How to Create a Capsule Makeup Collection

A few weeks ago, I decided to dish on my low-waste beauty products in a ‘get ready with me’ style IGTV video.

I was heading to UC Berkeley to guest lecture, and I always wear a bit more makeup when it comes to being on stage with lights. I thought it was the perfect time to go through my makeup capsule collection and I got a TON of questions and requests for a full blog post!

Some of the links below are affiliate links for more information please see my disclosure policy!

As many of you know, I have struggled a lot with skin problems. I have tried numerous zero-waste skincare routines. A lot of the “zero waste” skincare products I was using were still low waste. Yes, they come in a glass bottle, but they almost always have different plastic parts.

After years of searching, I think I’ve finally found a few items that are really working for my skin thanks to the recommendation of my esthetician, but they do come in plastic.

I’ve decided to stop sweating it. I figure if I’m able to reduce 99% of packaging waste but finally found a few green products (that are working!) then that’s fine by me.

I send my makeup and skincare empties back to Terracycle so I know that they’re in good hands. Many places like Credo and l’Occitane have programs where you can drop your beauty products off and they’ll send them back to Terracycle for you.

one-in; one-out rule:

I don’t know how or why I used to accumulate so many beauty products. I’m not sure if they bred at night, but man, I wound up with so many different colors of eyeshadow that I never wore. Tons of different lip shades and eyeliner and I hardly wore any of them!

When I started going zero waste, I really started to pay attention to how I was accumulating items and what I actually used. I noticed that I wore the exact same products every single day.

I also noticed that when I was halfway through a product I would run out and buy a new one. When I was at the store, I would also pick up one or two other items just because they looked cool.

I would wear those “cool new products” once or twice and then they would languish in my makeup drawer constantly being passed up for my old faithful products.

So, I simply decided to cut all of that out. Now, I don’t go out and buy a new product unless I’m really, really close to being out of it and I buy one item to replace the one that is out not a handful of others.

What I find most fascinating about this, is even though clean beauty is more expensive, on the whole, I’m saving money because I’m not buying a BUNCH of products. I’m only buying a few.

buying in person:

Another way I drastically reduce my waste in my beauty routine is to buy in person. I can see the colors, I can see what the product feels like.

Since I have sensitive acne-prone skin, I can often tell what’s going to work and what’s not. Almost anytime I’ve ordered something new online, I’ve been really disappointed in a color looking slightly off or the product not performing well.

Credo Beauty is one of my all-time favorite places to shop, but I know Sephora has expanded their clean beauty section quite a bit.

related: 10 Zero Waste Makeup Brands

creating a capsule:

When it comes to creating a capsule makeup collection my best tip is to simply pack like you’re going on vacation.

You’ll typically bring your go-to day look and then one or two extra elements for a bit more of a dramatic evening look.

After whittling everything down, I’ve found that’s all I need.

Now, I’ve tried a bunch of different green mascaras and I’ve tried a lot of lip products. If you would like for me to review each kind I’ve tried, let me know in the comment section down below!

my capsule:

primer:

I do really like to prime my face. For an every day look, I like to combine a little bit of primer and foundation together.

This gives the foundation thinner more natural coverage and it stays pretty much all day. I currently have the Juice Beauty Primer which has a nice glow to it. Since I have oily skin sometimes the glow can be a bit much. But, I certainly don’t have to worry about using any highlighter.

The Juice Beauty Primer comes in a glass bottle.

concealer:

I have tried a few concealers. I’m currently still working my way through my RMS concealer which I think is good. I’ve enjoyed using it and I really like the packaging. It’s packaged with a metal top and glass bottom!

However, I really like the Ilia concealer more, but it is packaged in plastic.

foundation:

I used to exclusively use the Marie Veronique Tinted Sunscreen as my foundation which I love! But, as I’ve started doing a lot more work on camera, I’ve needed something a bit more heavy-duty.

I saw that somewhere that Shailene Woodley used the Vapour Foundation when on set. So, I thought it MUST have a great matte finish for camera so I ordered some online and have been sooooo disappointed. It is so greasy and oily. Since I have oily skin my face is subject to non-stop shine all day no matter how much powder I put on.

I am going to try and finish using the product, but honestly, it’s so bad, I don’t know if I can. After I run out of vapor, I think I’m going to try the RMS foundation which just came out.

powder:

Once again, having oily skin I typically finish up with a powder to prevent any excess shine. I’ve been using the AU Natural Skin Food Powder. I have really enjoyed using this and how well it travels. I got it because they offered refills which I think is super cool! But, currently, on the website, I’m not seeing where they sell the refills.

