The more eco-friendly products you have, the worst the environment
If you really want to save the environment, ditch these eco-friendly beauty products
Skincare is one of those rabbit holes that I don’t mind going down. It’s intriguing yet frightening to see how it adapts to the ebb and flow of life! The skincare products that worked during your teens are no match for the more expensive, medical-grade products you may use as an adult. I swore by Noxzema’s Deep Cleansing Cream as a senior in high school because it solved all my skin problems. A couple of years ago, I was desperate, so I tried it again. It did not yield the same results! Either that or they changed the formula.
The point is that trends come and go, and so does beauty. One of the biggest beauty trends of 2021 is skinimalism. This trend encourages you to scale back on the number of skincare products that you use. Proponents of skinimalism want you to use multi-purpose skincare products. They believe that using fewer products will give your skin the chance to take care of itself. Moreover, skinimalism thinks that we can save the environment. Now, if you believe that the Earth will gobble us up one day, so be it! What I will judge, is the irony of using eco-friendly products that are often mass-produced. Even if manufacturers procure ingredients without harming the environment, mass production does not give me “save the environment,” okay?
That brings me to today’s topic: could it be possible that you’re wasting time and money with certain eco-friendly skincare products? Are you using that *insert eco-friendly brand* skincare product or tool because it works? Or do you use it because you don’t want to suffer from FOMO (the fear of missing out)? Keep reading to learn about:
3 eco-friendly skincare products that add excessive care to your routine
1. Cotton swabs
There are ordinary cotton swabs that you can pick up from your local pharmacy or Target. Then, there are eco-friendly ones that are 100% biodegradable. If you are wondering what use there is for cotton swabs for your skincare routine, here are a few:
- Apply spot treatments
- Clean up makeup mistakes and messy nail polish
- Smudge your eyeliner
Avoid putting your [dirty] hands on your face unless you are applying a spot treatment! I promise you that the cotton swab won’t make the product work any better or faster. While a cotton swab is effective for cleaning up makeup mistakes, so is toilet paper. Fold a ply into a firm square, then glide the edges of it across those areas that need cleaning up. As for smudging your eyeliner, do I need to tell you that your fingers can do that?
2. Makeup wipes
Before I go any further, know that there needs to be an entire post dedicated to the toxicity of makeup wipes! I know that makeup wipes are very convenient after a long day or night of being the hottie that you are. But, trust me, they are abrasive for your skin! And if you care about the environment, they are bad for that too! For starters, most makeup wipes come in plastic packaging. Not all skincare brands concern themselves with the environment. Second, like Kylie’s walnut face scrub, cotton can cause micro-tears on your skin. Those micro-tears will make your skin thin and roughen its texture over time as it heals. If you must use something quick, opt for The Ordinary’s Squalane Cleanser. It is an oil-based makeup remover and cleanser. Meaning, it is the kind of multi-use skincare product that skinimalism is all about! I swear by this product, and it is gentle enough for most skin types.
3. Face cleansing brush
Ever since Clarisonic introduced us to battery-powered cleansing brushes, nothing has been the same! I cannot deny how great your skin feels after a deep cleanse. A good face cleansing brush goes deep into your pores to remove dirt, oil, and other impurities left behind from a regular day of life-ing. But you know what also does that? Masktini’s Twilight Zone Tahitian Detox Mask. This product is more than what meets the eye. It is both a deep cleanser and a face mask. Yes, that means it qualifies as a skinimalist skincare product. As it foams, the activated bamboo charcoal and Tahitian pearl slough away dead skin cells to reveal radiant skin. Did I mention that it detoxifies your skin? With all the toxicity of this world, you need a skincare product on your side, okay?
So there you have it! Three popular eco-friendly beauty products or tools that are excessive for your skincare routine. Remember, we are all about skinimalism in 2021, so if you want to save the environment, start by doing less. What are some other skincare products or tools that you think should be on this list? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment below or connect with us on Instagram. Until next time!