Clean Beauty Product Review and Updated Skincare Routine
I was reading my skincare routine post from 2020 and realized I don't use over half of those products anymore, so it is time for an updated skincare blog post!
Clean Beauty Holy Grail Surprises
As I have been slowly changing out my beauty and skincare products to be more clean (and eco-friendly as much as possible), I have been trying a lot more clean beauty products recently, but here are two products that surprised me.
Positive
I was very positively surprised with how well the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream works. It left my face feeling very restored and moisturized. I have only tried a sample size of this product, but I used every last drop of it.
Negative
I was sorely disappointed by the Tower28 Daily Rescue Facial Spray. I bought a travel size version of this product after it was highly recommended to me at the Credo Beauty Store in Boston. This product just didn’t do anything to my skin, and honestly I wasn’t too surprised because after looking at the ingredients, it looks like it’s mainly water. I have seen other people raving about this product, so perhaps my mistake was using it as a toner rather than a refresher spray, but regardless this was a huge miss in my book.
Products I Love Based On What I Am Currently Using
I absolutely love this bar! It’s so gentle on my skin and leaves it feeling very clean and refreshed. One bar has lasted me over 6 months! I think it’s lasted me so long because I keep it on a dish on my bathroom counter so it doesn’t get unnecessarily wet (as it might if you kept it in the shower).
Toner: I’m kind of in between toners at the moment. I finally finished using my Witch Hazel so I wanted to try new products. Currently I am using a sample of Sahajan’s Balance Toner and I have really been liking it. I actually see my skin complexion evening out using this toner.
Hydration: I switch between Mario Badescu’s Herbal Hydrating Serum and a small amount of Trader Joe’s Watermelon Overnight Face Mask. I wouldn't call either of these products the cleanest or most eco-friendly, but they are steps in a better direction. I like using these jelly products because they help me not need as much moisturizer in the morning.
Moisturizer: Cocoa Butter :) My family has started buying a giant bottle of this moisturizer (since we all use it) instead of buying multiple smaller bottles.
Eye cream: Skincando Eye Balm. This is a relatively new product to me as I just stumbled upon the brand this spring. I actually found them via an event hosted by ShopMadeDC highlighting their women creators. Because it's pretty new to me, I’m not sure of the effectiveness of this product so far, but I love the scent (it has a nice lemon-eucalyptus smell) and I love that this company creates organic products and it’s woman-run! And the company gets bonus points in my book for being local to the DMV area!
Lashes: I have almost finished my bottle of Organys Lash and Brow Booster Serum. I am going to try the Babe Lash Serum next! Neither of these are clean but I have yet to hear about a clean and effective lash serum.
Sunscreen: I’m still using Kinship’s Self Reflect Sunscreen and love it! I probably won't change sunscreens for awhile honestly.
Cotton Rounds: I have switched from using one-use cotton balls and pads to reusable cotton pads. My sister gifted me a cute set from Etsy and it's all I've been using.
Deodorant: Not a face product, but I know natural deodorants can be very hit or miss, so I figured I would tell you about my new favorite, Hey Humans Natural Deodorant. I had been using Native, and I liked it, but I think my body got used to the formula and it just didn’t seem to be as effective as it used to be for me. On a last minute trip to Target before I left for camp, I picked up the Hey Humans Coconut Mint deodorant after quickly skimming a few good reviews on my phone in the deodorant aisle. I like the scent, I like that the whole tube is made from paper and can be recycled when finished. I also like that it’s aluminum free and it was very effective. When I sweat, it doesn’t leave white streaks on my body (which was very important when I was outside all day at nature camp). Sometimes I have to reapply in the middle of the day if I’ve worked out or spent a lot of time in the heat, but that doesn’t bother me. Would definitely recommend this deodorant!
Other Skincare Changes
Aside from the actual products I have been using, the biggest change I have made in my skincare routine is switching from washing my face in the morning to washing it at night. I think I started doing this after reading about it on Grace Atwood’s blog. In all honesty, I’m not sure why this helps your skin (I’m sure there are sources that list reasons why), but it just seems to work better for me. It makes my skin less irritated during the day because I only put on moisturizer if I need it and top it off with sunscreen.
Takeaways For A More Eco-Friendly Skincare Routine
-always buy travel size or get samples of a product before committing to a full size product (reduces waste if you end up not liking the product)
-bar facial cleanser is good! Don’t be scared to try it!
-as always, use up your products before buying more
Bonus takeaway- try washing your face at night if you don't already do that!