Letter Asking for Low-Waste Makeup
Week 24
This week I learned about the environmental impact of makeup and how both the plastic packaging and some synthetic ingredients are problematic. I made a list of sustainable makeup brands, but there are still plenty of companies that need us consumers to ask for change. So, this week's letter requests that they phase out plastics and offer low-waste makeup options. Use this template to write to your favorite makeup brand.
Good afternoon,
My name is Ali and I've been using Maybelline Makeup since middle school. Now, as a 34 year old woman with a baby on the way, I’ve started to notice how much waste I’ve been contributing to our earth, including from your plastic makeup containers.
I’m writing to see if you’ll consider making more environmentally friendly makeup containers. I know that some of your products can be recycled via Terracycle, but that feels like a temporary solution since the EPA has reported that only 8% of plastics are actually recycled. The rest end up in landfills, where they will take hundreds of years to break down, or in our waterways, where they break down into microplastics that cause 100,000 marine animal deaths every year. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Not to mention the manufacturing of plastic uses oil and causes pollution.
I’m aware that nothing can happen overnight, but at least working towards phasing out plastics would be a huge step in the right direction. Perhaps you could look into packaging your products with compostable paperboard and bamboo or infinitely recyclable glass jars and metal tins.
It's no secret that plastics have become increasingly problematic and our earth is suffering from the exorbitant amount of waste produced by humans. More and more people are becoming aware of these issues and working towards a brighter, cleaner future for the next generation, so I'm certain your consumers would be thrilled to see Maybelline take a stand in reducing waste and protecting our environment.
Thank you for your time,
Ali Hall