Zero Waste and Vegan Skincare Routine for Glowing Skin
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Let me just start by saying this: I’ve tried a crap ton of low waste and zero waste skincare products, including the DIY route (coconut oil trend, I’m looking at you).
I’ve spent hours combing through the internet and hours still pinning DIY recipes and low waste skincare brands so that I could be my own little guinea pig and bless you with my vast experience.
Okay so maybe I’m exaggerating just a teensy bit, but the point is this - I have some legit low waste skincare products and solutions that I can personally vouch for so that you can spend less time searching high and low for vegan, low waste options and more time ~glowing~.
First step: get to know your skin
Of course, everyone has different skincare types, needs, and struggles. So my first tip for finding a low waste skincare routine that actually leaves you with glowing skin is to figure out your skin type.
This might take a little experimentation, but my guess is that you have at least some ideas of what benefits your skin and what doesn’t bid so well. Whatever knowledge you have to start with is a step in the right direction!
If you’re just starting out in your skincare journey, a good starting point is simply determining whether you have generally “normal”, dry, oily, combination, or sensitive skin.
Normal Skin Type
Here are some signs that you have what’s considered normal skin type:
Your face usually doesn’t feel too oily or too dry throughout the day.
If you ever do experience excess oil or dry skin, it’s only seasonal or hormonal.
You don’t usually experience irritation or breakouts from new products.
You don’t have breakouts very often.
Dry Skin
You probably have a dry skin type if:
Your skin feels tight or dry after washing your face with certain cleansers.
You sometimes have flaky skin or dry patches.
You sometimes experience skin irritation when you don’t moisturize.
Winter is especially rough because your skin gets particularly dry.
You rarely ever see excess oil on your face.
Oily Skin
Signs of having a more oily skin type:
You usually see or feel excess oil by midday.
Your skin tends to look shiny and you have to reapply powder or use a blotting wipe.
Sometimes your moisturizer feels too heavy and doesn’t get completely absorbed.
Summer can be rough because your skin feels especially oily.
You might have breakouts often.
Combination Skin
Maybe you experience a bit of symptoms from both dry and oily skin. If that’s the case, you probably have combination skin. Other signs of combination skin are:
Your T-zone (the T shaped area above your brows and down to your nose) often produces excess oil but your cheeks tend to be more dry.
You sometimes have breakouts and patches of dry skin at the same time.
Your pores are particularly visible in your T-zone but not really anywhere else.
Sensitive Skin
It’s good to note here that you might have a combination of the above types and sensitive skin. To be honest, if you have sensitive skin you’re probably already aware, but here are some of the signs if you’re unsure:
You have to be careful when trying new products because you might have a reaction.
Products with a lot of fragrance can cause irritation.
Certain products cause noticeable redness and/or irritation.
You may have certain skin conditions like eczema, dermatitis, or rosacea.
Don’t forget about your food!
And no, I’m not talking about a banana and oats face mask (although I’ve been there too 😅).
Actually, what you eat is a HUGE part of your skincare routine. At least it should be. Do you ever notice that when you eat certain foods or drink sugary drinks or alcohol, you sometimes break out?
When I first stopped eating dairy and wheat (which I have food sensitivities to), I noticed a really big difference in my skin. When I’m eating a lot of fruits and veggies and avoiding processed foods and other foods that I’m sensitive to, I have practically no breakouts. My skin texture feels smoother, and just looks a hell of a lot better!
However, on the rare occasion that I do eat food I’m sensitive or allergic to or even just have alcohol I’ll almost certainly break out within the next day. I’m telling you, it’s like clockwork.
My best advice would be to work with your doctor, naturopath or nutritionist to test for any common food allergies or sensitivities, and see if removing those items from your diet makes a difference.