They might be sold out? But, I think the premise of the powder and how it’s refillable is really cool. The powder also has an SPF of 25 which is a great addition.

blush:

I’ve been using the Ilia Multi-Stick in the color At Last for Blush and on my lips if I’m going for a very nude lip. I really like products that can pull double duty. It’s great to have something that works for both my lips and cheeks!

One of the things I love about Ilia is that they package their products in recycled aluminum.

eyeshadow:

I have two eyeshadow palettes. I have one with more neutral summery colors and I was gifted the Aether Eyeshadow Palette in Amethyst Crystal which is really nice for winter and the holidays.

Even though I’m not a huge fan of the color purple a lot of the colors in the palette are very subtle and I really like wearing them! The palette is made completely from paper.

You will have to remove the small tins and elastic band from the palette before recycling, but it’s really cool how they took their packaging into consideration.

eyelash curler:

This has to be one of my favorite tools in my makeup kit. I was so excited to find a really good eyelash curler that comes with pad refills.

I had my original eyelash curler since high school, but it broke this summer. I used the opportunity to try and find a really heavy-duty curler that should last me for the rest of my life.

Replacement pads used to be very common, but they can be difficult to find these days. When you buy the curler it comes with refills, but if you run out you can purchase them separately.

eyeliner:

I have tried quite a few different types of eyeliners. I’ve tried a few of the pencil eyeliners, but they haven’t done very well staying on my face. I have tried the Juice Beauty Liquid Eyeliner which comes in plastic but works very well as well as the Ilia liquid eyeliner which is packaged in recycled aluminum.

I would say the Juice Beauty is a little more difficult to control because it’s kind of like using a small very flexible paintbrush whereas Ilia is a bit more difficult to get a smooth line because it’s like a rigid felt tip pen.

If the Juice had a bit more structure and the Ilia had a bit more flexibility they’d both be perfect! So, for now, I’m just accepting almost perfect and am pretty happy with that!

mascara:

I have tried five different green, low-waste mascaras and I have to say Ilia has knocked it out of the park. Their mascara is packaged in recycled aluminum like the rest of their products. The mascara stays on all day, it doesn’t flake or run, and it washes off easily at night.

The best part is the brush! Half is a comb and half is a brush. It also has some really nourishing ingredients which strengthens your natural lashes.

perfume:

I like to buy smaller fragrances so I can change them up pretty often. I haven’t found a clean signature scent just yet, but right now I’m really liking MCMC Maine Perfume. It comes in a cute roller bottle that I plan on upcycling once I’m done with it.

lips:

I have tried countless lip products and I’m still looking for THE one that can stay on for a few hours. With so many of these green beauty products, I put it on and after I take one sip of water it’s gone.

If I ever find something that stays on longer than a 20 minutes, I’ll be sure to let you know. And, if you want me to compare and contrast the 10 lip products I’ve tried, let me know in the comment section down below!

Currently, I like the Ilia Multistick in a fine romance I keep this one in my purse which is why it wasn’t featured in the video. I have the tata harper in very popular which I wore for my wedding. It’s a great color, but as far as performance goes it’s just OK. The Ilia Multistick is about the same color and I think it lasts longer.

I also have the Kari Gran Lip Whip which is a good clear gloss like lip balm. It works pretty well and is a staple basic.

That is my 15 product capsule make-up beauty collection! I feel like it can pretty easily take me from day to night and through any situation.

I would really like to try some of the 100% Pure Products and maybe a few of the Besame products? And, I definitely am dying to find some lip products that can stay put. If you have any recommendations please let me know!

7 Ways Your Teens/Tweens Can Go Green and Still Be Cool

It may seem like teens and tweens are only obsessed with SnapChat, VSCO, and Instagram. When they finally look up from their shiny object, they see what’s happening to the world around them and they are concerned.

Specifically, they’re concerned about climate change, and in my experience, they want to take action!

Some of the links below are affiliate links for more information please see my disclosure policy!

Today, we’ll focus on the simple things your teen and tween can do while still being relevant aka ‘cool’. (My son would be so proud of my lingo!)

Both of my sons, a teen and tween, use the swaps listed below, and even their FRIENDS have picked up on it too.

1. skip the straw:

Trying to be zero waste at eateries that only offer disposables can be challenging.  But there are things we can do to reduce our waste even when only disposables are offered. 

