I don’t know if you actually know this, but I am a huge skincare and beauty buff. I’m not nearly as obsessed with makeup, but skincare… ooooooh boy that’s my fave. It all comes down to self-care. Every night before bet, I indulge in a luxe skincare routine and it’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the day. A while back I became aware of how much waste can be generated during this process, so I started researching. Today, I am sharing 5 tips for how to reduce waste in your beauty routine! If you’ve tried something I haven’t mentioned here, let me know, too.
Reduce Waste in Your Beauty Routine with These 5 Tips
Reusable and washable cotton pads
I started my journey to reducing waste by swapping my throwaway cotton balls for washable pads. Even though cotton balls are compostable, I felt like it was more eco-friendly to have something I can use over and over with a washing in between. Plus, it means I don’t have to buy new ones! I’ve been using the same reusable cotton pads for over a year and have yet to need to replace them. Unfortunately, the ones I have don’t seem to be for sale anymore, but these organic bamboo ones look promising. You can also do this with cotton swabs. I recommend LastSwab Beauty.
Pro tip: if you buy reusable pads for removing makeup, applying toner, etc get a set that includes a mesh bag for washing! This helps them to not get lost in the laundry. Basically, I keep the mesh pouch in my bathroom and put the dirty ones in there as they accumulate. Then on laundry day, I just throw the bag in the wash. Easy!
Biodegradable facial wipes
The most zero waste way to go when it comes to washing your face is with a bar that either doesn’t have packaging or comes in biodegradable paper. I tend not to like those because I find them to be drying. I’ve tried SO many, too. Instead, I’ve switched to using biodegradable facial wipes. I use these Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Wipes and they are great. It still bugs me that the package is wasteful, but I have yet to find an alternative that I like.
Make your own products
If you wanna get serious about going green in the bathroom and in your beauty routine, the best step is to start making your own products. We’ve shared a few DIYs here on the blog that are helpful, including:
- Shampoo Bar Recipe With Rose Essential Oil
- Floral Bath Salts
- DIY Lip Scrub
- Deep Sleep Pillow Spray with Essential Oils
- Sugar Cube Scrub with Essential Oils
- Summer Inspired DIY Bath Bomb
Use a handkerchief instead of tissues
I can’t even remember when I made this switch, but it’s been a good one! I got tired of constantly buying more and more boxes of tissues. It felt so wasteful, especially when I could just use a handkerchief and wash it. Basically, I bought a few cotton bandanas and started using them instead of tissues. The more they get used, the softer they get. I will say though… when I get a cold, I indulge and get one box of tissues that have lotion in them.
Repurpose bottles & jars
My last tip is one that is a personal choice and maybe not right for everyone. As much as possible, I try to only use skincare products that come in glass or metal jars and bottles. Glass and metal are way easier to recycle, as opposed to plastics. Also, I do my best to come up with ways to repurpose the containers. For example, when we go camping, I put spices in old skincare product containers. They are perfect because they’re usually small and air tight!
Do you have any other tips to add to my list 5 of ways to reduce waste in your beauty routine?? I’d love to know! Leave a comment so I can try something new.