That being said, I know that testing can be a little bit pricey, so if that’s out of the budget for now, here’s a few things you can do:
Start paying attention to how your body and your skin reacts to certain foods and drinks. Do you breakout? Do you get stomach aches? Any other symptoms? If so, write down the things you’ve eaten in the last 2 days and keep a simple log. You’ll start to notice which foods are the culprit, and you can try cutting those out for at least a week or two to see if it makes a difference in your skin and how you feel. You can reintroduce each food you suspect one at a time to see how you react.
Try to avoid processed foods as much as possible, as these are loaded with salt, sugar preservatives and other ingredients that can be inflammatory to your skin and body.
Eat an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and minimally processed grains, which are high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that your skin will love. Also try to eat less animal products or eliminate them entirely; I have and I’ve never felt better, and my skin has never looked better!
I know you’ve heard it a lot, but DRINK MORE WATER!! Stay hydrated, and it will work wonders for your skin, especially if you have dry skin and chapped lips like I often do when I don’t drink enough water.
On a similar note, avoid sugary drinks like sodas, energy drinks, and juices with added sugars.
Start implementing at least a few of those tips and I promise you’ll already start seeing the benefits.
My go to Low Waste Skincare Brand
As you go through my favorite low waste and vegan skincare products, you’ll notice I recommend a lot of products from Zerra and Co. - that’s because I use them every day and genuinely love the brand and everything they are doing!
I found and purchased the products myself when I was searching for a low waste skincare brand with fair prices and vegan options, and once I knew I loved them, I applied to become an affiliate because I can’t recommend them enough! I even love buying their products as gifts for people because I know they will love them as much as I do. I also love that they have a great container return program to give your bottles another life!
So just know that I’m genuinely recommending their products a lot because I use and love them myself.
And even better, because I’m an affiliate, you can score a 20% discount on any of their products by using my links or with the code KIERACO. Woo hoo!
I’ve also linked a few other brands of products I use every day, some of which are also affiliate codes. That means it’s no extra charge to you and I get a small percentage for recommending the product to you. I really appreciate you guys using my links so I can keep this blog running, and do a little happy dance when you do!
My Vegan and Low Waste Skincare Routine for Glowing Skin
First and foremost, I like to keep my skincare routine fairly simple. I don’t want to have to spend 45 minutes before bed doing 10 different steps because I’m lazy. I want to refresh my face in like 15 minutes max so I can go snuggle into bed with a cup of tea and a fantasy romance novel.
With that said, let’s get into the everyday products I use to get that glow.
Makeup Remover
Most days I wear a vegan, low waste mascara from Zerra and Co. which comes off pretty easily, so on those days or if I’m wearing another light mascara, I’ll use the Eye Makeup Remover from Dr. Hauschka. It works pretty well for this, and although it can be a bit oily, it’s light enough that it doesn’t stick to my lashes or get in my eyes.
On days when I’m going to be more active like going on a hike or going swimming, I’ll use a waterproof mascara so I need to use a waterproof makeup remover. I just picked one up at Whole Foods, and although it does come in plastic, it’s a pretty big bottle and I don’t use it too often so it should last me awhile.
If you have a low waste, waterproof mascara remover that works well for you, please let me know in the comments!
Don’t forget to use the links provided or use the code KIERACO to get 20% off your purchase from Zerra and Co.!
Cleanser
As for a cleanser, I currently have two different kinds that I’ve been using.
The first is the Cleansing Oil Serum for dry skin from Zerra and Co. since I do, in fact, have generally dry skin. But if your skin is on the more oily side, fear not! They also have a Cleansing Oil Serum for oily skin! That way you can pick the perfect one for your skin type.
This cleanser comes in a glass bottle with a dropper which makes it super easy to put on. It only has a few ingredients which is awesome because my skin can be slightly sensitive.
To use it, I get my skin slightly damp then drop some oil directly onto my skin. I rub it in with clean hands for a minute or so, then wipe it away with a damp washcloth. I definitely feel like it does a great job getting my skin clean and feels super refreshing from the eucalyptus and rosemary oils.
