How to reduce the impact of your skin care products on the environment

Skin care is an area rife with single-use products, too much packaging, too many chemicals and too much waste - from toxic chemicals to plastics that end up in the landfill.

Every single-use product we use, such as cotton wool, facial scrubs, cotton buds and face wipes have great potential to end up in the oceans, where it can poison the water or choke animals. Those tiny, exfoliating beads might feel great on your skin, but they do not feel great when they are ingested by wildlife.

Try some of these easy ideas:

 Swap:

· Leave the body wash and opt for a bar of soap. The plastic bottle that body wash comes in has a larger carbon footprint than a bar of soap and usually   comes with a pump action lid, which cannot be recycled at all.

· Instead of plastic, disposable razors use a battery-operated or mains-operated razor (which will also save on using shaving foam or cream and the   associated packaging). Another alternative is a reusable safety razor.  

Ditch single-use wipes and cotton pads:

· Instead, you can try reusable, washable make up remover cloths. It will save you money in the long run – imagine never having to buy makeup remover   pads or wipes ever again!

· You can also easily make your own reusable makeup remover cloths by cutting up a towel. Very economical! Make enough so you still have some to use   when they are being washed (wash them in a mesh bag so they don’t get lost!).

‍Don’t wash your hair every day:

· Washing your hair every day strips your hair of its natural oils, it fades colour faster and can dull shiny locks. It also uses lots of water so just by washing   every two days you’ll save precious water and money on your water bill and the cost of shampoo and conditioner!

· Washing your hair in the shower also lengthens the amount of time you are running water— keep showers as short as possible to conserve water.‍

Combine products:

· Shampoo bars are a great way to reduce your environmental impact, and some can be used for your body as well which means you don’t need to buy any   plastic bottles for your shower at all.

· Powder foundation is another fantastic way to cut down on packaging as you are using one product instead of two.

· Use a combined foaming makeup remover and cleanser using water, to save on wipes and cotton pads.

You don’t have to try to change everything all at once. Swap one product at a time and before long you will have made a huge, positive impact on our environment.

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