraging fast beauty, excessive packaging, and ultimately the corporate giants that only care about their bottom line, we encourage a greener future. Discovering conscious brands, hearing their story, and learning about their craft is a wonderfully rewarding way to shop.