Keeping a Green Skincare Routine

If you are looking to build a more sustainable beauty routine, but don’t know how to - we’ve got  you covered! 

The beauty and skincare industry is full of single-use plastics, excess packaging, harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients that are detrimental to our planet. However, there are many ways you can make small changes towards a sustainable beauty and skincare regimen that won’t compromise on the end result. After all, change can be daunting but rest assured that being an environmentally conscious consumer and being passionate about your beauty and skincare routine are not mutually exclusive. 

Here are some ways to make your beauty and skincare routine more sustainable 

Just like how we’ve adopted the use of reusable bags, it’s time we do the same with our buying habits when it comes to beauty and skincare. At Sigi Skin we do our best to ensure that our packaging is as green as possible. We use recycled paper for our product boxes and the designs are printed using soy-based inks. 

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the amount of water needed to produce one kilogram of cotton - equivalent to a basic white T-shirt, is the same amount of water one person would drink over three years. So imagine the amount of water we waste on a single-use cotton pad, bearing in mind that we at least keep our t-shirts for longer than a day. 

Removing single-use cotton pads from our routines would not only reduce water waste but reduce the amount of cotton pads going straight to landfills. 

However, the largest environmental impact is due to the pesticides used to grow the cotton. These pesticides deplete soil quality and contaminate nearby water supplies which pose a huge threat to the wildlife and the people living near the growing areas. 

So what are the alternatives? Using a reusable cotton pad! Start by applying your product onto the cotton round and gently massage onto the skin. Then, wash either by hand or in a delicate bag in the washer. Once done, allow the pads to air dry flat - and that’s it, ready to use again!

To begin your sustainable skin care journey, you will first need to know what to look out for when shopping. By purchasing products that have a longer shelf life and refillable options, you can reduce the need for single use plastics.

Sieving out brands and products that engage in ‘green-washing’ practices from those that are truly actively working towards sustainability is also very important. This can often be done by checking the certification stamps on each product. For more information on which certifications to look out for visit this website.

While sunscreens protect us from sun exposure, they have quite the opposite effect on marine life. An estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen end up in our oceans each year, causing coral bleaching and damage to the coral DNA, leading to growth abnormalities. Look out for ingredients like oxybenzone, the harmful ingredient in sunscreen, and stay far away!

Morning Glow is a physical sunscreen that is both good for your skin and the earth.

With these 4 ways to be more green, we hope you find it easier navigating a sustainable beauty and skincare regime.