Everyday Skincare
A NEW SKINCARE ROUTINE HAS LEFT MY SKIN FEELING BETTER THAN EVER. BONUS POINTS FOR BEING QUICK, EFFECTIVE, AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.
Products Featured: PINK ROSE CLAY FACIAL SOAP, EVERYDAY SUNSCREEN and REPAIR BALM by MEOW MEOW TWEET, IMMERSION SERUM by KLUR, MOISTURE RISER CREAM and ONO ONO STAIN STICK by NOTO BOTANICS
When I first plunged myself into the sustainable space, I did everything I could to remove (plastic) packaging from every aspect of my life. While I succeeded, it took up too much time and energy. Aside from that, I wasn’t wholly thrilled with the quality of my routine. It felt that I was foregoing effective products for a level of ‘perfection’ that I could never achieve. In some ways, my hunch was not misguided. I’ve since learned that some products ought to be packaged to preserve the fortitude of their ingredients. Cue an expanded list of potential skincare brands I could use.
Since then, I’ve settled on finding a curated selection of products (packaged or not, but preferably still not in plastic) that help me minimize my waste and create a simple skincare routine. Before diving into the process, I did want to give credit to Stevie for convincing me to only wash my face at night. Instead of cleansing in the A.M., I splash cold water on my face before applying my serum which helps my skin retain its natural moisture. If you have dry skin, I couldn’t advocate for this cleansing schedule more.
Meow Meow Tweet’s facial soap is gentle yet effective. I do suggest foaming it in your hands before applying it to your face for the majority of your cleansing sessions. While the gentle exfoliation from the bar is pleasant, it can be harmful if done too often. After cleansing, I take a small amount of Klur’s immersion serum and gently rub it in. A little goes along way with this serum; the ingredients are potent so my skin laps it up, especially after a long day in the winter wind. Immersion is the most expensive in my routine ($70) and, when used intentionally, the quality speaks for itself. If you can swing it, you won’t regret having Klur on your shelf.
I follow up with a similar amount of the Noto Botanics moisturizer which gives my skin a much-needed hydration boost. I can’t get enough of the texture of this product. It’s silky and rubs in with ease. After consistent use, my skin looks plumper and smoother than ever. This hyaluronic moisturizer is something that I won’t be parting with anytime soon.
Probably the most important step of my routine is applying SPF every morning to help protect my skin from the sun. I love Meow Meow Tweet’s sunscreen — it smells great, it works wonderfully, and, unlike a lot of other mineral sunscreens, it doesn’t feel too heavy when I put it on. For readers with darker skin than myself, the brand did a tutorial on how to help avoid the white cast that can be left from a zinc-based sunscreen. According to their tutorial, you can use a small bit of a serum or oil to help work the sunscreen into your skin.
When I feel like I need to jazz up my daily routine, I throw a little blush on using Noto’s Ono Ono stain stick. This gender-affirming stain has been my first foray into the make-up world and I’ve relished every moment with it. It’s buildable so you’re able to achieve a light flush or create a deep, vibrant glow. Personally, I like to look like I had to briefly sprint to catch the train - a little flushed but never too deep that others would assume I’ve been burnt to a crisp by the winter sun.
The final touch to my everyday routine is MMT’s repair balm which is, no holds barred, the best lip balm I’ve ever used. First of all, the tube is about the size of a glue stick so it’s impossible to lose which has always been my primary issue with lip balms. Second of all, the ingredients actually hydrate my lips and I’ve gone a day with one or two applications. Not to mention that it lasted me a whole entire year before I needed to replace it. If you couldn’t tell by now, Meow Meow Tweet has my heart. I’m also a massive fan of their deodorant but chose to leave that out of this post.
You don’t need to buy any of these products to advocate for environmental justice. Honestly, you don’t need a skincare routine if you don’t need one (sadly, my dry skin would never forgive me if I didn’t). That being said, if you do want to incorporate ethically and sustainably-made products into your skincare routine, any of the brands I’ve included here would be wonderful additions. I’m certain that I won’t be changing too much of this routine for the foreseeable future.