Beauty consumerism + size inclusive corsets

EFF newsletter #4

Welcome to the fourth EFF newsletter!

Over the last week - outside of collecting ideas and creating EFF content - I’ve been sheltering from the cold, eating discounted scones with strawberry jam and playing with make-up (thanks to an unanticipated beauty haul, read about it below).

But a highlight was going to Mori Museum’s exhibition ‘Our Ecology: Toward a Planetary Living’ - with 100ish works, such large exhibitions are often difficult for me to digest. One of the themes that has been coming up a lot in contemporary art is moving outside of anthropocentric perspective (that is that humans are the centre and most important element of existence) and that we should consider the planet more as a non-human partner.

But I often think of this view as linear - that we’ve supposedly put the wants and needs of humans above all else and now it’s time to focus on the planet. And although we cannot separate environmental issues from people and they are deeply intertwined, I often feel that environmentalism is easier to discuss and support than addressing the complexities of global manufacturing. Not just fashion, but many industries are built upon the exploitation of other humans. Is it still anthropocentric if only the global minorities wants and needs are prioritised?

I don’t say this as someone who is above of all of ‘it’, I think it is impossible to be a truly ethical consumer in all aspects of our lives. But I want to - and I believe many are with me - when I say that we want to minimise our harm and do our best. Yet sometimes we still overconsume, we still fall prey to continuous marketing and yes, we fuck up. Even though I no longer buy fast fashion, I still struggle with overconsuming makeup and beauty products.

Unlike fashion, getting figures on the environmental and human impact of the beauty industry is difficult. How many beauty products are being sold each year? How much packaging is used? How much is discarded? Where is this waste going? How much expired beauty and make-up products are sitting on our shelves waiting to be disposed of?