How water-free beauty products will enhance your skincare regime

Dominique Temple

Updated Thu, March 22, 2018 at 7:36 AM UTC

Skincare  - CoffeeAndMilk — Skincare - CoffeeAndMilk

Have you ever looked at the label on the back of your skincare bottle? Take a look at the ingredient list on any of your products and you will see the majority of them list water as the first ingredient. Water makes up about 70 per cent of your usual lotions and creams, leaving very little room for the active, working ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, clay and other hero oils. Mintel's recent report 'Water is the new luxury', revealed water shortages to be of great concern for both consumers and retailers. Water is set to become a precious commodity as consumption outstrips supply.

As a company, L’Oreal have pledged to reduce its water consumption by 60 per cent per unit of finished product by 2020. We are moving into a more green beauty world and L'Oreal's move proves that no matter how big or small your approach is, everyone can help. Last year saw the popularity of eco-friendly beauty brands reach an all-time high with brands like Rms Beauty and Pai taking over beauty cabinets and challenging non-bio formulas with equal efficacy.

One theory behind water-less products is to create more potent solutions that aren't filled and diluted with a mass of water, which is inactive. And did you know water dries the skin more than it nourishes? "Many of the preservatives present in your beauty products are there because water encourages bacteria growth," says Alexia Inge, co-founder of the beauty etailer Cult Beauty. "No water means no bacteria, which means no preservatives which equals better skincare." The renowned American dermatologist Dr Lancer agrees. "A water-free formulation allows for improved stabilisation, with no need for added emulsifiers or other additives."

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Another theory to consider is the production of beauty products. "I think this will lead to more dry or powdered formulas that you activate with each use rather than a bottle with a shelf life of 12 months," says Inge. "The upsides are obvious for travel, but this also means less packaging is needed and you get hyper-fresh actives with every use. For example, water-activated ingredients such as multi-culture probiotics are at their most effective for 24 hours post activation."

It's no surprise that this trend originated in South Korea. Many Western brands are also starting to add powdered skincare products to their ranges. Korean manufacturers created water-less products for their skincare benefits, not necessarily their environmental credentials. Either way, it seems water-less beauty is set to be the new leader in environmentally-friendly skincare.

Mintel also revealed that 27 per cent of consumers are conscious of their water usage, and are looking to change their habits or recycle what they are using. "Water is fast becoming a very precious resource," says Inge. "It is prudent to limit the amount used in industries where there is an alternative, so the lion’s share can go to food production." Here are our favourites.