What You Should Know About ‘Waterless’ Beauty

Conscious cosmetics and sustainable skincare have been on the consumer’s radar for some time now, but as warnings of water shortages filter down into the public domain, should we be water-wary when buying beauty products?

Ah, water. The elixir of life. Even the word leaves us feeling refreshed. The miraculous nature of water is an age-old acknowledgement, but somewhere between facilitating all life on earth, making up 70 per cent of said earth’s surface and being entirely necessary for the survival of the entire human race, water started evading our grip and abuse of its reserves has left us searching for a more sustainable solution.

After extensive research, our Founder and CEO, Susie Ma, saw that many gentle cleansers and face washes contain 96 per cent water, which she thought was a monumental waste of product and packaging:

“We have always tried to concentrate our products as much as possible, often using plant juices in our formulations instead of water. A few favourites of these are aloe vera, coconut juice and cucumber juice. This time, however, we wanted to go one step further.” 

So, Susie wanted to make a splash in the skincare world with some water-free formulations. Enter: Clear Skies and Clear Slate cleansing powders. These are dry products, with no water inside and no water used in their manufacturing process. They’re completely refillable and entirely remarkable in the low levels of their water wastage. 

Our waterless cleanser – Clear Slate – has been specially formulated with added bamboo charcoal and volcanic ash to make it particularly effective for oily skin and to target enlarged pore appearance. Both of Tropic’s powder cleansers are evidence that beauty brands can step up to the challenge of low water wastage without compromising on the quality of results from their products.

Tropic believes that waterless beauty is a great way for us to adapt to the planet’s impending water scarcity, but we’ve also seen how water-free products can tackle the drought and dehydration that occurs on the surface of our skin.

Contrary to what may seem obvious, water can actually be drying for the skin. Watery solutions and formulations can also result in lower efficacy rates, as botanical ingredients are often more diluted, reducing their potency. Water can also lead to the growth of bacteria when added to skincare products, necessitating high levels of preservatives which can sometimes cause sensitive skin. 

Even if water is being used in formulations responsibly, we can always strive to make more conscious choices and enjoy efficacious products without water where possible.

Although it’s not advisable to eliminate water from your life entirely – your inner organs may have something to say about that – being less H2O-happy with your cosmetic and skincare routines may leave your skin and its surroundings with a bit more spring in their step.

The current of conscious cosmetics is changing. If waterless beauty is a simple solution to a more sustainable skincare regime, then we want to be riding the wave.