Beauty At the Intersection of Gender Inequality and Plastic Crisis

We became alarmed by the plastic we were throwing away as part of our "beauty" routine. What really shook us to the core was the disproportionate impact waste has on developing communities, particularly on women and girls. 

Women are among the most vulnerable groups of the urban poor and make up the majority of informal waste pickers, exposing them to health hazards and social stigma while consistently earning less than male counterparts that more often are included formal employment. Systemic inequalities limit disadvantaged women’s capacity to overcome these challenges and environmental risks.

The quick decisions we make to better fit into the "beauty standards" set by profit-driven companies are hurting our sisters. Women are, after all, the main producers of plastic waste in beauty and personal care products.  

This #iwd, we reclaim our "beauty."

Beauty need not hurt. Our beauty is in our big hearts and minds that enable us to care, to protect, to create, to innovate. This is how circular beauty is different from beauty as we know it.      

Source: SEA Circular Issue Brief 2: Gender equality and preventing plastic pollution