Having a 10-step Skincare Routine As a Vegan Trying To Create Less Waste

I know, I know. I’ve been talking a lot about skincare lately, but I feel like I have finally started to crack the code on what my skin needs.

And that is more attention and moisture. But this doesn’t mean I have to sacrifice trying to create less waste and being vegan. There are a TON of products that fall under neither of these categories, and that makes the decision making process that much easier.

I’m not here to claim I’m some perfect vegan, zero-waste, minimalist saint. Ha! I’m not. And to be honest I find a lot of judgement and negativity in theses different communities if you’re not “perfect".

Accept the fact you’re not going to perfect, you’re going to make mistakes and unfortunately people are going to call you out along the way (well, maybe not if you don’t post your adventures online).

Here’s the process I try to go through when finding new products:

+ do I need it?

+ can I make it myself, or is it something I already have?

+ can I get it in a recyclable, or better yet, reusable container?

+ what are the ingredients?

+ was it tested on animals?

And here’s how you can make a more step-heavy skincare regimen as vegan and zero waste as possible.

If you can get products that are multifunctional that’s a great place to start. For example I’m currently using primrose oil for three of the “steps”. 

     Step 1, 9 + 10 — I use primrose oil at the beginning if I need to remove mascara or makeup, which isn’t often, then I use it as the very last step to add extra moisture to everything. 

     Step 2 — I’m going to be trying out Dr. Bronner’s Soap when I use the last few bits of a Pacifica cleanser (it came in a plastic bottle, but was vegan)

     Step 3 — I use baking soda or coffee grounds for exfoliators. 

     Step 4 — I use masks from lush, where they have a reward recycling program for the containers. 

     Step 5 + 6 Aren’t zero-waste because they came in plastic, but in the future I could make them, or find an option not in plastic

     Step 7 — The next serum I’m getting comes in a glass bottle

     Step 8 — I don’t currently have an eye cream, but if I do get another one I will first look into making it myself.

A post that inspired this thought process was Zero Waste 10 Step Korean Skincare Routine from the blog, Paris to Go. If you want some real skincare inspiration go read that post. 

And while some people may think to be a minimalist you have to just keep your skincare to a cold splash of water on your face once a day, I know most women need more than that. Especially in the winter. 

And to be honest you can make all of your skincare products at home, but this combination of products has been working out really well for me. 

To end, don’t forget that staying hydrated, nourished through diet, and the importance of elements like sleep and exercise all have on your skin. 

So get out there and radiate my friends!

I Tried to Make Zero Waste Sheet Masks, and Failed

I’ve been digging into the Korean Skincare craze recently, and I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised. 

Now, if you’re not familiar with the different steps, here is one version of them, which I follow (sort of):

One — oil cleanser

I don’t double cleanse because I never have a full face of makeup on that requires it. I would like to add an oil cleanser eventually, just to try it out, but I haven’t found one quite yet.  

Two — water-based cleanser

I’m using up my Pacifica Sea Foam cleanser, which is a bit too drying for me so I’ll be keeping my eye out for a replacement as I near the bottom of the bottle. 

Three — exfoliator

I’ve just been using coffee grounds or baking soda. 

Four — toner

I’m using the Son & Park Beauty Water.

Five — essence

I got the Missha Time Revolution to use for this step. 

Six — serum

I ran out of serum but have my eyes set on the Klairs vitamin C serum. 

Seven — mask

I’ve been using two masks from Lush, Rosy Cheeks and Oatfix, which I love. But this is the particular step I want to talk about today, so once you’ve finished reading the next three steps we can continue with my tale. 

Eight — Eye Cream

I’m at the end of my Kiehls eye cream, and I’m maybe thinking an Innisfree eye cream next. I want to look into ingredients and such before getting my next one. 

Nine — moisturizer

Working my way through my Alaffia day cream (yup, I use it in the morning and before bed). 

Ten — SPF or overnight mask

SPF is something I try to wear, especially since I’ve been going to warmer, sunnier places (I’ll fry like a lobster without it). But I’m really interested in finding an overnight mask that checks off all my requirements. 

Ok, now that you’ve gotten that all in your head, let’s go back to step seven, masks. 

Now, this is what I want to talk about today. What’s even more popular then the 10-step skincare process is Korean sheet masks themselves. But I take issue with how much waste they create. 

Think about it. Some women use a sheet mask a day, which creates a lot of trash, and even just three a week adds up!

I was tinkering with the idea of creating my own zero waste sheet masks, but  I didn’t want to waste a bunch of precious liquid by soaking it into a self-made muslin mask. 

And I didn’t want to blow through a bunch of money going out and buying all the supplies. So, what to do? 

I decided to take a look at recipes I liked, and to see if I couldn’t just alter them to fit the ingredients I already had at home. 

One recipe that I found was for a hydrating mask on Rookie. Here’s the original ingredients: 

+ 4 ounces coconut water

+ 1/4 tsp melted coconut oil

+ 1 tsp grapeseed oil

+ 1/2 tsp olive oil

Instead of using grape seed oil, which is great for acne-prone skin for it’s astringent qualities, I’m going to use my evening primrose oil, which is not only moisturizing, but has fatty acids great for soothing itchy, inflamed skin. 

