Change your skincare routine from having a negative impact on the planet to sustainable with these 5 steps for a zero waste skincare routine.

If there’s one thing that the continued growth of the skincare industry tells society, it’s that more people are starting to realise the importance of keeping their skin healthy. It is a form of self-love that many people can easily do for themselves in the comfort of their homes. While this practice provides a sense of fulfilment when it comes to caring for the self, the beauty industry has a bad reputation in terms of sustainability.

One of the biggest suspects for the industry’s tarnished stature is the packaging of skincare products. Most beauty items come in single-use plastic packaging that often ends up in landfills, while other articles like cotton balls and cotton pads are difficult to recycle since these materials become contaminated after every usage.

With this issue plaguing the skincare market, going the more sustainable path is a step towards making a personal contribution to alleviating the problem. Read on to know how you can start your zero waste skincare journey by following these 5 steps for a zero waste skincare routine.

1. Ditch wasteful beauty products

Cutting back on single-use items is a good place to start for anyone looking to become a more eco-conscious beauty enthusiast. Consider which products generate the most waste in your routine and see if there are sustainable alternatives. For instance, you can use a washcloth to exfoliate instead of a plastic pouf, choose solid bars over liquids in plastic bottles, or swap out cotton pads for reusable options.

These can be found at most physical or online eco stores all around the world. For example, these zero waste skincare products for those in the US, these reusable and natural skincare alternatives for those in Australia, and these eco-friendly plastic-free beauty switches for those in the UK.

Products that come in glass dropper vials and aluminium lotion bottles are also great options since they are easier to recycle compared to their plastic counterparts. You can also refill these containers with other products, helping you reduce plastic waste by reusing and refilling.

2. Finish every tube and bottle

If you are neck-deep in following the trends of the beauty industry, you probably have at least two units of the same beauty product. However, buying multiple counts of the same thing leads to overstocking and the beauty products eventually expiring on your bathroom sink.

That’s why it would be more beneficial to finish what you have now before buying another one, no matter how tempting it is to get all the new beauty products that come out in the market. If you feel like an item doesn’t meet your expectations, try finding another use for it or giving it to someone who will use it before throwing it out.

3. Choose vegan options

The beauty of skincare products is that they are formulated to target various skin problems for different skin types. People often choose products with natural ingredients such as tea tree or jojoba oil, both of which are harvested from plants that safely deliver antimicrobial and moisturising effects.

 As such, it’s ideal to go for plant-based beauty products to ensure that they do not irritate your skin. Less irritation means you are also less likely to throw away the product. Skincare items with vegan ingredients are also better for the environment as they are sustainably sourced and are not tested on animals. 

You can easily find vegan skincare products by browsing EarthHero’s vegan cleanser selection (US), vegan skincare on Biome (AU) and choosing vegan as a criteria when searching for natural skincare products on Ethical Superstore (UK).

4. Avoid products with microbeads

Facial scrubs that contain microbeads promise excellent exfoliation and removal of dead skin cells by physically buffing the skin. However, beauty experts agree that items with microbeads do more harm than good — both for your skin and the environment.

Microbeads are often made with plastic, which can cause skin abrasions and are more likely to make your skin dry. These tiny particles can also lead to irritation and allergic reactions. What’s more, plastic microbeads do not dissolve in water and end up in rivers and oceans since they are too small to be filtered out at water treatment plants.

There are many natural exfoliating product alternatives that can be used in body scrubs like:

• coffee ground exfoliators,

• sugar scrubs,

• ground pumice exfoliator,

• seeds like poppyseed exfoliators, wattleseed soap bar, and fig seed body scrub,

• rice powder and sea salt exfoliant, and

• corn flour polishing face paste.

Or you can use a biodegradable body brush, sponge or cloth made from plant fibres to smooth your skin like a:

• natural loofah sponge (made from the dried inside of loofah plant gourds),

• sisal dry body brush or shower puff (made from the sisal plant),

• konjac sponge puff or facial sponge (made from the root vegetable, konjac),

• coconut fibre body scrubber (made from coconut husk),

• agave cloth (made from agave plants’ leaves), and

• pumice stone (made from volcanic rock).

Find more plastic-free natural body scrubs in Australia, the UK, Canada, and the US.

5. Keep your water usage in mind

Water is the most vital part of any skincare routine, but it is often taken for granted. Only three percent of the Earth’s water is fresh water and a significant percentage of it is unavailable due to it being locked up in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost, or buried deep in the ground. This restriction should be the driving force in limiting water usage in your skincare routine.

Keep your faucet closed as you wash your face or while brushing your teeth. Opting for a shorter shower time will also save you litres of water a day while keeping your water bill well within your living means.

Beauty industry’s role in reducing waste & its impact

A collective effort goes a long way in the conservation of the environment, but it should not stop there. Major players in the beauty industry should be the ones leading the move to make the market more eco-friendly by adopting sustainable practices in their production processes.

After all, a lot of the industry’s generated waste is due to numerous formula testing, returned products, or items that were thrown out because they were left unsold and have since expired in warehouses or store shelves — all of which stem from unsustainable business models.

So, it is only reasonable to demand those who have established themselves within the beauty space to take on a mindful approach and set the standard on how the industry can move towards a more sustainable market that prioritises the well-being of their customers and the environment.

Guest post written by content writer, Katie Pierce

*some of our posts contain affiliate links. If you buy something using one of these links we may earn a small amount. To learn more, see our disclosure policy. We maintain this site in our free time and support in any way, shape or form means a lot and helps us keep it running, whether it is using an affiliate link when investing in something, sharing our content, or buying us a coffee on Ko-fi.