[Misc.] Help us build a 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' wiki!

Reuse

There's already a bit about using reusable cotton pads etc., and I'd like to add some guides for turning old t-shirts into cotton rounds!

• DIY Reusable Cotton Rounds (Loepsie)

• DIY Reusable Cotton Rounds (Litterless)

• Blanket Stitch How To - Basic Sewing (Red Ted Art)

One thing I've been thinking about lately seeing all of the r/SkincareAddiction posts about extravagant shelfies is finding a way to share my unused products with others. I admit I am one of those people with a disposable income, has bought too many products in the past, and ended up using a small amount before stopping (or worse, bought a bunch more of a product assuming I'd like it and never even opened a new product). I would much rather ship these unused products to someone that would want them then let them sit in my bathroom until they "expire" and I throw them out. It's less about money lost and more about not wasting something.

I know this can get complicated depending on the product (e.g. if my fingers go into the product then it's not the same as a serum distributed via a dropper in terms of cleanliness), but I was still wondering if there was any interest in a product exchange to try and tackle the "reuse" component here.

I use AB that has refill packs so that I'm not just constantly buying full bottles again! My two big ones that I use are the Nivea Sun Protect Super Water Gel sunscreen, which is not only a big bottle (140g! With a pump!), but has refill packs! See RatzillaCosme. Most Hada Labo products also have refills, which are easily found on YesStyle and Amazon.

Also, if you like sheet masks like me, I almost exclusively use multipacks, mainly Lululun, where you can buy 7 or 32 masks in a single package so that you're only throwing out the mask, not the mask and packaging every time. There's other brands out there that do them, too, like Pure Smile and Keana, but I mainly use Lululun because they're easy for me to find in proper multipacks and I like the quality of the masks. (The rice ferment in the Keana masks is okay, it just...also kind of smells strongly like plastic to me?)

Reduce: Burn your family. There's a long-term reduction of carbon emissions and stress

Reuse: Use their bones to mix up your own skincare products.

Recycle: Ash is a great way to make organic shampoo/sunscreen!

It's not a perfect option, but for those items in your routine which are hard to replace, programs TerraCycle can prove useful. They take packaging you'd otherwise need to throw away and are able to upcycle/recycle it! Paula's Choice is the only brand I regularly use that partners with this program, but their website shows they work with a few other pretty big (skincare) names-- most notably Deciem! Anyway, definitely a resource worth looking into if you're trying to decrease your footprint!

(They also work with some other big name brands which you may have around your house, like Febreze, Gilette, even Vans! Definitely worth taking a gander at their website!)

Reduce - cut open your products (the ones that can be cut open) and there is usually a lot of product left that hasnt pumped out or can’t be squeezed out

Reuse - this might not be for everyone but whenever I open up a sheet mask and use it I always put the packet into the fridge and reuse the excess liquid just as a hydrator the next day

Recycle - the wiki could have common products and how to recycle or upcycle their packaging? Use TO bottles for homemade oil cleansers, how to tell if a sheet mask is compostable, etc

Recycle:

The Body Shop (Canada, not sure if other countries too) takes their clean empty packaging back. Their rewards members can receive a $10 gift when they return 5 empty packages/containers/etc.

Can we also discuss product alternatives that are made of more sustainable packaging that is affordable? I recycle the best that I can, but it kills me that most of the products I use are made of plastic, and alternatives I find online are pretty expensive. :(

Hi all! I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who contributes to this!

I really do appreciate how everyone can come together to share their ideas to help make wiki's across all of reddit what they are.

I hope this wiki can help us find some new ideas, make some positive changes and start a good discussion!

SHOTGUN EDIT: ;)

Big big shoutout and thank you to the mods of this subreddit too! They are always open to new ideas, posts and discussions and it makes collaborating and building resources so much easier and more enjoyable!

Reuse: this might be janky as shit but I use clean old socks as cotton rounds! When any of my cotton socks get holes in them I just chop them up and save them in my scrap jar by my sink. After using I just toss them in the washer for many more uses :)

Reduce: I like to get people's discarded skincare

Reuse: if an oil doesn't work for your face, use it on your hair or body.

Recycle:

• Deciem recycles the little bottles they sell
• Niod sells those nifty heads for their bottles making empty bottles more appealing for general use (they make great travel size containers)

Reduce:

Reusable cotton rounds are great but I've been trying to cut down on my water use (so less frequent laundry) and I like using spray tops for toners as an alternative. I've tried just my hands but I'm such a klutz it's more product waste than anything.

REUSE I keep every little container that is a screw on (some spray bottles too) from eye cream or moisturizer or even little reward samples and then I use it for when I need a travel size! I also keep the little spatulas that come with things! if you have a sample of something and you don’t use it all at once you could squeeze it into an empty small container and pop the lid back on. Now you don’t have to buy a travel size version of whatever products you use!! I also have a giant aquaphor tub at home and I use one of my saved spatulas to scoop it into those and now you have a travel size :))

Reduce: I use a fine mist spray bottle rather than a cotton round to apply toner. It uses less since it’s not all absorbed into the cotton round and it eliminates the need for cotton rounds.

Reuse: I know they’ve already been mentioned, but Reusable cotton rounds are also great in place of makeup wipes with a plain oil (I use sunflower) or other makeup remover. I just use a little sunflower oil on a reusable round when I have eye makeup that needs removing and it works great and is pretty much just as easy as a disposable wipe. You could also make them in a larger square to make them more like a normal wipe.

Reuse: only buy travel size items or containers once! I buy a travel item one time and refill it from the full size product or use it as a travel container for another product.

If you use brands that offer refills for purchase, that's a way to reduce waste. I use several of the hada labo products (foaming cleanser, oil cleanser) and they offer refills on these. I keep the pumps. It's also more cost effective, usually 2-3 dollars less for the refills -- products are already inexpensive.

Reduce: The #1 way I've found to reduce consumption is simply to buy a whole lot fewer products. When I first got into skincare, I purchased WAY more than I could realistically use. Over time, I also became a lot busier with other stuff and I didn't care to spend the time to do a complicated routine, and I also wanted to shift my fun budget toward other interests.

Tbh, my skin actually improved when I cut out most of the products I was using. These days, I just stick to the essentials of cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and 1 "extra", because I know that even if I have more, I don't have the energy to regularly use it.

I also try to get multitasker products if possible. For example, my cleanser has 2% salicylic acid in it so I can use it to clean my face and have some mild exfoliation. Stratia liquid gold is my current "extra" product, so I'm getting both niacinamide and plant oils, which address my hyperpigmentation and dry skin, respectively.

I understand that this sub is literally called "skincareaddiction" but I do think that for many people, they could reduce their routine by a lot and still get the same results.

Reduce:

I read about cutting open tubes of products (spot treatment, sunscreens) to get every last bit, here on SkincareAddiction!!! It's been saving me money and helping me reduce waste.

Invest in tools like the Spatty Daddy or these to get the most use out of your products. You’d be surprised with how much product is left in your bottles/containers!

Reduce: besides reducing products in your collection, I now try to buy skincare products that I only need to replace once a year

Reduce: Say no to free samples you're indifferent to. Shop with vendors who are committed to responsible packaging (e.g., Origins, ILIA, Ren Clean Skincare, Aveda, Tata Harper). Buy locally made (your country, even) products when you can. Read lots of reviews (try to filter for your skin type or age, etc) before purchasing to reduce your products that aren't right for you, and therefore reduce your returns or throwaways. Enjoy your favorite products and skincare routine. There's nothing like feeling great about our skin. :)