I treasure my skincare routine as much as the next person. I love, after a long hard day, to be able to wash and massage the stress and dirt away. My skincare routine has been evolving since the beginning of this year, and I am getting happier and happier with it and the results. However, there are some small things that I am looking to change so that I can only have fully sustainable skin care products. Most of what I use is vegan and/or sustainable, but not all of it is. I am continuously updating my routine and will be looking for products that satisfy both my cruelty-free and sustainable checklist. 

When I am beginning my skincare routine, I put my hair back and out of my face. I then like to start with the Gingersnap Face Scrub by Ethique. Ethique is a great sustainable brand. Not only is their packaging plastic free, they also plant a tree with every order made on their website (1). They are carbon neutral and strive for a sustainable production. 

The Gingersnap Face Scrub I use is amazing. I do have really sensitive skin, so I use this bar gently, as when I press too hard, my skin gets irritated. If you do not have such sensitive skin, don’t hold back. This scrub does a great job at exfoliating and feels and smells great. 

After I am done with this product, I move onto my 100 percent Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Face Milk Cleanser by Shea Moisture. Shea Moisture products are all certified organic, natural, and fair trade (2). 

I love this face wash: It does wonders for my skin and makes it so soft. It does not make my skin oily, so if that is something you are worried about when reading 100 percent Virgin Coconut Oil, don’t be!

The next part of my routine is my favorite part. I use two of my gua sha tools, a jade stone and a jade roller. It is best to use a serum or oil when you perform gua sha, so it doesn’t tug at dry skin. 

I then use my Hyaluronic Acid 2 percent + B5 Serum by The Ordinary. I use my jade stone along my jaw, and then my roller for the rest of my face. This has become my favorite part of my routine, as it releases a lot of tension in my face and has tightened my skin overtime. 

Now, although The Ordinary does not claim to be a fully sustainable company, they have announced their desires and plans to make more sustainable packaging. I am going to personally be reusing my bottles from this company, which minimizes glass bottles that end up in landfills. If you do not think you would reuse the packaging, then The Ordinary can be a brand you skip. 

I will be researching more to find a sustainable serum once I finish this product.

After I am done rolling out my face with this serum, I move onto my “Drying Lotion” by Mario Badescu. This stuff does wonder for any acne that will randomly pop up on my face. I dip a q-tip in and dot it onto targeted blemishes. You then leave this on all night and just rinse your face off with water the next morning. By then, the blemish has either shrunk significantly in size or is completely gone.

Mario Badescu is a completely cruelty free brand. They do not test on any animals at all and also do not sell in any countries that require animal testing (3). 

To finish my routine off, I like to use my Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado underneath my eyes. This provides a lot of hydration to that area and has helped me with the darkness underneath my eyes. I like to use this before bed and sometimes before I put on makeup as well. 

Kiehl’s is close to being fully sustainable. According to their website, they “watch [their] water usage in manufacturing and have reduced water waste by 78 percent to date” and that “over 80 percent of [their] packages are made with recycled materials” (4). They also have a “Recycle & Be Rewarded program” which has “recycled over 13 million empty jars and bottles” (4). Basically, they are on their way to being more and more sustainable and are genuinely trying to implement new ways to recycle their packaging. I personally love their eye cream and am hoping that they will become 100 percent sustainable.

After all of this, I like to throw on some Burt’s Bees chapstick, which is the only lip balm I use, and then it’s time for bedtime! 

1. https://ethique.com/pages/carbon-neutral

2. https://liveandearncanada.com/is-shea-moisture-cruelty-free/

3. https://www.crueltyfreekitty.com/brands/mario-badescu-incomplete/

4. https://www.kiehls.com/future-made-better.html