For the past couple of years I have slowly been working towards a more eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle. Products that don’t test on animals, don’t contain harmful chemicals, are vegan, etc, etc. And while these choices are becoming a popular trend the next biggest issue to address is… what do I do with the packaging when I’m done with the product?

Lush has always been the leader in eco-friendly products so when I tore open my package from them and found the devil’s packing peanuts I was shocked. And luckily in disbelief too, because I went to their Instagram page and was relieved to find they have a whole Insta-story on their packaging and the proper ways to dispose of each element!

If your package contains:

• Packing peanuts- they are plant based and therefore biodegradable! Lush offers two recommendations for their disposal, either add them to your compost bin or dissolve them under water
• Cellophane wrappers- these are also biodegradable, so follow the instructions above
• The box and tape- both are made out of paper so they can go in your recycling bin hand-in-hand

Aside from the shipping materials Lush is the forerunner in recyclable AND naked product packaging! Never heard of naked? It simply means there’s no container to dispose of after you’ve used up the goods! Shampoo and conditioner bars, body scrubs and lotions can all be purchased naked and kept at home in a reusable vessel. I personally own a few Lush tins that can be purchased in store and continue to reuse their black pots I have from past Lush purchases!

For the products that are not able to be sold naked Lush has my favorite recycling policy because it comes with a gift! For every five black pots you collect, (clean out!) and return you are rewarded with a free fresh face mask!

I love seeing trends sway in the direction of sustainability but as we become more aware of what ingredients are in our products we also need to consider how all the elements of that product will effect our planet. Where the product is made and how, the working conditions and wage of the employees, who the product was tested on, where the ingredients derived from, how will I dispose of it at the end of its use? Sustainability needs to be more than a trend, but a lifestyle choice!

With that in mind, Lush is a great brand to start your sustainability adventure with and they have plenty more resources for you right on their website! Happy Shopping!