Single-use products, like makeup wipes and applicators, can be especially handy if you're traveling often. But one post shared on Reddit's r/Anticonsumption forum is sparking hostility toward an influencer and their single-use products.
The Instagram video referenced by the post shows an influencer picking out single-use, individually wrapped plastic products to pack into her travel bag. "Stuff like this really frustrates me: influencers promoting excessive one-time use items as 'must haves'," the poster wrote.
Disposable wipes, including both household cleaning and beauty varieties, come with numerous environmental impacts. The wipes are often laced with plastics or artificial materials like polyester or rayon. When the wipes break down in the environment, they can be eaten by wildlife, release microplastic particles into the soil, or clog sewers and water treatment facilities if improperly flushed.
Consumers have more options than ever in choosing sustainable beauty alternatives. Several companies, like MAC Cosmetics and Sephora, offer recycling programs for individuals to return their packaging to stores to keep the products out of the waste stream.
As for single-use products like these wipes, it's clear that consumers need to be mindful of the amount that they use and seek biodegradable or multi-use products instead. Although this influencer's collection of beauty products may win points on the aesthetic front, it just contributes to the increasing waste issue across the globe.
Moreover, the role social media influencers play in creating acceptable aesthetic standards only seems to make the problem worse. The more people see this collection as desirable, the more pervasive the issue becomes.
Reddit users weren't surprised by the influencer's collection. "This makes me violent…," one user wrote.
Several other users questioned the influencer's packaging choice. "Why does everything need a specific wipe?? Pour a little water on a napkin or paper towel… boom, wipe," another user commented.
"Literally just pack soap and deodorant," one user suggested.
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