THE SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE
Student performers at Columbia say eco-friendly makeup often doesn’t hold up under stage lights and intense physical demands, forcing them to prioritize durability over sustainability despite growing concerns about waste in the beauty industry.
As brands promote recyclable packaging and cleaner ingredients, dancers and actors say those products can’t handle long wear, sweat or visibility under bright lighting, which creates a trade-off between environmental impact and professional performance.
“Unfortunately, I’ve learned from experience that a lot of brands that offer more sustainable products and packaging don’t hold up as well under stage lights and through intense physical activity,” said Emmie Banayat, a senior dance major.
Some brands have begun pivoting to more eco-conscious makeup packaging.
For example, the makeup company Izzy carries a zero-waste lip gloss and zero-waste eyebrow gel. The products have no outer packaging, instead utilizing reusable mailers made from upcycled materials when shipped.
Junior musical theatre major Destinee Haynes said that waste is an important aspect to consider in the makeup community. On a personal level, Haynes tries to recycle her old bottles and boxes, and uses a reusable cloth for makeup removal.
Haynes said she looks for makeup that enhances her skin’s vibrancy, especially under stage lights that can wash out her appearance. She added that she prioritizes products that are long-lasting and smudge-proof, since performing under hot lights often causes her to sweat.
“I really love Fenty products because of the range of skin tones offered,” Haynes said. “Also, their products make me look less cakey.”
Fenty leans into earth-consciousness with their products, according to their website. The beauty company is cutting down on packaging waste by using recyclable paper boxes, refillable systems and post-consumer recycled materials in its containers. It’s also simplifying recycling with clear product breakdowns and fully recyclable shipping boxes.
While Banayat said sustainability matters, she emphasized that product formulation is just as critical, noting that many waterproof and long-wear cosmetics contain PFAS, chemicals that persist in the environment and are difficult to break down.
“It is concerning, especially when you think about lip liners and other lip products that can be ingested, and mascaras that come into contact with the eye,” Banayat said.
Some students, like senior BFA dance major Areli Ramirez, said that it is important to be more aware of the sustainability of the beauty industry.
“Brands should be more conscious about wasteful packaging,” Ramirez said. “It not only affects the environment, but it shows how much one cares for it and their consumers as well.”
Ramirez added that professionals who use makeup in their field should do research on the type of products they are using and the sustainability behind the brands. She also considers whether brands are ethical, safe and sustainable.
For Banayat, it’s all about balance and being conscious of waste when she can.
“Makeup is something I see a lot of value in as a performer, as it’s a tool I always use in my works to visually alter dancers’ physical appearance to better convey the mood of the work, but all the same, I do try to be conscious of overconsumption when it’s possible,” she said.
Nahyoung Hyun, a senior film and television major and makeup artist, said she dislikes how much plastic is used in the makeup industry, especially with PR packages, which often individually wrap each item in a type of plastic.
There are a few things that Hyun does to reduce waste when doing makeup for film sets, like giving the brushes to the actors and reusing products that they can clean safely.
She also likes to recycle used makeup by giving the products to her younger cousins and girls she babysits.
“I see a lot of people just like buying things to try them,” Hyun said “They don’t like them, and then they don’t do anything with them; and I think that in itself is really wasteful, so I kind of just stick to what I know works for my skin type and what works for me.”
Hyun added that a lot of makeup artists are conscientious, but she said she thinks that the profession itself is wasteful in general. Personally, they try to not get more than what they need for their projects so that waste is minimized.
“I know what people do is sometimes they repackage, eye shadows, blushes, foundations into other packaging, but that means that they have to throw away the original packaging, and while it does save time and it’s really nice and organized, I feel like that is wasteful, so I try to keep everything in its original packaging,” Hyun said.
Copy edited by Matt Brady