The ultimate biodegradable festival beauty kit that every eco warrior needs this summer
It wouldn't be proper festival beauty without a bit (or a lot) of glitter and, we'll admit, we're first in line for a full face of the sparkling stuff.
But a lot of our fave festival beauty products have come under fire recently for being environmentally problematic, especially when it comes to glitter, with some varieties composed of non-biodegradable micro-plastics. These tiny components cannot be recycled or broken down and end up polluting our eco-systems and our oceans, meaning it's better to find biodegradable glitter alternatives.
To make matters worse, some other festival essentials are equally as troubling. Wet wipes are a prerequisite for keeping fresh during festivals, but they are also causing havoc with the environment. Many types of wipes are non-biodegradable and manufactured using plastics, and are the direct cause behind 93% of UK sewers' blockages.
The good news is, you can still have all the festival fun you like with the plethora of eco-friendly alternatives emerging from within the beauty industry. Projekt Glitter and Disco Dust London supply biodegradable glitter in every imaginable colour.
Then comes the clean up at the end of the day, with a wide array of biodegradable wipes available, and more and more beauty brands switching up their offerings to be more sustainable. From FemFresh's flushable and biodegradable wipes that are handy when you can't face the public showers, to Hair By Sam McKnight's Lazy Girl Hair Cleanse Cloths that are made from biodegradable tree pulp and promise to rid roots of greasy while delivering a burst of fine fragrance to hair, to Simple's biodegradable makeup removing wipes, there's an eco-friendly wipe for every possible need.
Here, we round up a few of our favourite environmentally and pollution-free festival essentials.
Find out more about sustainable eco-beauty products, and the ultimate festival outfits to inspire you.
Toothpaste Tabs
Pärla Toothpaste Tabs, £7, Boots
Plastic-free and travel-friendly, pop one of these toothpaste tabs in your mouth and give them a chew before brushing as normal.
Intimate Wipes
FemFresh Intimate Wipes, £2.50, Boots
We're usually advocates of the only-water approach when it comes to vagina care, but festivals are one of the occasions where wipes can be a great alternative to public showers.
Menstrual Cup
Mooncup Reusable Menstrual Cup, £15.58, Holland & Barrett
Mooncups were made for festivals; not only do they not need to be emptied as often as a tampon needs to be changed but you also don't need to dispose of anything in a sanitary bin. Simply wash out with water and reuse.
Biodegradable Makeup Wipes
Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Wipes, £1.80, Boots
Fuss-free and no water required, these biodegradable wipes will remove all traces of makeup and daily grime without costing the Earth.
Tampon Disposal Bag
Fab Little Bag Tampon Disposal Bag, £8.08, Amazon
Finding a functioning toilet during a festival is hard enough, let alone one with a sanitary bin. Rather than flushing your tampon (haven't you heard about period pollution?), pop them in these biodegradable, sealable disposal bags until you find a proper bin.
Biodegradable Glitter
Pure Ocean Mixed Biodegradable Glitter Set, £15, Projekt Glitter
Channel your inner mermaid glitter goddess with these fun glitter tubes. The glitter is made from plants, rather than plastics, meaning it's totally ocean-friendly.
Biodegradable Glitter
Biodegradable Glitter, £5, Disco Dust London
Get your festival glitter on with Disco Dust London and their rainbow range of ultra-fine glitter powders. Sprinkle on hair or else dab onto skin using a touch of lip balm to make it stick.
Hair Cleansing Cloths
Hair By Sam McKnight Lazy Girl Hair Cleanse Cloths, £17, Hair By Sam McKnight
These biodegradable wipes are the perfect solution to greasy roots (minus any white residue). Simply wipe over the hair line and massage through the parting to remove product build up and excess oil.
