We asked, you answered: The great sustainable beauty products we love and that work better than their conventional counterparts: no sacrifice required!
Changing the conversation
Did you ever notice how much the conversation about sustainability is centred around sacrifices? All the things you’re not supposed to use and do any more (from flying to eating meat to glitter) or swap out for a lesser option. You know what? That pisses us off here at Twindly. We firmly believe that there’re great options out there that are sustainable and fun, without having to sacrifice anything.
Great sustainable beauty products!
We talked to friends, family and followers to see what their favourite sustainable products are, and give you a selection of them here: the sustainable products that wowed us so much that we think they’re BETTER than their conventional counterparts. Not cheaper, not better for the planet, better for our minds, but working better. (They may be all that as well.) Go on and tell your friends.
Re-usable razors
Easily the top mention in our little survey: reusable razors. Everyone mentioned that they offer a closer shave and smoother result as conventional, disposable razors. Although a bit scary at first, it takes only little time to get accustomed to multi-use blades. You can use a regular safety razor (Wilkinson, for example), but if you use it for your legs, you might consider one with a longer handle. (There’re a lot of very fancy ones out there, and one that was frequently recommended was the Leaf Shave.)
Washcloths for make-up removal
If you once relied on various (and multiple) cotton pads for makeup removal, there’re whole school of thoughts around replacing them with more sustainable options. You can try reusable (washable) bamboo pads (Astrid loves these), or you can even sew them yourself from cotton scraps. Or, you can just use the humble washcloth. Especially if you’ve got kids, you’ll have those by the dozen already.
Cheap and easy to clean
One friend told me she loves the sensation of taking off her cleansing lotion with it (less fiddly than a smallish cotton pad). You can get two uses out of one cloth easily, and throw it in the wash after (no need for an additional washbag like you need for smaller reusable pads). If you already have them at home, they’re a great option without having to buy anything.
Using multi-purpose household products
In a similar vein, how awesome is it to discover that something you already have at home might work better than a store-bought product! People have been singing the praise of coconut oil for quite some time now, and while coconut oil MIGHT not be sustainable per se, it’s nice if you can replace your conventional conditioner/makeup remover with it (especially if you live in an area where they’re native).
For hair
One of my blonde friends told me she’s been using an apple vinegar rinse instead of conventional conditioner for a while now and is so convinced that she might never go back. (I wouldn’t dare with my purple coloured hair, but if you’re a bottle-blonde or have natural hair, why not?) Apple vinegar rinses are supposed to restore shine and strength to lifeless hair (here’s how you do it).
L’Occitane’s refill bottles
Ok, let’s face it: bar soap is not for everyone. And that’s fine. If you’re one of the haters, why not consider a refillable handwash/shampoo/shower gel system like L’Occitane uses? You buy a (fancy!) bottle, and refill it from their station in selected stores with their delicious Verbena-scented handwash/shower gel. L’Occitane has various approaches to become more and more sustainable (I mention some in my review here).
This is a GREAT option for people who want a bit of luxury or think sustainable products are generally drab and dreary.
#ShopYourStash
A concept instead of a product, but one that changed my life this year. I’m a beauty junkie, and that always has a bit of a ‘got to catch them all’ component. But this year, something clicked for me, and instead of buying more and more, I bought veeeeery selectively, and generally loved shopping my stash and rediscovering older, beloved, and nearly forgotten products.
Free your mind
I mean, isn’t it sad when you buy a new palette, use it twice and then move on to the next big thing? Instead of buying new stuff, I actually had the time to be creative with the products I own, and I LOVE that. It maybe helps that I look at most releases and have to discover how similar it is to something I own, but the whole #shopyourstash movement has not only freed up money, but also time that I would’ve used to hunt down and obsess over new releases. (More about #shopyourstash here and here.)
Tell us more!
What about you? We’d love to hear from you about the great sustainable beauty products YOU love and would recommend to anyone and their kitchen sink, because they’re truly better than anything you found on the market.
Please note that this post is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods or money for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
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