I borrowed some coconut oil from my mom because your girl is currently out. And I decided instead of coconut water I was going to go with good old fashion water that I've distilled first. 

My mom had some fabric that should've could've worked, but it just didn't. It was a hilarious process making the fabric mask. (I was alone in my bathroom, cracking myself up as I made it). But it wasn't going to stay on my face unless I attached a few straps and tied it to my head. 

So, instead of using a sheet mask I just slapped the ingredients on my face and let them soak in. Well, I left out the water and just put the oils on instead. 

I’ve discovered that DIY homemade masks are awesome, when I want to go that route I just look at what I have and whip something up. And my other go to lately has been Lush masks. Like I said I have two that I’m currently using. They have a recycling program where if you bring in five of their pots your get a free mask. Win, win! 

I wasn’t too gung-ho on the 10-step skincare routine at first because it seemed like a lot of steps, and it seemed wasteful buying tiny things of products, but I’ve found a good middle ground with using products I already have as well products that fall within my skincare guidelines and I’m quite happy with where it’s at. 

And my skin has be ever grateful for the extra TLC and moisture this winter. 

My Not So Minimal Skincare Routine

So my skincare was pretty basic the last time I update you guys. 

It consisted of:

+ Pacifica Sea Foam complete face wash (use at night)

+ Acure CGF repair serum (one pump in the morning, two at night)

+ Alaffia Day Cream (morning and night)

+ Amara Organics Aloe Vera Gel (morning and night)

But it wasn’t quite cutting it this winter. My skin was dehydrated, crying out for more moisture, and I was struggling with how to give it what it needed. 

Then one of my best friends started talking about how she had been looking into the whole Korean skincare craze. 

It seemed like a lot, and I’m all about less is more. But I was intrigued. Very intrigued. 

So, I started looking into it for myself. And the main thing that came across for me was the focus on nourishing your skin, about getting the moisture back in your skin. Eureka! I thought, exactly what I was looking for. And I must admit I was green with envy by all the dewy skinned girls sharing their 10 step routines on YouTube. 

The ten steps include:

One — oil cleanser 

Two — water-based cleanser 

Three — exfoliator 

Four — toner 

Five — essence

Six — serum 

Seven — mask

Eight — Eye Cream 

Nine — moisturizer 

Ten — SPF or overnight mask

I took a look at what products I already had, that I liked, and really thought through how I wanted to go about it. 

I realized I could nix the first step for now because I don’t wear anywhere as much makeup needed to need a double cleanse. I do eventually want to get one, but I was trying to not kill my bank account or overwhelm my skin at first. 

My Pacifica cleanser counted for Step Two. 

I’ve always struggled with finding an exfoliator I like, so while I research to find the perfect one I’ve stuck to baking soda or coffee grounds to exfoliate a few times a week. 

Steps four and five were what I was most excited about. I haven’t used a toner for years (beyond apple cider vinegar) because I find astringents to be too harsh for my skin. After a lot of research and a lot of reviews read I settled on these two: 

+ Son & Park Beauty Water (toner) 

+ Missha Time Revolution (essence)  

And I must say I love these two products. Plus, if I’m feeling a little extra parched like I did when I first came home from Bali I’ll put a few layers of each on for extra hydration. 

I actually just finished up my Acure CGF repair serum, which I’ll be replacing with Klairs’ Vitamin C Serum. 

While the dewy skin I saw girls reveal after using a sheet mask was almost mouth watering (I’m a total dewy/hydrated skin addict) I didn’t like the amount of waste that was produced with the single use sheet masks. 

Instead I have been using and loving two masks from Lush over the past few months. The Rosy Cheeks mask for irritated skin, and the Oatfix mask when I need that hydration. But I am going to look into making my own DIY reusable sheet masks from muslin this month so stay tuned for that. 

For step eight, my Kiehls eye cream has served me well, but is getting to the end of it’s life so I’ll have to look into a replacement for that one. 

My Alaffia day cream moisturizer worked for step nine. 

And finally SPF. I got a sensitive skin SPF 50 from Neutrogena for my trip, but that leaves a white cast on my face so I’m looking for a sunscreen that isn’t full of terrible ingredients. 

Oh, and you better believe I’m intrigued by the hydrating overnight masks. I have a couple I’ve got my eye on, but for now I’ve just been taking a tiny dime sized amount of primrose oil and patting that on my face to soak in while I sleep. 

So, this sounds like a lot, but is it worth it? 

You bet your sweet behind I think it is. My skin has done a complete turn around from where it was before. 

And while I give a lot of credit to slashing my addiction to sugar, I also can tell the difference that just giving some extra love (and moisture) has done for my skin. It has been looking fan-freakin-tastic. 

But while what we put on our skin is important, I’ve also been focusing on staying hydrated with good old water, as well as keeping my diet full of nutritious, delicious whole foods. 

Phew, lots of info, I know. Share your favorite beauty products, whether you’ve tried the Korean skincare routine and what other skin tips you have below. 

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