When it comes to skincare, creating a sustainable habit might seem challenging, especially in a world of single-use personal care products. It’s just so easy to go for what we have grown used to. Luckily, with so many brands and consumers becoming more environmentally conscious, the journey to a more sustainable lifestyle is no longer daunting as it used to be.
Here are 5 ways to jumpstart your day with a sustainable morning skincare routine.
1. Reduce your water usage.
Water is a finite resource that we use a lot in our everyday routines and one of them is skincare. Various reports show that on average, one person uses 80 to 100 gallons of water per day at home, and this does not include water goes to waste. We could face the risk of water shortages by 2025.
Reducing water usage is a great first step to creating a sustainable morning skincare routine. It can be as simple as turning off the tap when you don’t need it. This can be while you’re applying products, cleansing, soaping, scrubbing, and even, drying. You can also avoid leaving the faucet running when you’re shaving too.
If you start your day with a full-body skincare routine, consider turning off the shower while you lather up or shampoo. This simple step can reduce tons of water waste. It is the seemingly small habits that we tend to overlook because we have gotten so used to them. But, if we choose to be more mindful, we can contribute to creating a bigger impact on the planet.
2. Use natural ingredients whenever possible.
A lot of the personal care products available on the market contain chemicals that can be harmful to our health. When these go down the drain, they enter public water systems then our natural water resources, harming the environment. Such chemicals can also kill aquatic life.
When purchasing skincare products, what you can do is practice reading the label. Here are some ingredients that you can watch out for:
- Parabens
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
- Phthalates
- Fragrance
- Talc
- Toluene
Now that you have an idea of what to avoid, choose products made with natural ingredients. These may contain any of the following labels:
- Natural
- Organic
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Responsibly-sourced / Ethically-sourced
- Sustainable
- Nontoxic / Paraben-free / Sulfate-free
What’s great is that it’s not hard to find these products. There are so many eco-friendly skincare brands now offering a wide range of products from sleeping masks, toners, serums, soaps, shampoos, and many more. Before incorporating new skincare products in your routine, carefully read all the ingredients. Make sure that it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals that can irritate your skin. Certain chemicals such as parabens or harsh fragrances are best to avoid especially if you have sensitive skin. Natural-based soaps with no added chemicals, such as avocado oil face washes or goat milk soaps are a safer choice as they are more nourishing and hydrating.
3. Choose products with eco-friendly packaging.
As more brands are incorporating non-toxic and natural ingredients in skincare formulations, they are also doing the same for their packaging. There are many sustainable skincare brands now that offer products in “thoughtful packaging”. Some have even skipped the packaging!
You can get solid natural shampoo or moisturizer bars minus the wrappers and face or body scrubs with reusable jar containers.
To reduce packaging waste, you can also opt for beauty brands that offer refillable eco-friendly items like deodorant, make-up, cleanser, lotions, and liquid soap.
4. Recycle or re-use your skincare product containers.
Do your products come in plastic or glass packaging? Don’t throw them out just yet. You can clean these out and give them new purpose.
Your empty shampoo or lotion bottle can be transformed into a phone charging dock that you can hang on your wall or mount on your desk. If you have kids, you can turn it into a crayon holder.
Another great idea is to turn your empty perfume bottle into an oil diffuser. Your empty cosmetic jar can be cleaned out then refilled with a moisturizer that you can add to your travel kit.
When it’s time to recycle the containers, remember to clean them thoroughly to make sure that there are no product residues left.
5. Find environmentally-friendly alternatives for everyday items.
Another way of creating a sustainable skincare routine is to swap out everyday single-use items for environmentally-friendly alternatives. Take a look at your personal waste, and do a quick inventory. What products do you use the most on a daily basis?
These could be single-use facial tissues, cotton swabs, cotton rounds, makeup remover pads, face mask sheets, or oil blotting sheets. But all of these are not exactly environmentally friendly, creating a massive amount of waste that is filling up our landfills.
Make the switch to eco-friendly options. You can cut down on facial tissues by using handkerchiefs that you already have in your closet. You may also opt for face towels made of natural materials such as organic bamboo or swap your single-use cotton rounds for reusable facial cotton pads.
Creating a sustainable morning skincare routine isn’t as hard as it seems. Just practice mindfulness, say no to single-use items as much as you can, reuse or recycle what you can, and look for natural products and eco-friendly alternatives to everyday skincare items.
