My mum came home with two new Ecotools make up brushes last week. Having an ecologist as a daughter I think she feels a certain amount of pressure to support “eco” brands. Therefore when she was faced with a zillion make up brushes in the shop, she chose the option that she thought I would approve of. Three letters, “eco” have huge marketing potential.
I have long wanted to test out these brushes. After a childhood in modelling- being at the working end of make up, a passion for doing my own make-up along with ecology degree and being on a budget, I thought I was from a pretty good stand point to write a review.
Mum bought two brushes, a foundation and a micro blending brush (I’m pretty sure she didn't know what that meant…) each costing £7.99. Make-up brushes can cost a lot less or a lot lot more, making these brushes pretty cost effective. They feel sturdy and solid, I’m hoping they are long lasting- which would make them more cost efficient not to mention more sustainable.
They are so soft! Application and use is so easy, they aren't particularly streaky when I apply both mine and my mum’s make up. My mum isn't clued up when it comes to applying her make up he even applies her own (!) and finds it easy and agrees that they’re nice to use. I check out reviews for the brushes and most people are pretty happy with their brushes, with a lot of talk of the softness of the bristles- which I agree with.
The environmental credentials information comes from their website. They are cruelty free, vegan, they are made from recycled aluminium and plastic, they are “tree free” as they are made from cotton and bamboo. Bamboo in my opinion is particularly good, as it is very fast growing, using very little water and is renewable. From their website I see that they are running an initiative to promote sustainable growth too.
However. I am hugely disappointed with Ecotools. Those three letters “eco”, as mentioned, hold a huge marketing power. They are clearly market leaders on sustainable “eco” make up brushes. Ecotools has a responsbility, by using those three letters in there name, to be, ecologically friendly. Many “eco” brands have faced backlash over greenwashing, which basically market a product as “green” to sell the product even if it’s not environmentally friendly.
The massive amount of plastic, even if it is recycled, that packages the brushes, is frankly disgusting. We all know the dangers that plastic poses to the natural environment, and I have seen for myself the impact ocean bore plastic wrapping has on Turtle populations. But it is not only the physical problem that this plastic that Ecotools produces that is the problem. Ecotools has a fantastic opportunity to reach an important demographic, of impressionable young women, to educate about plastic, and packaging. They visit a huge high street chain, and are faced with the opportunity to buy their favourite product that PLASTIC PACKAGING FREE, but Ecotools miss this opportunity. This plastic, in my opinion makes these brushes far from ECO.
Ecotools has a responsibility to take a no plastic pledge. Their motto is “Discover the many ways Ecotools can make you look and feel beautiful while making the world around you a more beautiful place too.” Plastic pollution does not make our world a more beautiful place, Ecotools.
Ecotools need to step up. Their ethos is commendable, they have made a good start on keeping up with their namesake “eco” and their products are great. However, in order to avoid being labelled as a corporate greenwash, selling on the “eco” market, they really need to do more to take a no plastic pledge and ditch their plastic packaging. I understand it may be hard to keep brushes clean and safe through sale, but there must be a way sell these brushes (hemp sack?) that fits with the true “eco” labelling.
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