We're all more focused now on good hygiene due to the Covid pandemic—and beauty tools and applicators such as makeup sponges provide a "touchless," no-contact way to apply products. But eventually, they have to be replaced, creating new waste streams that are having a negative impact on our planet. 

EcoTools addresses this issue with its new "plantable" 100% biodegradable makeup sponge—BioBlender by EcoTools. It is made with a biodegradable foam material, "using just five earth-friendly ingredients," the brand states. 

Available at Target, the retailer's site says it is made with "the world’s first biodegradable foam material using only 5 ingredients— water, corn, bionanopol, natural preservative, and natural pigment."

EcoTools says in a press release that it collaborated with Dr. John Nanos, a PhD in Organic Polymer Chemistry, for five years to develop the new sponge. "It took more than seven years to clear various technological hurdles and do it in such a way that was economically viable," Nanos says, calling the sponge a "revolutionary sustainable product."  

The brand expects BioBlender to be certified by Din Certco next month, a global governing agency that authenticates the biodegradability of consumer goods.

A statement from the brand reads:

"It is anticipated that Din Certco will specifically certify BioBlender to be biodegradable in a home compost environment. The blender will degrade within 180 days, or just six months, in a compost environment compared to typical makeup blenders which will sit in a landfill for a lifetime."

Kristen Chase, senior vice president of global marketing at PPI Beauty, the parent company of EcoTools, says, "I'm extremely proud of the team for taking our sustainability journey one step further and creating a first-of-its-kind product that's just as effective in performance as it is eco-conscious," 

The brand claims that it will reduce 60k lbs of single-use plastic waste. EcoTools' sponges are also a trademarked shape, described as "a three-dimensional configuration of a makeup sponge that is egg-shaped with a pointed tip at the bottom and an angled, planar portion at the top of the makeup sponge." 

The BioBlender's secondary packaging is FSC-certified paper, printed using soy ink and combined with post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials.  

Chase adds, "We will continue to push boundaries to reduce our footprint in our products, our packaging, via our partnerships, and our sustainability efforts as an eco-conscious beauty brand."

And this is also good news for anyone who saw this recent news below from TikTok.

Now, beauty fans might feel better about continually replacing old makeup sponges without worrying about the effect on the planet.  

TikTok Users Realize How Dirty Makeup Applicators Get 

Concerns over being more hygienic may be driving more consumers to use beauty tools and applicators more often, since they prevent having your fingers in contact with a product—but TikTok users are realizing that their applicators may be the complete opposite of 'clean.'

Daniel Day, aka 'themicroguy' on TikTok, has set his sights on finding out just how sanitary a makeup sponge is, in one of his latest videos—and his followers were horrified at the results, the Sun reports. 

Day is known for swabbing and testing various household items and products on video. He reports the results, showing viewers which cleaners truly have an anti-microbial effect—and which just smell nice. When he tested a 'clean' spray on various types of sponges and applicators, the high level of bacteria left on them was "disgusting," he posted.  

Is this good news for beauty brands? Makeup users who watched Day's video may be rushing to replace old sponge applicators immediately—or deciding to switch back to applying makeup with their fingers.

Suppliers Discuss the Latest Trends in Applicator Designs & Materials

Take a look at beauty tools that combine design and materials to enhance the consumer experience in the feature, Applicators That Match Market Trends

And—during this global pandemic, and going forward, attention to hygienic tools and safe, hands-free contact remains an utmost priority. Beuaty brands and suppliers discuss this in the feature, Hands-Free and Hygienic: A New Breed of Cosmetic Applicators Responds to Consumer Demand