If you’re living in Cape Town, it’s time to face the reality that #DayZero is happening and there’s not much we can do about it, unless someone has a direct line to Mother Nature. What we can change, however, is our everyday habits when it comes to water usage. It’s not entirely impossible to save water AND maintain a good hygiene and beauty care at the same time. Yes, our taps may run completely dry and having to queue for daily bottled water along with the rest of the city is not something we ever thought we would have to endure, especially in the internationally acclaimed city Cape Town. But wallowing in denial is not the answer.
Your morning and nightly rituals will have to be cut down to the bare necessities, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still look (and feel) as refreshed and put-together as we used to. I mean, we do still have a social life and have to have human interaction – with or without water. These x water-saving beauty tips will help you transition into a new water-less way of life.
Hygiene
Keep clean people! It is absolutely essential that we maintain high standards of personal hygiene and avoid situations of bad smells, germs and possibly disease outbreaks (ew).
Roll-on Deodorant
Nothing new here, but to avoid funky smells and armpit sweat, increased everyday use of roll-on antiperspirant is a must.
Hand Sanitizer
If you don’t already keep a stash of this within arms reach, now would be a good time to start. Our fingertips go from a keyboard to our phones to some cash and then our food – all before extending a handshake. It is important to kill the spreading of germs quickly and effectively.
Cleansing Wipes
Wet wipes are your new best friend. Avoid feeling sticky by having a full wipe down with cleansing wipes on days when bathing or showering is not an option. However, proceed with caution, as those that contain alcohol and fragrance can quickly lead to dry skin and horrible conditions such as eczema when used heavily. Instead, you can purchase specialised baby wipes which are much gentler on the skin and are often sold in large packs which will be cheaper in the long run.
Camping Shower
If you simply cannot go without showering, a portable camping shower is a nifty alternative. Water can be stored in the shower bag for days and you can easily control your water yield to avoid waste when it is running.
Haircare
2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner
When it gets to the point where you really do need to wash your hair, opt for a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner. You’ll be saving water by only rinsing your hair once instead of twice. If however, your hair is very dry and requires a deep condition every so often, try switching to a leave-in conditioner spray which doesn’t need to be washed out.
Dry Shampoo
If your hair typically gets limp and oily very quickly, you might want to invest in a good dry shampoo to lessen the need for washing. it’ll give your hair a cleaner appearance and leave it smelling fresh. Baby powder does the job as well.
Skincare
Waterless cleanser
Waterless facial cleansers such as Micellar Water are all the rage right now. Not only are they a great solution to our impending Day Zero problems, but they are in fact less abrasive to the skin than cleansers that need to be rinsed off. This helps to lock in moisture, leaving your skin feeling soft and supple.
Always wanted to know what ‘clean beauty’ is? Find out about it here(& why you definitely need it) 💦🍃💅🏻
