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Beauty

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE!

How to enjoy guilt-free glitter with the eco alternatives that shine on without hurting the planet.

As part of our ‘Positive Change’ sustainability programme, last April we stopped selling beauty products containing plastic based glitter. The problem with glitter is, like all other plastic, it doesn’t biodegrade. It lasts forever, essentially. Anyone who’s ever spilled glitter can relate to that statement, but the real problem is when it’s washed down the drain. It enters water streams contributing to pollution of our oceans, and damaging precious ecosystems. Plastics have been found in the stomach contents of numerous organisms, including earthworms, birds, turtles, dolphins and whales.

However, this doesn’t mean we’ve banned all things sparkle. You can still get your fix with some non – plastic alternatives. The good news is we’ve done the homework for you so you can shop safe in the knowledge that all of the products you’ll find in our beauty halls don’t contain harmful glitter. So, to paraphrase a sparkly sentiment, when you shine, the whole world shines with you.

By removing all micro-plastic glitter products from our beauty offer, we hope to inspire our customers to buy responsibly, seek alternatives and make positive, sustainable lifestyle changes. Microplastics and single-use plastics have proven to have a very damaging effect on marine life and many consumers are not aware that cosmetic glitter contains microplastics.
Diana Geraghty, Head of Sustainability for Brown Thomas Arnotts

Main image created by Sara Shakeel exclusively for Brown Thomas