Beauty has come full circle, with initiatives that are instrumentalising food waste to create eco-conscious beauty products. From used coffee to discarded bananas and quinoa husks that are thrown out post-harvesting, there’s a lot of options to elevate your shelfie while saving the planet.
Blue Tokai X The Switch Fix, Coffee Scrubs
Your morning cup of joe is a limited resource. Globally, 23 million tonnes of coffee goes to waste every year. With water scarcity making things even worse coffee plantations are at risk. Inspired by these events Blue Tokai, coffee chain and The Switch Fix, a personal care brand collaborated to bring us repurposed coffee scrubs. Concocted with apricot oil for oily skin and cocoa butter for dry skin, both coffee scrubs are definition of upcycled goodness.
The Body Shop, Wonky Banana Range
The beauty giant partnered with farmers in Ecuador and sourced less than perfectly curved bananas which are rejected by other industries to create a range of products. These include shampoo, conditioner and a hair mask which is packed with the goodness of banana for smooth and lustrous hair.
Kiehls, Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate
A facial peel, this concentrate is crafted from sustainably sourced quinoa husks, which are discarded after harvest. Sans chemical alteration and with minimal environmental impact, it acts as an exfoliant for dull-looking skin. Smoothing uneven skin texture while being planet-friendly is our ultimate idea of eco-conscious beauty.
UpCircle Beauty, Face Moisturiser
Reused, repurposed and reloved at its heart, this moisturiser is made with finely-ground powder of discarded argan shells, a natural by-product of the argan oil industry. It is rich in antioxidant vitamin E and skin soothing ingredients like cocoa butter, aloe vera and blood orange balance the argan leaving you wanting more.
Fruu, Lip Balms
Strawberry, watermelon and cherry repurposed fruit balms are a thing. This British brand incorporates ingredients derived as a by-product of processed fruit waste which generates vital extra revenue for small fruit farmers. Fruu’s cruelty-free, vegan and sustainably sourced beauty is a bonus!
