The One Mindset Shift This Beauty Expert Wants You To Make When Living Sustainably

"It's about passion, not perfection. If you hold too high of a standard, people get turned off and think, Well I'm just one person," says Mark Veeder, avid gardener, brand co-founder of sk*p Beauty, and member of the Conscious Beauty at Ulta Beauty Advisory Council. This week on Clean Beauty School (and just in time for both Earth Week and Earth Month), Veeder and I had an in-depth conversation about the state of sustainable beauty, how ingredients make a huge impact, and small habits that you can add to your own routine to make it more eco-friendly. 

When you think about living a more eco-friendly life, consistency is key. It's about the daily choices we all make, which ultimately add up over time. (Yes, of course advocating for changes on the industry and government scale is also part of the story—but for the purposes of this article and podcast, Veeder and I discussed how people can make everyday changes should they feel inspired.) After all, living sustainably should feel, uh, sustainable. 

"Part of this discussion is about opening up that universe and sharing information about what is currently happening and how people can get involved," says Veeder. "You don't have to dedicate your life to it [to make a difference], it's just through simple changes that lots of people can start to make the impact big enough."

Veeder uses this ethos in his own life. "I'm far from perfect as well," he says. But where he sees the most impact is in how he's raising his daughters. "[They're very adamant about] not using plastic. We send them to school with reusable water bottles, and they pick products that are recyclable and have a better footprint," he says.