Beauty Clean Beauty

3 Tips for Making Your Skin-Care Routine Super Sustainable, According to Clean-Beauty Maven Josie Maran

Well+Good Editors

November 26, 2019

Be honest: How many times have you thought that switching to a sustainable, clean skin-care routine means giving up on the next-level glow you're chasing?

Hold on to your jade roller—because according to Josie Maran, founder and CEO of Josie Maran Cosmetics, the two aren't mutually exclusive.

"We as beauty consumers have been taught that if you go green and clean you will have to sacrifice the performance of the products," says Maran. "But this is not true anymore—people like me have committed their lives to finding better, healthier ways to create beauty with a conscience, and with quality and efficacy in mind so you can have what I call 'chic-ological' beauty." (Add that to your beauty dictionary stat.)

To help you kick off your earth-friendly skin-care regimen, Maran has a few sustainability tips to make the process as smooth as your future complexion.

Keep scrolling for 3 skin-care sustainability tips to help give your routine a clean makeover.

1. Donate, send, or up-cycle your empty containers

Before you get to the products to add to your collection, first rid yourself of the stuff you've already used. Through Josie Maran's partnership with TerraCycle, you can send in your empties to be given a new life—which is crazy easy yet totally impactful.

"You're ensuring your waste will be properly recycled and that you're doing your part to live a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle," says Maran.

But if you'd rather keep a few jars, Maran suggests using them as vases or planters for flowers or succulents. "Our Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter jar is a favorite amongst fans as a pot for succulents," Maran adds.

As for those second-string products you know will never be a priority in your makeup pouch? Donate them to a local shelter so they don't expire and eventually go to waste.

*Photo: Josie Maran (Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter)*

2. Start swapping out your products

Now, let's take a look at your skin-care collection. If you notice you're running low on a specific product (say your go-to serum or moisturizer), the next time you run out for a refill, opt for a cleaner version of it instead. Simple enough, huh?

"Once you start finding new favorites, challenge yourself to replace more until the majority of your routine is sustainable," Maran says. "A great place to start is with our Nothing But Pure kit." With two travel sizes of 100% Pure Argan Oil and Skin Dope Hemp Seed Oil (both cult faves), you'll be able to take each for a test drive before officially integrating the full sizes into your everyday routine.

3. Tell companies how you feel

To invoke sustainable changes on a larger scale, you have to share what you think when you think it—and not just with your Instagram followers. "Let the companies you love know how important it is for them to be more sustainably minded in their practices," Maran says. "We have to keep reminding each other to work towards a greener future."

Actually, go ahead and put it on the ’gram—just don't forget to tag all the brands you follow. Now, all that's left to to do is get cozy with your greener, cleaner skin-care essentials—and post some #nofilter pics to boot, because it's time to spread the word that planet-friendly beauty is selfie-friendly beauty, too.