6 Ways To Reduce Waste In Your Beauty Routine

Sometimes, size really does matter. Although smaller product sizes can be helpful, especially when you’re travelling or trying out a new formula, when you’ve established an effective skincare routine at home, opting for larger product sizes can be highly beneficial.

Firstly, Supersize skincare products offer convenience — you’ll never run out of your favourite skincare essentials! What’s more, you can make excellents savings, too. Larger skincare product portions can work out as better value.

Going for Supersize versions of our beloved products can also help you curate a more sustainable beauty routine, offering:

- Fewer online orders and less fuel for delivery - Fewer trips to the shop — again, less fuel - Less packaging waste - A smaller carbon footprint overall

With this in mind, we’ve given some of our best-selling products a Supersize boost, providing bigger portions of our iconic formulas so you can benefit from their active ingredients, hydration, and nourishment for longer.

Take our Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm 200g Supersize, for instance. This luxurious balm not only delivers a thorough cleanse but also comes in a larger size, meaning you won't need to repurchase as often. Fewer purchases translate to less packaging waste, and ensures you always have plenty of cleanser to keep your skin looking and feeling its best.

Our Superfood Fruit Vinegar Liquid Glow Supersize is another excellent choice for those looking to cut down on waste. This radiance-boosting toner comes in a larger bottle, reducing the number of empty containers ending up in landfills. Plus, it lasts longer, giving you more time to enjoy its revitalising benefits. 

And let’s not forget our iconic Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 100ml Supersize. This anti-ageing moisturiser harnesses Padina Pavonica to hydrate and nurture your complexion while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Now available in a more substantial size, you can enjoy long-lasting results and fewer jars over time.

From shower gel and hand wash to toothpaste and body lotion, many of us find our bathroom cabinets overflowing with plastic tubes and bottles. Often, this packaging is hard to recycle and ends up in general waste.

What if there was a way to stock up on your favourite washes and lotions without having to repurchase the wasteful packaging? With refillable skincare products, you can.

Our Mayfair No.9 Hand & Body Wash Refill Pouch is a prime example of how we can all make small changes that lead to significant impacts. This body wash refill pouch is designed to replenish your bathroom without the need for new packaging each time. This simple switch means fewer plastic bottles in circulation and less waste ending up in landfill sites.

With our body wash refill pouch, you get the same luxurious formula you love, with the added benefit of being kinder to the environment. Simply decant the refill into your original product bottle or any chic, non-plastic dispenser.

Pair your ELEMIS hand and body wash refill with our Mayfair No.9 Hand & Body Lotion Refill Pouch to treat your skin to a sumptuous combination of shea butter, starflower, echium, and blackcurrant seed oil. Together, these ingredients hydrate and condition for soft, supple skin. You can enjoy all the skincare benefits, with less plastic waste.

Another great way to reduce waste in your beauty routine is to look for reusable items. Some simple swaps can make a big difference. Did you know that, worldwide, we dispose of 11 billion wet wipes and face wipes every year? By switching to reusable face pads and a liquid or balm cleanser, you can reduce your contribution to landfill.

Our Luxury Cleansing Cloth Duo offers a reusable alternative to disposable cotton pads and is soft on your skin. Pair them with our Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm to gently and effortlessly sweep away traces of make-up and daily grime.

Being mindful of water usage is another simple yet impactful way to make your skincare routine more eco-friendly. One of the easiest steps is to turn off the tap while you brush your teeth and wash your face.

Consider this: leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth can waste up to 15 litres of water. By turning it off, you’re not only conserving water but also reducing the energy required to pump, heat, and treat it. This reduction helps lower your carbon footprint and supports the health of our planet.

The same goes for turning the tap off while you cleanse and tone. So as you massage your Nourishing Omega-Rich Cleansing Oil or Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser into your skin, switch off the tap until you’re ready to rinse the product off.

There’s nothing like a hot shower to wash away the day. However, while the warmth can be soothing for your muscles, it’s not necessarily the best choice for your skin — or the environment. Hot water can strip your skin of essential oils, leaving it tight and dry. This is especially true for blemish-prone skin, which might produce more sebum to compensate, potentially leading to clogged pores and more blemishes.

Cold Water Cleansing with ELEMIS

Switching to cold water for cleansing can make a significant difference in your skincare routine and environmental impact. Cold water is gentler on your skin, helping to maintain its natural balance and prevent the overproduction of oils. Experts also believe that cold water cleansing can save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

It’s estimated that washing your clothes with cooler water could eliminate about 1,600 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. This just goes to show how turning down the temperature and switching to cold water cleansing can also have a positive effect on the environment.

At ELEMIS, our cleansers are designed to be wonderfully effective with cooler water. Whether you choose our Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash, you can trust that your skin will feel clean and refreshed without the need for hot water.

At ELEMIS, we are committed to tackling the issue of waste within the beauty industry — and it doesn’t stop at our product creation. We also want to support you in navigating the recycling process.

That’s why our most recent addition to the ELEMIS locations, our Monmouth Street store in London, offers a handy recycling facility for your empty jars. Simply bring in your clean, residue-free packaging from any beauty brand, and we’ll ensure it’s recycled responsibly.

We believe that every small action can make a big difference. By recycling your empties with us, you’re contributing to a more sustainable future. As a token of our appreciation, we’ll treat you to a complimentary sample when you recycle.

At ELEMIS, we are dedicated to making the beauty industry more sustainable and we’re always working on changes to support the planet. For example, in 2021 we switched to plastic-free Dynamic Resurfacing pads, saving 1.3 tonnes* of plastic waste annually. We've also saved an estimated 1.7 tonnes* of plastic by removing spatulas from our products.

Our commitment doesn’t stop there. We’re transitioning to more recyclable glass jars across our ranges, aiming for 100% recyclable, reusable, or refillable packaging by 2025. These steps are part of our ongoing efforts to lower plastic usage and set ambitious sustainability goals.

You can get involved too — explore our Supersize collection and see how choosing larger sizes can reduce waste and support a more sustainable beauty routine. Embrace a cleaner, greener future with ELEMIS.

*Based on average annual sales.