This week, the planet celebrated #WorldOceansDay–the day when humanity rethinks the management of the ocean and its resources. Introduced in 1992 by Canada's International Centre for Ocean Development, #WorldOceansDay has been attracting world-renowned luxury brands, which use the holiday for their cause-marketing initiatives, ever since.
This year, Net-A-Porter “made a splash” calling beauty companies and consumers to be more water-conscious about cosmetics and skin care. “MAKE WAVES: Water consumption continues to be a crucial part of the sustainability conversation, and beauty is no exception. As water becomes more of a commodity, the impacts of its scarcity are felt more and more, and so a water-conscious beauty routine is more important than ever before [...]” the company wrote in an Instagram post.
It’s All About “Aqua”
Water (or “aqua”) makes up about 70 percent of a typical water-based product. The problem, however, is that, most of the time, it doesn’t add any substance, but rather just provides a cheap way to boost volume of the product. Fortunately, today, water substitutions are widely available and some beauty formulas even benefit from containing less water.
Quality products that don’t contain water (anhydrous) can be found on the market as cleansing balms, pressed serums, dry masks and other products. Founder of De Mamiel, Annee de Mamiel, says: “A well-balanced facial oil provides the skin with a mix of ceramides, cholesterol and essential fatty acids, along with plant polyphenols to moisturize dry skin, repair barrier function and balance the oil.”
Start A Water-Conscious Beauty Routine
On #WorldOceansDay, Net-A-Porter posted The Beauty Memo, titled “Is There Future For Beauty Waterless?” educating consumers on waterless beauty and how it can be incorporated into our daily routines.
Of course, water shouldn't be completely eliminated. Water is necessary. But being conscious about how it is utilized can be beneficial to our skin and to the environment.
Here is what we can do to be more mindful about water use in cosmetics:
- Simplify our routines so that fewer products are used.
- Remember that while water is crucial to our overall health, it’s not critical for the skin. “Water alone is not hydrating to the skin because it just evaporates,” explained dermatological surgeon Dr. Heather D. Rogers.
- Know what you’re trying to get out of the product. According to Krysia Boinis, cofounder of Vapour Beauty, “Waterless products are great for concentrated skin nourishment. Save water-based skincare for treatments with hydrophilic ingredients like fruit acids and water-soluble vitamins.”
- Choose well-formulated products with targeted ingredients. “To negate the effects of hard water, look for cleansers with chelators that bind to calcium and prevent it from reacting with skin’s oils, and incorporate antioxidants to protect against free radicals,” suggested dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross.
- Be aware of the amount of water used overall and remember that even anti-aging face oil has water footprints in it.