Plastic free: Lipstick

After getting all brainiac from her trip to Oz, EnviroWoman decided she needed a GirlyGirl reward.

So she bought lipstick!

One thousand and one. One thousand and two.

Okay, in those two seconds, 90% of TheTestosterones just hit the browser Back button. Bye, bye boys. But come back soon. Maybe next time EnviroWoman will blog about plastic-free hockey pucks or beer. Ya never know.

The other 10% of TheTestosterones diverted their attention from the computer monitor during those 2 seconds to yell over their shoulder ‘HoneyBun, SweetiePie, LoveofMyLifewiththeSmallTightLittleBuns....ya gotta come read this…EnviroWoman is talking lipstick.’ Oh boys, we so love you for that. Brownie points galore! Plus a little plastic-free peck on the cheek from EnviroWoman.

Now that leaves the rest of us Girrrllllsss!!!!!

And women….it’s true, today EnviroWoman celebrates…..miracle of miracles….plastic-free lipstick.

You’ve probably already heard about it, ‘cuz its getting plenty of buzz.

The stuff is Plant Love by Cargo Cosmetics.

EnviroWoman hates to admit it – but I bought it strictly for its packaging!!! Because it’s so revolutionary. Evolutionary, really. The first of its kind in the cosmetics industry. A serious injection of eco-cool.

The lipstick tube is made of PLA…the friendly bioplastic EnviroWoman discovered on her trip to Oz. You know, GoodWitchoftheNorthBioplastic. Made of corn. Completely compostable. Biodegrades within 100 days, into completely benign, non-toxic particles. Greenhouse-gas-neutral. Doesn't even like to call itself 'plastic' bioplastic.

Good, happy-planet stuff.

And they tell me, it’s cruelty-free too. Contains jojoba and shea butter. No petroleum, or mineral oil. No animal byproducts. Never tested on innocent sweet lives.

Good, happy-animal stuff.

And the accompanying box is also completely biodegradable and embedded with wildflower seeds, so you can plant it and watch it grow. (Although a trusted source tells me similar seeded-paper often ‘cooks’ the seeds during the paper-making process. So the seeds never grow.)

There’s 12 girly Plant Love shades. Cargo claims five were ‘designed’ by celebs (like Lindsay Lohan, and Evangline Lily) Yeah, like I really believe that, and do I really care. The other 7 shades were inspired by natural beauty (like Canada’s own Nahinni, or the US’s Yellowstone). Well, I kinda believe that, but it’s probably just marketing fluff, and again, do I really care.

As with any lipstick, there are two fundamental tests its gotta pass:

1. Numero Uno is….staying power. EnviroWoman rates it as about a 5 outta 10.
2. Numero Dos is the ‘kissable’ taste-test. TheBeast gives it an 8 (but she’d rate any kiss from MyHuman as an 8 - even if it truthfully tasted DoggyDooDooRaunchy. She loves me. I love her). On the other hand, MyMcDreamy gives it a 4. EnviroWoman has to admit, my immediate reaction to the first application was 'Ugh, this is a bit DoggyDooDooRaunchy’. TheBeast will probably love it.’ But, it seems to taste better now (maybe I’m just so determined to like this stuff, my objectivity is all puckered up).

Despite this, let’s all blow a kiss to Cargo – for being the first in the industry to use PLA bioplastics. And let’s hope they are not the last. Let’s hope this is the sign of things to come.

Because…..be honest Girrllllss – have you ever, ever, ever tossed an empty lipstick tube in the recycling bin? Probably not. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen any marked with a recycling symbol. My BodyShop lipsticks from 2006 aren’t. So most lipsticks should never grace your recycling bin….and if you’re tossing them there…you’re just fooling yourself. A plastic that isn’t marked with a Plastic Resin Code shouldn’t be recycled.

And hugs to anyone who buys Plant Love. Not just because they’re supporting an eco-friendly product and helping to build demand, but also because they’re forking out a whopping $20 bucks a tube. Although, Cargo buffers this by donating $2 to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. (EnviroWoman wonders….why wouldn’t an eco-friendly product donate its money to an eco-friendly environmental cause?)

So here’s how things add up:

Category: Lipstick
SAINT: Plant Love by Cargo….made of corn-based compostable bioplastic. Bonus points for being cruelty-free.
Price: $20.
Quality: Not as long-lasting as others, but not bad. Okay colors, though some are a bit too sparkly, even for this GirlyGirl.
SINNER: Body Shop (you don’t know how much it pains me to say that), L’Oreal, Revlon, Cover Girl, Lise Watier, Marcelle, Almay...oh hell, all of 'em...

Lessons Learned:

• Ya gotta support the trailblazers when they appear to be blazing the right trail. Give them your money. Create the demand. Follow them as they walk you into a better future.
• Vanity should do no harm. In an ideal world (which hopefully we’ll get to in EnviroWoman's lifetime) something as frivioulous as makeup shouldn’t hurt the planet…or any of its creatures.
• Beasts love unconditionally, even when your kisses are DoggyDooDooRaunchy. We need more beasts in the world.