Is it time to Marie Kondo your beauty cabinet?

Did you know the average woman uses 16 different beauty products every single day? Sixteen!

Everyday vast numbers of ‘new and exciting’ cosmetics are launched onto the market, sadly often solely to generate more income for the (usually multi-national) brands releasing them. For me, the one product I’ve seen reinvented most often is the humble mascara; really, how many brushes, volumizing formulas or lengthening promises can there be?

Many of us fall victim to effective marketing tools that speak directly to a pain point that we may be suffering from, or conversely, alluringly us to buy for pleasure. Eeeeeek, as my husband would certainly agree, I have fallen victim more times than I care to admit to, being sucked into purchasing the new ‘this and that’, often using the purchased product very few times, admitting I was manipulated yet again, before swiftly tossing it in the bin with my very accurate bowling arm.

Sadly, the skincare market is often driven to encourage people to want things as opposed to helping them invest in what they genuinely need for good skin health. And many companies are driven to have you believe you must invest in myriads of different products that may do that liiiiiiiittle something different, when really often a great multi-tasker that serves various functions (such as the Indira Organics Pigmentation Serum which hydrates, lightens pigmentation, plumps the skin,  exfoliates and heals) is often a much wiser investment.

Quite simply, consumption of beauty products is out of control. We are over-consuming at a truly phenomenal rate. And for what reason? Because we are after the next best product? Because that new product is sparkly and new and promises the world? Or simply because it’s cheap? Perhaps there’s no harm in reminding ourselves that as recent as 60 years ago we used to wash our hair once a week, and a little further back in the early 1900s, makeup was reportedly only worn by women with loose morals. Oh, how dramatically things have changed!

As consumers, we are consistently told we need to consume more beauty products, however have you ever taken to time to think about how your consumption impacts sustainability?

Have you ever asked the question, what skincare products are essential in my skincare routine? Or perhaps, what products do I use that help me achieve the healthiest, most radiant skin? Of course, there is no perfect generic solution to this question, as what one person believes they need can be incredibly different from the next. And also, more often than not, there is likely a mismatch between what people think they need and what they actually do need.

At Indira Organics we vet the question of what should I use for x? very regularly. And what we often suggest is that people invest in one of our targeted Everyday Packs – containing a Cleanser to prep the skin, a Serum and Moisturiser for day use and an oil for night use. So often this is all most people need to dramatically improve the quality of their skin. Not only does a little go a long way for all of our products, but the products if used sparingly help our customers achieve truly glowing skin because they are packed with high performance, non-toxic ingredients that feed the skin.

In an age where so many of us are trying to do the right thing and reduce our carbon footprint, maybe it’s time to do a Marie Kondo on our own beauty cabinet. Maybe it’s time to clear out the products that don’t serve you, or better still, make conscious choices before parting with that hard earned cash, and think hard about what products to actually bring into your cabinet in the first place. Maybe it’s time to think about Skincare Minimalisation.

In line with this concept another really great question is, would my skin benefit from using fewer products? Again, this is a very personal decision, but there is evidence that suggests that layering too many products, especially ones with active ingredients, can be very damaging to the skin barrier (which fundamentally helps protect us from the environment), often causing irritation, dryness or oiliness. As is the case for most things, too much of anything can be a problem! So it’s worth considering minimising your routine, choosing the products that really produce results.

Ultimately most of us use beauty products for enjoyment or to solve a skin issue. Here at Indira Organics we want to help change the conversation around skincare sustainability where low consumption of quality products equates to sustainable beauty. Where a mix of simplicity and quality equals results. We focus on formulating beauty product that you know is going to do what you want it to do and our customers appreciate us for this.