Shannon KeoughGoing green has gone further with the introduction of eco-friendly jewelry and makeup. The start of this year has brought a new trend and this year jewelry and makeup are being designed to help the environment.
Clays and woods are being used in the production of these tools and makeup. They contain more natural resources to help decrease the negative effects placed on the environment and women’s skin.
Many women use and wear makeup and jewelry to enhance their appearance. Caring about everyday-appearance-means buying hair care and skin care products, cleansing daily and using cosmetics such as makeup.
Women tend to be the target audience by the cosmetics industry, as it tries to sell products which guarantee to make women look younger, thinner and more attractive.
According to thegoodhuman.com, when it comes to makeup, the average woman absorbs five pounds of makeup a year. Some of these products are not regulated to a level that would make most people feel safe about putting chemicals on themselves. The majority of these products contain chemical ingredients as well as potentially toxic agents that are not even included on the label. There are, however, affordable and healthier alternatives available.
“I use M.A.C. because I like how they encourage consumers to recycle their empty makeup containers by giving free eye shadow when you bring them in, because I think going green is really important,” Diipali Figgles, sophomore political science major,
said. “I also use Bare Minerals because their natural ingredients are a lot better for my skin and I definitely feel the difference.
These companies also don’t test on animals, which I think is really important to support.”
Choosing green personal care products means choosing plant-based ingredients in replacement of chemicals. This prevents these chemicals from being absorbed into people’s skin and ultimately damaging their skin in the future.
Skin is the largest organ on the human body and between soaps, lotions or sunscreen use, skin absorbs about 60 percent of the products placed on the body.
“I think it’s worth it to use environmentally-friendly makeup, because I don’t think animals should die so I can look pretty. This makeup may be more expensive but it’s worth it. Plus, it makes you look just as good as any other makeup would anyway,” Kelsey Wetmore, freshman criminology major, said.
Jewelry is now being designed to capture the beauty of nature. With the environment as a top priority, many buyers are considering recycled jewelry. The wires and metals used are now being recycled and scraps left over after designing jewelry are also reused and recycled. Some jewelry companies are also cutting back on their use of chemicals or adhesives commonly found in many pieces, including Dawes Design, Socially Conscious and Bottled Up Designs.
Natural resources can be building blocks to any trendy piece of jewelry. Gold, silver and gemstones are extracted from the earth through mining, which impacts the environment. Vintage jewelers offer countless choices that incorporate these natural resources such as clay or wood. Manufacturers are also now using recycled metals and gemstones in new pieces.
“I would probably buy eco-friendly jewelry because it looks cool and I like the natural looking materials, but wouldn’t say I would go out and buy it because it was eco-friendly,” Arianna Bennett, sophomore psychology major, said.
Recently, there has been an emphasis on more earth-friendly products by going green. New methods of living an eco-conscious life have proven to help the planet now and in the future. Consumers now have the opportunity to purchase expendable items and women now have the opportunity to look trendy and help the environment.
