This is probably (definitely?!) the least glam post I've ever written but when you live on the second floor without a lift, you really start to notice how much rubbish you generate during the week when the time comes to lug it all down the stairs to the bin cupboard. One fairly large culprit for waste, particularly in the home of a beauty fan, is cotton. At one point I was getting through four or five packs of the cotton pads in a month for makeup and nail polish removal alone. Economically, it's a less than ideal situation and it also produces a lot of waste - not just in your bathroom but cotton manufacture uses 10% of all worldwide agricultural chemicals which is, frankly, a bit mad.
There are a few products that I love which, whilst I didn't choose for their eco-credentials (I promise I'm not going all hemp milk on you), have had a huge impact on the amount of stuff I'm throwing away and are worth looking into if you fancy streamlining your bathroom and shrinking your eco footprint just a teeney bit:
- Spray Toners My most used toners come in spray bottles; Boots Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz and Caudalie Beauty Elixir. Not only do I use less product through it not being absorbed by a cotton pad, it feels a lot more refreshing. I spray it on and wipe of any excess with a clean towel or face cloth.
- Mooncup Strangely this is probably my most read post but I won't go into detail - click here for the whats, hows and whys.
- Tub Nail Polish Removers These have been around for ages, but the most talked about version is Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover. It's no good for pedicures but this has lasted me a good two or three months and still going strong for express manicures. I'm not sure that anyone has tried this yet, but I have a feeling the tub and sponge could be rinsed out and topped up with fresh nail polish remover.
Do you try to reduce your beauty-related waste at all?
This is a great post, I do feel quite guilty at how much cotton wool I use, the bourjois nail remover pot helps a lot, maybe I should buy a spray bottle that I can re use for my toner seeing as my current one is in a pour out type bottle.
ReplyDeleteAlso, love that you have the balls to post about a moon cup :)
Great tip about the toner. I can't stand using cotton pads (especially being a guy with stubble in the evenings, when it gets caught in it). I'm not that keen on spraying directly on to my face though. Instead I spray into my hands then pat / press it on to my skin. Refreshing and all the product goes on to my skin, rather than a wasted on a cotton pad :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely agree with spray toners, I only only use cotton pads with Bioderma now and have a lot less waste!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post! I will definitely be trying some of the products :)
ReplyDeletegreat tips, lovely to read some eco-friendly beauty posts ! x
ReplyDeletethebeautyheroes.blogspot.co.uk
I love that you included the mooncup in your post! It's probably the best out of the three tips.
ReplyDeleteAnd also, thank you for a really great blog. I've never left a comment before, but I've been following your blog via bloglovin' for a while and it's really great.
I agree with all three of those points, and I stick to each of them. I just can't stand the waste involved otherwise, it's crazy! x
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post! The amount of cotton pads I use is something I'm always aware of, but I've never really thought that maybe there was something simple I could do about it. These few tips are very helpful!
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This is why you seem to be exactly my kind of person, because you're into beauty and all that jazz, but you watch out for other things, like the environment and your health (please keep the recipes coming :) ).
ReplyDeleteAs for saving waste, I try to actually use everything up now (big deal I know, but I used to just buy so much and therefore throw so much away, unused), and I also try to avoid products with a lot of unnecessary packaging.
But I mainly aim to reduce waste with food, in the UK especially, everything's packaged in so much plastic, it's ridiculous, so I always try to go for the "better" options here...
I've also just bought a bobble for on the go and a water filter for in the flat, so I don't have to buy so many plastic water bottles (they really add up if you drink 2-3l a day).
Hope you're having a nice weekend!
Ooh where did you buy the bottle and filter? I drink like 4l a day and change plastic bottles often so have many lying around at all times :/
Deleteyou can get them at most Boots, health food shops and on amazon :) They're called Bobbles http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bobble
DeleteThey're like 11 pounds when you buy bottle and filter, and then you just replace the filter every other month (or after so many litres going through and the filters are like 6 pounds. Hope this helps!
Great tips and I agree! I save so much cotton wool by using spray toners and they definitely feel much more refreshing to use (plus I seem to use less toner this way too versus the pouring kind) x
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Spray toners is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! But the bourjois's sponge starts shredding in chunks when you get close to the end of it, at least thats what I heard =/
ReplyDeleteI always feel so bad for how much cotton I use! I have yet to find a spray toner that I enjoy, however.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm VERY tempted to try a Mooncup - having to carry round tampons etc is such a faff on, and as a student it would be much cheaper me thinks.. you have definitely got me thinking!
Fab post :)
Alice xxx
icecreamschnapps.blogspot.com
Everytime I mention menstrual cups, everybody looks at me a strange way - people really need to understand the benefits of this, for your health AND for the environment! I've been using the DivaCup for what, 2 years now? and I don't ever want to go back to those wasteful tampons and uncomfortable pads! Briliant post hun, I just discovered your blog through #bbloggers and absolutely love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post Meg. I much prefer spray toners. Atm I only use cotton pads for eye makeup, with my Bioderma, and for my nails. But I want to pick up the Bourjois! Only thing is I've heard it's impossible to use on toes, which I can imagine is true. So will still have to keep using cotton pads for that! Lovely tips :) xo
ReplyDeleteThank you! This is absurdly useful because I have a tiny bathroom and the cotton round usage is getting out of hand.
ReplyDeleteAnd oh gosh, I hadn't read the Mooncup post until now... I am intrigued (and a bit hesitant, but looking more into it)
i absolutely love the bourjois nail polish remover too! the amount of cotton rounds that i use up to remove my polish is quite crazy if i'm still using the usual polish remover :) but i must get the beauty elixir!
ReplyDeleteanansays.blogpspot.com
Great post! I'm sure you could just resoak the sponge in nail polish remover an make it last... Forever? Haha xx
ReplyDeleteLove this post, great to know that you love beauty stuff and are doing your bits!
ReplyDeleteLoved your Mooncup post, good for you being gutsy enough to write it. The whole concept really is brilliant from an environmental/health/comfort standpoint and it's frustrating that it's so difficult to find cups for purchase (at least in the US) because there's not a lot of marketing behind them and so many people just think they're weird or distasteful.
ReplyDeleteAnd on a completely separate topic, I really need to get myself one of those polish removers. :)
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only that finds it scary how much cotton pads I use up! I love the new layout of your blog, very refreshing !
ReplyDeletewww.askcarrie.Wordpress.com
Great post, i also use a spray toner and a similar pplish remover to the Bourjois one, the products have lasted so much longer :) Ax
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I love spray toners, you should check out the ones from lush - I use the tea tree one, they're very refreshing.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I really want to try the bourjois nail polish remover i'm really lazy aha.
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