If you only buy one thing this week…
Facial wipes.
Use a flannel or face cloth like FaceHalo, £7 (boots. com) With nothing more than a splash of water, the special fibres of this pad will remove all make-up and it can be machine washed up to 200 times.
Plastic-stemmed cotton buds.
Biodegradable bamboo or paper-stemmed alternatives.Try bamboo cotton buds, £2.49 for 100 (boobalou.co.uk) sells eco-refill pouches and Ren offers refillable versions of its best-selling products. Guerlain and Charlotte Tilbury now offer refill options on lipsticks.
Plastic pots
Opt for glass jars which make the perfect home for your moisturisers and serums. Glass can be recycled again and again. It will also preserve and protect the product inside.
Plastic razors
Choose a safety razor, which is completely free of plastic materials and lasts for years.Try Edwin Jagger Kelvin Chrome Plated, £14.15 (amazon.co.uk).
SVR Ampoule Protect E-Shield SPF30, £30 (feelunique.com) with vitamin E and watercress extracts, delivers a triple whammy of skin benefits.
It traps free radicals on the surface of the skin; reduces the effects of photo-aging (wrinkles and dehydration) and reduces dark-spots. Use like a serum under moisturiser or on top of make-up for sun protection.
Single-use products.
Refillable or supersize products available in everything from shampoos to soaps and make-up. Clarins Everlasting Cushion Foundation Refill, £24 (John Lewis) comes in little cartons to pop in and out for reuse. L’Occitane
Plastic toothbrush Buy a sustainable bamboo version which is both vegan and dentist approved, £3.99 (thehumble.co)
Roll-on deodorants Try a natural deodorant such as The Natural Deodorant Co, £12.50 (naturaldeoco.com).
There are plenty of brands who are looking to reduce single-use plastic. Ren is using recycled and recyclable plastics and refillable solutions and working to bring zero waste by 2021. Garnier is working with Terracycle to offer a recycling scheme, which recycles any brand of product that can’t be recycled via council systems. Download a freepost label from the Terracycle website and send empty packaging for recycling. John Lewis has launched BeautyCycles which collects empty make-up and skincare containers and recycles or composts them. While Lush has introduced packaging-free cosmetics. Smaller brands like Nereus London are making their mark with innovative ideas and fabulous ingredients. Once you start looking for products with recyclable packing you’ll be spoilt for choice, here’s our pick the best.