One of the best things since starting to live zero waste has been decluttering my bathroom and switching to a minimal skincare routine. Read on to find out how simple and cheap it is to introduce similar swaps in your life. Not only it will help you reduce waste but it will also bring amazing benefits to your skin.
1. Oil Cleansing
The first product I have incorporated into my routine is oil using the oil cleansing method. The oil cleansing method works based on the idea that "oil is able to dissolve oil", so we are basically replacing our sebum with a new and pure natural oil, cleansing our skin without disrupting its balance.
The key here is for you to choose which oil is most suitable for your skin type. You have the option to blend different oils together but I personally prefer just using 1 oil. When you are choosing your oil, just make sure it is a low comedogenic oil. The comedogenic scale is the likelyhood of an oil, from 0 to 5 to clog your pores.
My current favourite oil is cold pressed, unrefined hemp seed oil. It has a wonderful nutty smell and a lovely deep green colour. It's perfect for combination, acne prone skin because it is a 0 the comedogenic scale, it is quite dry but also packed with anti-oxidants.
Here is how to apply it. Simply put 3-4 drops of oil onto the palms of my hand, then I start massaging the face, including the neck, in circular movements. This should take you between one to three minutes. You can also use it to remove any eye make up, in which case just add a couple of drops of oil, massage the eyes and then remove the make up with a reusable wet cotton roundel or even an old towel. For this you can use any towel or buy a high quality muslim cotton or bamboo fiber cloth. First, rinse it with hot water and then put it on your face. The steam will remove all the make up, dirt, and left over oil from your face.
After this your face will feel super soft and clean. If you feel your face is a bit dry you can also apply 1-2 drops of your oil and leave it on overnight.
Here is a bonus zero waste hack: before of after I oil cleansed my skin, I also like to apply hemp seed oil on my hair ends. It truly makes the hair shiny and nourished without weighting it down. As I often suffer from dry and itchy scalp, I also apply a couple drops of oil onto my fingers and massage my scalp before going to bed or before a shower.
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2. Clay
The second ingredient I use in my minimal skincare routine is clay. Clay is quite easy to find plastic free in bulk stores, it is fairly cheap and a little goes a long way. You also have so many options you can choose from!
I don't use clay every day but probably once a month.I get some clay into a little bowl, and then add a few drops either of orange juice or lemon. If my skin is feeling dry I like to mix the clay with some plant based milk and a few drops of oil. This is a trick taught to me by my friend Lucia who founded Casa Mencarelli, and she gifted me this Sicilian clay which is honestly dreamy! I also love using pink clay in combination with her "sole e mare" oil. My skin is soft and plump after this 5 minute treatment!
4. Aloe Vera Cream
After I have cleansed my skin, I often add a little bit of aloe vera cream which I handmake myself. It is one of the easiest diys on the planet. The ratio is 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel to 1 teaspoon of oil, mix the 2 until all blended, and you are done. If you want you can add a couple of drops of essential oil. This cream is highly customisable into a night cream or even a make up remover, I will leave you the link to the recipe tutorial:
https://bottegazerowaste.com/blogs/zerowasteliving/handmade-zero-waste-aloe-vera-cream
3. Handmade Hands & Lips Butter
Lastly, I always use a little magical pot of handmade hands & lips butter. I normally make 3-4 little tins at the same time to place strategically in my purse, next to my bed, on my work desk.
It is extremely easy to make. You just have to pick some solid butters of your choice and melt them together. I am currently using a mix of shea butter and coconut oil, and lavender essential oil. Check out this 5 minutes recipe here!