How to Conserve H2O in Your Beauty Routine

Water is our most precious resource and sometimes we may not realize how much we are wasting (did you know that flushing your toilet can waste around 6 gallons per flush? 6!!!) You can look at your water bill to get an exact value of how much water you use in your household per month. Hopefully by making some adjustments, you can also see how much you have saved reflected on your bill. I could go on about the lack of access to clean water in other countries, or I could talk about the people in Flint, Michigan who are still without clean drinking water, but most of us are unaffected by this in our everyday lives. The truth is that we are all on this Earth together, and it is our humanistic duty to manage our resources responsibly. No one will keep you personally accountable for the waste you produce, but that is exactly why you should hold yourself accountable. All I am asking, is for you to look at your routines and see where you could save a little bit more, you know, for the greater good <3

This post isn't to make anyone feel bad for enjoying their privilege to clean water. It is more to inform everyday people how to conserve a little bit more water on a daily basis. Here are a few tips on how to conserve water in your beauty routine:

Morning Routine

It's early, and you are probably tired, but it is always a good time to conserve water. One good way to do this is to stick to cold water in the AM. Waiting for the water to get hot just wastes it. Pro tip, if you want to take the lazy girl way out, skip cleansing. You most likely did a thorough skincare routine before bed so just splash some cool water on your face to get you up and moving. Follow through with toner and moisturizer and you are good to go. Don't forget to shut off the water while you brush those pearly whites too, or brush them in the shower :)

In The Shower

Long hot showers are next to heaven in my book, but they are a luxury I don't afford myself often. The meditative art of cleansing is thoroughly enjoyable, but it can be extremely wasteful in regards to water. Depending on the flow rate of your shower head, (on average it can be anywhere from 2.5 to 7 gal/min, which translates to 37.5 to 105 gallons used during a 15 minute shower) tremendous amounts of water are wasted. Although I won't ask you to give up showers all together, there are definite steps you can take to counteract this. You can start by replacing your shower head with one that has a lower flow rate. You can also time your showers to be sure you aren't in there for almost a whole hour (I've definitely been guilty of this). I also recommend turning off the water while you scrub up. One more thing you can do is skip washing your hair if you can. Most people can go 2-3 days without washing their hair. This is also pretty good for your locks because you won't be stripping the natural oils that hair loves. Try some dry shampoo if you feel like you need a pick me up (I recommend this one: Batiste Dry Shampoo)

Night Time Routine

If you don't wear makeup, then half the struggle for getting bedtime ready is over. If you do wear makeup though, you may find yourself with your face in your sink for a few minutes every night. I could go on about how wasteful it is to let the water run while you try to remove your makeup, but I digress. I recommend removing makeup with all natural cold pressed food grade organic coconut oil, like this one. It will break down your makeup and it feels really nice while it does so. You can then gently remove the oil with a towel or a cotton pad. Now that the heavy lifting is over, wet your face and work your cleanser into your skin (Need I say to shut off the water while you cleanse?). You can rinse the cleanser off, and viola! No more water needed. Follow through with toner, serum, moisturizer, and whatever else is in your beauty routine. Brush your teeth with minimal water, and you are done and off to dreamland.

Going The Extra Mile

If this is just not enough to make you feel like you are making a difference, I understand. Here are a few random tips to help save some H2O: 

  1. Don't turn your water faucet all the way up. Whether you are doing dishes, or washing your face, there's no real reason to turn the pressure alll the way up. You can most likely get the job done with less.

  2. Avoid using hot water if you can. If you have an instant hot water heater this may not really matter, but most people have to let the water run to let it get hot. It just saves that little bit more. (Or use tip #4 and save the water that you would normally waste while waiting for it to get hot for other uses.)

  3. Fix leaky faucets. Even one drop a minute can amount to a lot of waste in the long run. Fix those leaks as soon as possible. Also, report leaky faucets to whomever is in charge at your work, gym, restaurants, or any places you may visit.

  4. Use left over water for your plants or grass. Sometimes I pour myself some water, forget it in the next room and fill up another one. While that first glass may still be drinkable, you can go ahead and give it to your plants.

Thank you so much for reading. If you have any tips that you use to conserve water that you don't see listed, please share your comments down below. Please share this post with friends and family in hopes of getting more people to be conscious about their water consumption.

Much love <3

-Denise V.