Skip the straw and the lid when ordering a fountain drink!  Most times, these items really aren’t needed especially when dining in.

And while you’re at it, skip the bag too.  Most places are getting into the habit of asking if you need one, but if they don’t, make sure you take one only if you really need it.  Or better yet, bring your own!

To take it a step further, for the rare times we order food to-go, we bring our own glass containers to have the food put in instead of individual plastic containers for every individual order.  If the establishment gives us a hard time, we ask them to plate it ‘for here’ and then we simply transfer it to our containers. Also, consider skipping the fortune cookies wrapped in plastic too. 

2. vending machines:

I am convinced there is some sort of magnetic pull between vending machines and kids!  A bag of chips is amongst the usual suspects, along with its accomplice the soft drink. Unfortunately, there’s not a great alternative for the bag of chips but there is for the soft drink!

Often, vending machines will offer soft drinks in plastic, aluminum or glass bottles. GO WITH ALUMINUM! It can be recycled indefinitely. In contrast, only 9% of plastic is recycled, and even then, it’s downcycled.

RELATED: Which is Better for the environment? Glass or Plastic?

3. ditch the spoon:

Ice cream, especially in the summertime, is a staple for our family and we have found a few ways to ditch the waste while enjoying it.  

The ideal zero waste option would be an ice cream cone, thereby eliminating both the spoon and cup! 

But when my kids want a Blizzard, sundae, etc, we bring our metal spoons from home! Or if we forget, my To-Go Ware bamboo utensil set is used as a backup!

Don’t be discouraged if you forget to bring your spoons from time to time.  It took us a couple times to remember to pack them, but eventually we got into the habit.

Important tip – remind the server several times that you don’t want a spoon, straw or lid and understand that sometimes they will still forget!

4. get thrifty:

When my kids need an outfit for a school dance, graduation, bat mitzvah, costume etc., I first look to my friends for hand-me-downs, then venture on to secondhand stores. 

Between those two sources, I can usually scrape together an outfit while still affording my kids to look just as they would if we had gone to a retail store or shopped online.

In my experience, people love to hand-down clothes to people they know. 

Keeping this in mind, I looked at my friends to figure out who has kids slightly older than mine and the same gender and then I asked them if they could keep me in mind for clothes their kids grow out of.  Since I have two boys, clothes are simply passed down from my teen to my tween!

This is not only easy on the environment, but also on the pocketbook!

5. meaningful birthday gifts:

I know I can speak for myself and many others when I say that our kids have more toys than they need.  For birthdays, it got to the point where our kids would open each gift, get excited, play with the toy for a bit (some longer than others) and then move on to the next one.

It seemed disingenuous, unmeaningful and a waste of mostly…plastic. 

In lieu of a gift, you can ask your guests for a donation to a charity!   My kids have asked for donations to Charity: Water, the Brain Cancer Society, Lurie's Children's hospital and more!

They haven't missed the gifts (well, maybe a smidge), but this swap taught them an important lesson in giving back.

6. experience gifts:

Likewise, after so many birthday parties my kids had been to, I thought that there had to be a better way than continuously trying to find a toy that was in the budget (again, usually means something made of plastic) that may or may not actually get played with.

So, we ditched tangible gifts and give experiences instead.  My teen and tween often give the following "gift certificates” to do with their friend receiving it:

• A scoop of ice cream together

• Lunch together

• A movie together

• Bowling together

• The most recent "cool" gift we gave was, 20 one-dollar bills taped together end to end, rolled up and put into a reused box to create the endless roll of dollar bills!  It was a huge hit! 

As a bonus, this type of gift-giving also puts the emphasis on time together for meaningful friendships.

7. lunchtime:

My kids have been using reusable lunchboxes for several years.  I first bought the plastic-type, but they quickly deteriorated so I recently bought a stainless steel one. My tween loves the shiny look, not to mention the compartments!

My teenager's backpack is stuffed to the brim leaving little space, so he opts for our reusable Bees Wrap or the Stasher Bag to pack his sandwich. 

He just started high school and uses one or the other each day. Now, his friends have been asking him about them!  

Goodbye plastic Ziplock baggies!

As you can see, there are a variety of ways that teens can be green while still fitting in and being cool! Some of these simple swaps are so subtle and can be done without even being noticed! But at the same time, I hope they wear their sustainability proudly so that others will follow along too!

