I used to be completely clueless when it came to facial cosmetics. Going along the journey towards a green lifestyle, I realized I couldn’t afford to be uninformed any longer. That’s why I joined a CÎME do-it-yourself cosmetics atelier near Brussels, organized by professional make-up artist Eva. I’m very happy to share with you what I learned.
According to dermatologists, the most important aspect of the daily facial routine is not putting creams on, but rather, cleansing things off our face. A good cleansing, in the morning AND in the evening, will keep it looking healthy and soft. Throughout the day, our face is exposed to dirt, bacteria and pollutants, especially living in a city. It’s also covered by dead skin cells, as our skin is constantly re-generating itself. To help our skin maintain healthy and hydrated, it’s important to remove the impurities.
Now what’s the best way to clean our face, while respecting nature?
First, we need to choose a trust-worthy eco-cleansing product.
At bio-shops, we can find several. I now started using CÎME cleansing oil (Rosée de Roses), as I like the smell and the texture. It’s Belgian-owned, plant-based, organic (bio), fair trade marked, not tested on animals, vegan, AND affordable. It honestly makes me feel good on the inside and outside. 😊
I was also happy to learn that the packaging is not entirely made from fossil-fuel plastic, but a mix between corn plastic and regular plastic. So, it’s still recyclable and a bit less damaging. All bits help! Especially considering that today it’s still difficult (and expensive!) to find completely biodegradable packaging that preserve cosmetics’ properties well.
Don't forget to use renewable pads to avoid on-off use of cotton. It limits trash and production resources and it's better for the wallet. To clean them, we just put them in the washing machine with the rest of our laundry.
Secondly, once in a while, we can gently scrub our face when it feels especially greasy, like in stressful periods. The important thing is that it’s gentle. Our skin actually needs some dead skin cells in order to maintain hydrated, as I learned in this article. The good news is; we can easily make this ourselves at home.
Lastly, I like to apply a day cream, so that my face is hydrated and elastic throughout the day.
If you have hectic mornings, you can keep this routine for the evening and apply a night cream instead. I only recently learned about the difference between the two. During the day, our face gets exposed to sun and pollution, so day crème normally contains sunscreen and is light/non-greasy so that it can be used with other make-up. At night, our skin repairs, restores and regenerate. Night crème focuses on moisture and recovery, and is typically thicker or heavier than day crème.
I use now the CÎME Daisy Delight cream which can be used as both a day and night cream. For someone like me, with an irregular beauty routine, it’s good to have options. 😉
And we’re good to go! Usually when I go outside, I like to put on some mascara and lipstick. I’m still searching for a planet-friendly brand that is nice and affordable, so please let me know via Instagram if you know one!
If you would also like to try out CÎME’s products, you can check out the webshop of HOST.
More ecological inspiration and tips & tricks:
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About Mixua
Mixua believes that everyone can make a positive impact. That is why we want to inspire you on the way to a more ecological lifestyle. We do this through various activities such as the Eco Tours, online workshops and online discovery guide.