Exfoliants

When I was a teenager I used a facial scrub that had micro beads in it. I didn't think about it too much until I saw an article stating how much of an environmental hazard they were. According to Time they are being banned in certain places - and for good reason too. These small pieces of plastic are not only damaging our skin but are causing damage to waterways and the death of marine life who eat the beads that are washed out to sea.

left over ground coffee beans make a good scrub (image © Unamanic)

If you are looking for a better alternative facial scrub there are many options. Personally I make my own oat milk and the left over oat pulp is what i use when i feel my face needs exfoliation. Occasionally I use left over coffee grounds or just washing my face with a cloth, all of these options also help to reduce the garbage sent to landfills. There are so many options out there, but try to go with something already in your home that doesn't include animal products. Also an FYI - using any scrub too vigorously or using one that is too coarse can also be bad for your skin so please take care. It is not necessary in most cases to use these every day.

Remember, we don't really "need" all these personal care products. Lets ditch these commercial pollutants in favor of things we already have around the house that aren't causing any harm to the environment (or ourselves)!

Daily routine

Every morning and evening I give my face a light rub with a damp washcloth, and use a pea sized amount of coconut oil and two drops of rosehip oil on my face. Last year I decided to give up using any kind of moisturiser or eye cream. I couldn’t justify the use of un-recyclable packaging filling up landfills and who really knows if the ingredients in these products are actually good for you. Even if they are 100% safe, studies have shown that remnants of personal care products are being found in uninhabited areas of the world (such as Antarctica ), carried there by the ocean, and causing harm to the environment and wildlife.

It might seem weird to use oil on ones face, and people have asked me if my skin looks oily or if I break out, the answer to both is no. It looks oily for a few minutes until it absorbs into my skin but that’s about it. Coconut oil is also good for make-up removal.

As a side note, my routine works for me but may not for you. This process has changed over time and it may change again in the future. It's always best when trying a new product to do a patch test on your skin before any application.