My Reduced Plastic Skincare Routine – Cruelty Free & Vegan
Plastic. Most of the beauty products we buy come housed in these little single use containers that we simply toss into landfill when we’re done. I’m as guilty as anyone of doing this, and I would hate to think just how many of these little plastic packets I have thrown away over the years.
Using less plastic isn’t easy – just going into any Boots or Superdrug store is proof of that. If you want good plastic free alternatives, it can take a lot of effort.
In this blog post, I want to talk about my skincare routine and its slow transition to plastic waste free. I alternate products over three days, sometimes skipping a day, so this is how I’ll be laying it out. This is probably going to be a long post, but I hope you find maybe some alternatives to use in your own routine.
Day 1
The Body Shop – Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Clay Wash – £10.00
Yep, I know, the first product I use is actually in a plastic bottle. The Body Shop however, do accept your empty bottles for recycling which is better than most. I use this cleanser to wash my face after going out or to remove face makeup, replacing the need for wipes. I’ve had this bottle since April and it’s not even half gone so is fairly good value.
When removing makeup, I use a Sainsbury’s Facial sponge. They come in plastic packaging but work much better than flannels, are cheap, and last 4-5 months each. They are also fantastic for a mess free way to remove face masks.
Day 2
Superdrug – Vitamin E Micellar Water – £3.99
I am yet to find a Micellar Water that isn’t housed in plastic. I’m sure there must be one somewhere online, but for the moment I have been using this. The entire Superdrug Vitamin E range is brilliant and smells amazing. I have been using this particular micellar water for the past few years and have found it good quality for a great price point.
I now use this exclusively with my Reusable Cotton Pads and haven’t found any difference for using them. They are still a great, easy swap.
Superdrug – Deep Action Extreme Skin Brightening Solution – £5.99
After the Micellar Water, I use the first of this super trio. The Skin Brightening Solution contains BHA, AHA, PHA and Lactic Acid. I use a small amount of this on the other side of the same cotton pad as the micellar water and have found this as a great alternative to Pixi Glow Tonic on days when I use the next product;
Superdrug – Deep Action Extreme Blemish Solution – £5.99
This 2% Salicylic Acid Solution is almost exactly the same as The Ordinary’s version – but a lot easier to get your hands on! I bought this to replace my Superdrug Calm Skin Rescue Gel, as a plastic free alternative. I have found this absolutely fantastic and wouldn’t use anything else.
Superdrug – Deep Action Extreme Shine Control Solution – £5.99
I finish off the routine with this Shine Control Solution. This product is really thin and hardly any is needed to cover your face. It contains Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Vera and Witch Hazel. This is essential to use after the Blemish Solution to stop the skin from drying and flaking, it also stops the skin getting too shiny. Unfortunately the pump can’t be recycled.
Day 3
Primark Ps… Pink Grapefruit Transforming Gel To Water Micellar – £2.00
Now that Primark are starting to finally label their products Vegan – and have Leaping Bunny accreditation, I was desperate to try one of their cleansers.
At £2 I honestly wasn’t expecting much, but this stuff is really good. It does transform from a gel to a water and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. It thoroughly cleanses the skin and doesn’t break me out.
Unfortunately, the pump on this bottle is not recyclable, but it’s a really cheap cleanser that lasts ages.
Pixi – Glow Tonic – £18.00
Glow Tonic has become the staple for lots of skincare lovers around the world – and I honestly haven’t been able to find a plastic free version even half as good.
I’ve had this particular bottle since August last year and using it every 2-3 days I’ve still got a third of a bottle left. I recently bought a backup bottle in the Boots sale, so I’ve got a while to find a replacement.
Revolution Skincare – Plumping & Hydrating Serum – 2% Hyaluronic Acid – £6.00
I finish off this routine with something I actually reviewed around this time last year. This Hyaluronic Acid Serum is really good and I’m just about to start my second bottle. The only problem is that it’s really hard to get hold of both in store and online. In the future I may buy the Superdrug Me+ Hyaluronic Booster which seems the same, but a lot easier to get hold of.
And that’s it, my current reduced plastic skincare routine. There are a lot of areas with room for improvement, and I hope by this time next year I’ve gone at least a few steps further.
Sophie x
This post has been re-uploaded and edited from its original posting on the 10th October 2019.