Happy Earth Day!

When Earth Day became a thing in 1970, the goal was to raise awareness about environmental issues, which weren’t exactly at the top of holiday-dinner debate topics. 51 years later, there’s no denying the damage us humans have done to the planet, and we’re reminded of it every day in the form of recycling bins, electric cars, the poo-pooing of plastic and so much more. As more and more people become environmentally “woke,” several terms have infiltrated our lexicon—and Allure magazine is taking a stand in hopes of getting the beauty industry on the sustainability bandwagon.

The publication raised (un-Botoxed) eyebrows a few years ago when the term “anti-aging” was banned from its pages, and now they’ve set their sights on the “greenwashing” that has become all too pervasive. Among the latest words you’ll never see in Allure again is “recyclable,” because only 9% of plastic waste produced is turned into something that is actually used again. You can also say sayonara to “Earth-friendly,” “eco-friendly,” “planet-friendly” and other terms that imply a product’s packaging is “biodegradable” since there is no specific timeframe associated with its decomposition, and most landfills don’t have enough oxygen to break these materials down. “Compostable” will only be used when a product has been shown to get broken down in a residential composter within three months. And lastly, “green” is now limited to describing the actual color. 

This is a bold move on the magazine’s part, and hopefully it helps raise awareness not only in beauty junkies like myself, but the world at large. I personally try my best to treat every day like Earth Day, but I know I have a ways to go. Just remember, taking small steps (like replacing disposable cotton rounds with reusable ones) can add up to reduce our carbon footprints—as long as we all do our parts.