Anti-hauls, project pans, empties and declutter videos are becoming popular as bloggers expose the excesses of the beauty industry

Beauty influencer Jeffree Star’s lobby is filled with boxes and garbage bags. Inside is US$1m worth of free makeup that he’s getting rid of. The PR packages he receives from cosmetics companies daily have taken over his Calabasas mansion, all sent in the hope of getting his attention – and airtime in one of his Snapchats, Instagram stories or YouTube videos. But most of the products he’s throwing out are untouched or barely used. And he isn’t the only influencer who wants less, despite being inundated with more, more, more.

“As eternally grateful as I am … [the] majority of what I am sent is wasted on me.” Lauren Curtis, Australia’s most popular beauty YouTuber, also receives an influx of free packages and has been outspoken about the excess of it all: products hidden under layers of boxes, tissue paper, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, foam inserts … the list goes on.

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Influencers, as their name suggests, wield huge influence over potential beauty customers. Curtis has more than 3.5m YouTube subscribers. Others such as Chloe Morello (2.6m subscribers), Shannon Harris (3.2m subscribers) and Shani Grimmond (1.6m subscribers) also command huge audiences – and fees. This is big business after all; in 2017, the global beauty industry was worth $445bn, and the Australian industry is predicted to be worth more than $7.5bn by 2020.

But influencer audiences are increasingly tuning in to watch different kinds of videos and turning away from beauty YouTube’s staple diet of new products and gigantic hauls. Enter anti-hauls (explaining what you don’t want to buy), project pans (choosing a number of old products to finish up, or “hit pan” on), empties (a showcase of everything used up) and declutters (some of which involve getting rid of 90% of foundations or owning more than 1,000 products).

Having less has become trendy (there are 12.4m project pan YouTube videos) but also necessary to combat our waste crisis. In 2016-17, Australia produced 67m tonnes of waste, with only about 50% going to recycling.

In the comments section of Jeffree Star’s clearout, many focus on the environmental impact of the beauty industry. One says they hope the scale of the declutter prompts companies to realise how much waste they’re creating. Another encourages Star to remove mascara wands from his trash to donate, since animal shelters use them to groom small animals and examine them for injuries.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest No more PR packages says beauty blogger Samantha Ravndahl Photograph: Beauty blogger Samantha Ravndahl/YouTube

On another video, in which Curtis declutters, viewers comment that they’re glad influencers are “seeing past the perks” since “most of us have to think twice about spending $40 on an item”.

It’s this awareness that led to criticism when cosmetics unicorn Glossier launched Glossier Play last month. YouTubers, such as Canadian Samantha Ravndahl, and commenters alike, were quick to comment on the excessive packaging: products inside foil sleeves inside boxes.

“Glossier, I’d really love for you to reconsider this packaging choice,” Ravndahl said in a video reviewing the products. “There’s nothing more aesthetic than a clean planet.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Australian beauty blogger Lauren Curtis says goodbye to PR packages

Glossier responded by promising to phase out the foil packaging and reformulate its glitters to be biodegradable.

Ravndahl recently voluntarily took herself off more than 40 makeup brands’ PR lists. She says she was creating more waste than the eight other people in her household combined and was donating most of the 10-30 packages she’d receive each week.

“It just feels crazy to think about how much money these brands must be putting into all of this PR packaging for me to look at for four seconds and then throw out,” she said.

She switched to buying her own products, and was applauded by her subscribers for doing so.

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Some beauty brands are starting to listen and are reducing packaging from the outset, sending just a few shades of products such as foundation and concealer instead of complete ranges, so influencers aren’t left with dozens of products that don’t match. Meanwhile, “clean” makeup brands such as Kjaer Weis are tackling packaging waste by offering refills – their compacts are famously heavy and luxurious, but not single-use.

There’s more work to be done. A L’Oréal spokesperson said it takes “sustainability very seriously” through a campaign that promises every product will have an “environmental or social benefit” by 2020, but didn’t respond to questions about PR packages. Coty, Estee Lauder, Sephora and Mecca did not respond to Guardian Australia’s request for comment.

But Ravndahl hopes they’re listening: “If brands start to cut down, if they start to do more eco-friendly packaging ... perfect. Mission accomplished.”