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Guest Post: Nicole Boomgaarden, from Chicago, is the founder of imperfectzerowaste.com. She works part-time as a Sr. Business Analyst in the financial industry. Serves as the liaison with local school districts to help them adopt sustainable practices and environmental education. Enjoys playing softball, volleyball, dancing, reading and sharing her knowledge around how to live a greener life on her Instagram account @imperfect_zerowate.

3 Zero Waste Immune Boosters

Want to avoid getting sick this season? I can’t say I blame you! Here are three zero waste immune boosters that will help you stay healthy as can be.

Prevention is always the best method, but if you do wind up getting sick, be sure to check out these zero waste cold and flu remedies. Stay healthy!

fire cider:

Fire cider is not for the faint of heart. I tried making it one year and man was it potent. However, it does a fantastic job of keeping you healthy all winter long.

This potent herbal tonic is designed to produce anti-fungal, antiviral, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory activity in the body. It also increases lymph flow in all parts of the body and blood circulation.

But what exactly is fire cider? Well, it’s essentially a blend of hot, spicy, pungent and sweet flavors all in one, steeped in apple cider vinegar. It’s not particularly tasty either, but it certainly gets the job done.

There are many variations to this tonic, but the original created by Rosemary Gladstar (a master herbalist in the early 1980s) calls for garlic, onions, horseradish, ginger root, hot peppers, sometimes turmeric and often echinacea.

Are you daring enough to give this potent herbal tonic a try? It’s very smelly, so it’s not for everyone, but it’s still one of the most powerful immune boosters on this list, for sure.

You can get all the ingredients for fire cider almost completely waste free. Check your local farmers market to see which ingredients they sell. Using your reusable produce bags, scoop them up and purchase them.

Some items may also be available in bulk food stores (like turmeric). Horseradish can typically be found in a reusable glass bottle.

You can also store the fire cider in a glass jar, making it completely plastic free (yay). Here’s how to make your own DIY fire cider (it’s pretty easy honestly, just requires a little patience).

echinacea:

Echinacea is one of my favorite ways to boost immune support. I love taking it in tea form (Yogi teas are the best – they have quite a few teas with echinacea in it, and their tea bags are completely compostable).

If you prefer a more gentle, tasty way to boost your immune system, I highly recommend drinking one to two cups of echinacea tea a day.

I once drank two cups of echinacea tea a day while both my parents were sick and I swear it kept me healthy. I didn’t catch what they had!

The reason? Echinacea cuts the chances of catching a common cold by 58 percent. It also reduces the duration of colds by almost one and a half days. So, if you are currently sick, it can help you feel better a lot sooner. Who wouldn’t want that, right?

Try taking one to two cups of echinacea tea as soon as you feel under the weather. Or, drink some of it while you have a cold to cut down on its duration. You’ll be glad you did.

You can also try growing echinacea yourself, if you’ve got a green thumb, and dry out the herb for tea. Total zero waste option right there!

ginseng:

Ginseng is an amazing, powerful herb for immune support. In fact, it’s so potent that the Asian varieties of ginseng can fetch as much as $1,000 or more on the market. Yes, you read that right.

My father is actually friends with someone who practices Chinese medicine and he says for a really good ginseng root, you might even pay $25,000 or more! That’s because there’s such huge demand for it, but only so much ginseng in the world. Plus, it takes a while to grow a very good root.

That being said, it’s medicinal properties cannot be overlooked. It’s an adaptogenic herb that supports mental clarity, physical endurance and has antioxidant properties to support heart health.

If you want to try using ginseng for immune support too, I highly recommend looking for the Asian variety, Panax Ginseng, for the best quality.

Whatever you do, make sure to buy it from a well trusted company too, since there are many disreputable manufactures who may sell adulterated ginseng or less than was advertised.

I recommend heading to your local herb store to see what they sell there. Worst comes to worst, you can try to find some ginseng tea from your local artisan tea store.

I believe Yogi teas also sells a tea with Panax Ginseng in it: Green Tea Energy Tea is the name of the blend. While it’s designed to give you an energy boost, the ginseng in it will certainly help protect your immune system as well (and who doesn’t love a product that multitasks, right?). You can compost the tea bags when you’re done.

What are some of your favorite ways to boost your immune system?

Guest Post: Ariana Palmieri is the founder of Greenify-Me.com, a blog dedicated to zero waste living and sustainability. Her work has been featured on MindBodyGreen, Green Matters, The Penny Hoarder and several other publications. Get her free e-book "10 Ways to Reduce Trash" by signing up to her newsletter and learn how to reduce your waste today.