The second cleansing oil I use is the Cleansing Oil from Mad Hippie.
It comes in a glass bottle with a pump top and plastic cap, inside of a cardboard box. So although it does come with a plastic pump and cap, I definitely will be able to reuse the bottle and pump top when it runs out.
This cleansing oil feels very nourishing to my dry skin, and I like to use this one when my skin feels a little dryer or more sensitive than usual. This one definitely has more ingredients than the one from Zerra and Co. but all of them seem to be high quality and it’s been totally fine on my sensitive skin.
I really do love both of these oil cleansers and don’t have a particular preference, it really just depends on the day and I do like to switch between them occasionally to get the benefits of both.
That being said, if you’re not into oil cleansers, Zerra and Co. also has a gel cleanser you can try!
Toner
The toner I use and love is the Botanical Toner from Zerra and Co.
When I was reading the ingredients, I noticed they included glycerine so I contacted the company and they assured me that all of the glycerine they use is 100% vegetable based.
The Botanical Toner comes in a glass bottle with a simple metal twist cap and can be returned through their container return program once you use it all up.
It is a bit pricier, but it comes in a hefty 8 oz. bottle so it pretty much adds up to the same price as I’d pay for a couple of smaller bottles. I’ve had it a few months and I feel like I’ve barely made a dent even using it almost every single day.
I simply put a bit on my fingers or a reusable cotton pad and rub it over my skin and it feels lovely and refreshing, and not at all drying or irritating like some other toners I’ve tried in the past.
Lotion/Sunscreen
If you’re not using sunscreen every day, that’s the first thing that should be on your list! Protecting your skin from sun damage is one of the greatest things you can do to make sure you have and keep healthy, glowing skin. Not to mention protecting yourself from more serious things like skin cancer.
Trust me, it’s not worth it. Just wear the sunscreen. Yes, even when it’s cloudy outside. Yes, even in the winter. Always yes.
I use the Vegan Collagen Every Day Lotion with SPF 30. It comes in a glass bottle with a plastic pump top, so again this isn’t completely zero waste but you can reuse the bottle or recycle it at a recycling program like the one at Bare Minerals.
A little goes a long way with this, so if you put too much on you might feel a little greasy. However, I will say it’s comparatively light relative to other natural sunscreens I’ve tried, and as long as I don’t use too much my skin looks nice and dewy.
If it ever does look a little too oily, I just top it off with the Setting Powder from Zerra and Co. and it’s totally fine.
As for a night cream, I’m still using up some moisturizers I’ve had that are not low waste, but tell me your low waste and vegan favorites in the comments. Honestly though, when I use the oil cleansers, I don’t particularly feel like I even need a moisturizer - it’s just nice to have.
Lip Balm
Don’t neglect your lip skin, babes!
You want to keep soft, supple skin to complement your glowing skin, right? Right.
I’ve been using the Tinted Lip Balm from Zerra and Co. which is made with candelilla wax and comes in a paperboard tube which is completely compostable, even with leftover lip balm residue. They also carry a non-tinted balm, but for now they only have a beeswax option, so you’ll probably want to stick to the tinted ones if you’re looking for a Vegan option.
Face Mask
I don’t use a face mask every day, but I do try to get one in once a week if I can! The low waste one that I’m loving right now is the Rose Clay Mask. It comes in a cute little glass container with a metal lid and honestly, it just looks so beautiful sitting on my bathroom counter.
I just put it all over my face using clean hands and let it dry for like 15 minutes before rinsing it off. It feels so refreshing but never dries out my skin even though it’s a clay mask, probably because the argan oil is nice and moisturizing.
I also feel like a little goes a long way with this face mask, so I think it will last me quite a while.
If you try my vegan, low waste skincare routine, let me know how it goes! Remember, if you really want that glowing skin you’ve been searching for, combine these products with the tips I mentioned above. And above all, remember that everyone’s skin journey is different and it might take some experimenting to find what really works for you.