These quirky products could become your every essentials
Guest post by Lucy Zender, creator and founder of Tweezerfile
Foundation, concealer, blusher, eye makeup, lipstick, applicators, etc. We all have the usual items in our makeup bags! But you could be missing out on some clever, but lesser known, beauty tools.
The beauty industry often has a use-it-bin-it-buy-another attitude, which isn’t great for our wallets or the environment. Some of the following more unusual items are much more planet-friendly and will help give your make up bag a sustainability boost. Not to mention they are all likely to help ensure you are never looking anything less than your absolute best!
A makeup spatula
You are probably unwittingly throwing away a lot of makeup which is left at the bottom of tubs and tubes. I highly recommend cutting open your old tubes and scooping out what you can no longer squeeze out to make sure you waste less of your favourite products and save yourself money at the same time. That’s what makes a makeup spatula a great value purchase and one you will use over and over again. The Every Drop Beauty Spatula by Every Drop is available online from Amazon.
Get sparkly!
Maybe not your day-to-day necessity but we could all do with some sparkle from time-to-time.
If you’re heading to a festival or think you might go from pub to club, EcoStardust comes in handy little pots that will sit comfortably inside your makeup bag “just in case”.
Many glitter makeup products contain a lot of plastic but there are eco friendly versions available made from plant cellulose which is 100% biodegradable.
Jade facial roller
A jade facial roller is a must for your makeup bag at home and should really be used daily as it provides a ‘work-out’ for your skin. It boosts circulation and eliminates puffiness, providing a sculpted look and making you positively glow.
If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends or enjoying your Friday night tipple too much, you will really appreciate the effects of this little roller. And, with regular use, it has a great anti-ageing effects, without the need to coat your skin in chemicals; improving texture and tone, plumping fine lines and reducing persistent wrinkles.
Available from a variety of outlets including Look Fantastic, SpaceNK, and CultBeauty.
A reusable cotton bud
Let’s face it, a good old cotton bud can be a lifesaver at times. If you’ve done your whole face and smudged your mascara or eyeshadow, a quick precision swipe can prevent you from having to start again from scratch. However, these little buds tend to get ingrained with left-behind makeup mess, go fluffy and fester at the bottom of the bag. Not to mention the environmental impact. They’re only tiny, but the accumulation of these little bits of single-use plastic is a considerable contributor to the problems we are facing environmentally.
Enter LastSwab! A sanitary and reusable bud, or q-tip, a LastSwab can be cleaned using soap and water so they are convenient when you are touching up in the ladies. They come in small, convenient carrying case, which means they can stay clean in your makeup bag and, for the eco-conscious, one LastSwab replaces a massive 1,000 single use cotton swabs.
Mascara shield
Of course, you can save the LastSwab for even longer if you don’t make a mess in the first place. Woosh Beauty launched an innovation in 2018 which became something of an Instagram hit, including receiving praise from the British Beauty Council. It is a shield that not only protects your lids from smudged mascara, it also helps separate the lashes as you apply it. You can use it on both the top and bottom lashes and it even has a handle that can be used as a lash and brow comb.
Reusable makeup remover pads
Much like q tips, small products that do massive damage environmentally are wet wipes and cotton pads that are used to remove makeup, etc. But you probably already know that. What might be news is that there is now a large variety of reusable makeup pads on the market.
Most of them can simply be thrown into the washing machine. Some even come with little wash bags to put them in when washing - practical and cute. Do check the washing instructions before you buy, though, as some require hand washing, which doesn’t work for everyone. They will last for up to about a thousand washes, which means you can use them over and over again for years. And they don’t just work for removing make up, you can also use them to apply toner and other creams or lotions.
If you are taking them out and about in your cosmetic bag, small pads, like the ones from Tabitha Eve are the ideal size.
Keep those tweezers working perfectly
I’m sure you have tweezers in your makeup bag, whether for a stray eyebrow hair, applying false lashes or even for plucking out the odd grey from your hairline. But what if you go to do your essential task and your tweezers are too blunt? Don’t throw them out – sharpen them!
As the name suggests, Tweezerfile is a file for your tweezers and just a few strokes up and down will restore your favourite tweezers to their former glory, meaning you can get at even the most stubborn little hair. Simply hold your tweezers with the blades together, then slide the tweezer up and down the Tweezerfile, gently applying equal pressure on the top and bottom blade. After a few strokes, your tweezers will be back to their old glory, gripping even the shortest hair! Available in two beautiful colours, coral and petrol blue. Available via Tweezerfile.com and from Amazon.
So, if you’re looking for ways to stay looking your beautiful best while helping the planet these little gizmos are worth getting your hands on and keeping in your makeup bag, along with your other everyday essentials.