The Easiest Way To Reduce Your Plastic Footprint Without Disrupting Your Beauty Routine

There’s this really alarming statistic that I think about constantly: At least 8 million tons of plastic wind up in the oceans every year — the equivalent to dumping one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute (and if nothing is done, the rate is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030). 

The plastic crisis has ballooned into a problem so enormous, it’s sometimes too overwhelming to fully grasp. And while the main culprits are single-use plastics like straws and plastic bags, beauty products — and the way in which we consume them, purchasing and then subsequently tossing them — are also part of the issue (in 2018, more than 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging — out of 35.7 million tons of plastic — were generated in the U.S. alone). 

One way toward a greener, more sustainable future? Adopting a refillable system, which beloved beauty brand Kiehl’s has already begun implementing by making over six of the brand's best-selling body- and hair-care products into refillable vessels, exclusively available at Nordstrom, that hold the same amount as four full-sized bottles, ultimately reducing plastic packaging by 80%. Once your refill pouch is empty, simply drop it off (along with any other beauty empties you may have) at Nordstrom locations in the U.S. and Canada, as part of the retailer’s BeautyCycle program, so that they can be recycled properly. Ahead, we've made it easy to shop Kiehl’s refillables — from the fan-favorite grapefruit liquid body wash to protein-rich shampoos — so you can reduce your plastic footprint now.