What Nobody Tells You About Sustainable Beauty
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Do you remember those early pandemic days when business happened with pajamas on the bottom with a nice shirt on top and a polished Zoom-ready face? I do. I was on one of those calls. I had joined a group coaching program for small business owners, hoping to grow Corvus Beauty with the same care I’d use to tend my medicinal garden—slow, steady, and grounded.
But what I heard on that call rocked me, to put it bluntly.
One of the members, a maker of handmade tumblers, asked how she could compete with other vendors selling mass-produced versions of her product at craft markets. She explained—honestly, and with visible frustration—that the competitor was still labeling their mass-made goods as handmade because technically someone in a factory touched the machine during manufacturing. It was a quiet kind of deception… the kind that slips through unnoticed unless you’re paying close attention.
The coach’s answer? “Technically, it counts. You gotta do what you gotta do to scale.”
Then came the sales pitch: a high-ticket mastermind for “serious” entrepreneurs who wanted to hit seven figures.
I turned my camera off and just sat there, stunned. Not because I didn’t expect this in the business world—but because I suddenly realized how commonplace it had become to sacrifice values in the name of profit. No transparency. No pause to consider the environmental impact. Just a push to scale, scale, scale.
And that’s when it hit me: This is what nobody tells you about sustainable beauty.
It’s not just about using “clean” ingredients. It’s not just about swapping one product for another with a prettier label. True sustainability—the kind rooted in reciprocity, science, and long-term care—asks us to look beyond the marketing and question what we’ve been sold.
So I dug in. I researched. I reflected. And what I uncovered were four simple actions backed by both ecological science and common sense. They’re not flashy. But they matter more than any buzzword ever could.
1. Buy Less: The Most Radical Thing a Beauty Brand Can Say
Let’s start with the big one: buy less.
This might seem counterintuitive—especially coming from a brand that sells haircare. But I believe saying it out loud is one of the most radical, regenerative things we can do.
Because let’s be honest: the beauty industry is built on excess. In 2022 alone, the global beauty market was valued at over $430 billion, with thousands of new products flooding the market each year [1]. We’re taught to believe that more is better—that we need 10-step routines, seasonal hauls, and a shelf full of “solutions” for problems we didn’t even know we had.
But the planet cannot sustain our excesses. And neither can our nervous systems.
Using less doesn’t mean neglect. It means returning to what’s essential. Choosing multi-use products that do their job well. And trusting your hair and skin enough to stop overcomplicating things.
That’s why I created shampoo and conditioner bars that last, replacing 2–3 bottles each, and still deliver salon-quality results. They’re designed to be long-lasting, not to be rebought every four weeks. It’s not the sexiest marketing message, but it’s the truth. And it’s what I want my business to stand for.
2. Waste Less: Love What You Already Have
Sustainability isn’t about replacing everything overnight. It’s about learning to love what you already have.
According to the EPA, personal care products are a significant contributor to municipal solid waste, with over 7.9 billion units of rigid plastic created annually just from beauty packaging in the U.S. alone [2]. That’s shampoo bottles, lotion pumps, serum droppers—most of which are not recyclable through curbside programs due to mixed materials.
The first thing I tell my customers is: Finish what you’ve already got.
Squeeze every last drop from the bottle. Use the bar until it’s a sliver. Repurpose that jar. Because true sustainability starts with a pause. With the discipline to say: “I’ll use what I have first.”
And when you do need to replace a product, consider:
– Does this have innovative, minimal or no packaging?
– Is the product long-lasting or made with reducing waste in mind?
– Is this something I’ll actually use, and be able to use up by its shelf life?
This small shift in mindset has ripple effects. When we stop treating beauty products as disposable, we also stop treating the earth—and ourselves—that way.
3. Reduce Single-Use Plastic: One Bar = Up to 3 Bottles
Plastic waste is one of the most visible (and overwhelming) issues in the beauty industry. But here’s what’s empowering: just one small switch can make a big impact.
Let’s say you use one shampoo bottle per month. That’s 12 bottles per year—24 if you count conditioner. Over a decade, that’s 240 plastic bottles, per person. Multiply that by the millions using conventional products, and the scale becomes hard to fathom.
That’s why reducing single-use plastic is one of the most scientifically supported ways to lower your environmental impact. A recent study published in Environmental Science & Technology found that plastic production and incineration create over 850 million tons of greenhouse gases annually [3].
By switching to shampoo and conditioner bars, you’re not just reducing packaging—you’re potentially cutting some carbon emissions, energy use, and microplastic pollution downstream. Our bars come in minimal, recyclable paper sleeves, and replace up to 2–3 bottles each. It’s a small act, yes. But imagine the impact if a majority of us made that switch.
4. Simplify Your Routine: Beauty That’s Slow on Purpose
We’ve been conditioned to believe that results require complex, multi-step routines. Capitalism thrives on a mentality of “more, more, more,” but less is more when caring for skin and hair.
In fact, dermatologists and trichologists agree that over-treating can often do more harm than good. Scalp microbiome imbalance, product buildup, and chronic irritation are often the result of too many conflicting ingredients used at once [4].
Simplifying your routine doesn’t just reduce waste—it restores balance. It gives your skin and hair time to breathe. It’s an invitation to slow down and reconnect with your own rhythm.
At Corvus Beauty, we design every product to support that kind of simplicity. One bar, and one slow, sacred ritual at a time.
Final Thoughts: What It Really Means to Take Your Beauty Ritual Seriously
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: sustainability isn’t just about what you buy. It’s about what you believe in. It’s about asking the hard questions. Who made this? How was it sourced? Will it nourish me—and the earth?
The beauty industry won’t tell you this, because it thrives on your over-consumerism. But I’m here to remind you: you don’t need more. You just need better.
Better products. Better values. Better rhythms that allow you to live your beauty ritual as a form of connection—with the land, with your body, and with the season you’re in.
And when you’re ready to make that shift, our bars will be waiting. Grounded in science. Made with intention. Ready to support your ritual and lighten your footprint.
Because sustainability isn’t a trend. It’s a return.
A return to simplicity. To reciprocity. To slow, intentional care—for your hair, your body, and the living world we’re all a part of.
Ready to simplify your routine and start small with a big impact?
Our shampoo and conditioner bars replace about 2-3 plastic bottles, are salon-quality, and made with pH-balanced herbalist formulas your hair will love.
And if you’re new to holistic haircare, grab our FREE Holistic Haircare Cheatsheet to learn how to reduce waste, simplify your routine, and nurture your natural beauty—inside and out.
Sources:
[1] Statista, Global Beauty & Personal Care Market, 2022
[2] Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Municipal Solid Waste Facts and Figures, 2021
[3] Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Plastic & Climate Report, 2019
[4] Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, “Microbiome and Hair Care,” 2020