Natural skincare, botanicals, waterless, and tallow-based skincare products – the world of caring for your skin can seem so complex at times.
Trends come and go, even in the world of skincare. But the best skincare products are so much more than just a trend; we’re talking about waterless skincare and products formulated with real, natural ingredients that benefit your skin, without the use of harsh chemicals and toxic ingredients.
Below, we’re discussing what the term waterless skincare actually means, how to decode the list of ingredients on a label, and how common it is for products to be formulated with irritants to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. Let’s dive in!
What is “Waterless Skincare”?
Waterless skincare might have you questioning if you’re supposed to lather, rinse, and repeat without the use of water. But the waterless skincare trend actually refers to products that do not use water as a base or first ingredient.
Instead, waterless skincare products are formulated with tallow, oils (olive, coconut), natural waxes (beeswax), hydrating butters (shea), and botanicals.
By removing water as a primary ingredient, you’re left with nourishing ingredients and fewer filler ingredients.
If you want a skincare routine with products that hydrate and brighten skin without causing irritation or redness, then waterless might just be right for you!
Concentration not Diluted
There’s a little secret to reading the ingredient list on skincare products. The ingredients listed are printed on the label in order of concentration, so when water is listed as the first active ingredient, it means your product contains more water than anything else.
When skincare products contain a high amount of water, here’s what it really means:
- Added Preservatives – When water is added to skincare products, it makes room for the growth of mold and bacteria (more on that below!). Because of this, most water-based products also contain added synthetic preservatives. These preservatives work to keep your products shelf-stable for longer periods of time. However, they are also known to cause irritation when applied to the skin.
- Active Ingredients are Diluted – Vitamins, fatty acids, antioxidants, and other natural ingredients are not as concentrated because water is taking up space, making those good-for-you ingredients less effective.
- Cost – There are plenty of factors that tie into the cost of a skincare product, including the active ingredients. When you consider the cost of water-based skincare, the total on your price tag is going to water instead of other valuable, nourishing ingredients.
Key Benefits of Waterless Skincare
Finding the best skincare products might mean making a few swaps on your bathroom shelf and going waterless, especially if your skin is sensitive, prone to breakouts, or experiences periods of dryness and flakiness.
Here’s 5 of our favorite reasons to make the switch to waterless skincare:
1. Higher Concentration of Good-For-You Ingredients
When water isn’t diluting skincare products, there’s more room for tallow, oils, natural waxes, hydrating butters, and botanicals per application. This allows your skin to respond to the rich nutrients it’s being fed instead of trying to process the large amount of water being applied daily.
Related: Does Beef Tallow Clog Pores? What You Need to Know About Exfoliating & Pore Clogging Ingredients, read more.
2. Say Goodbye to Synthetic Preservatives
When water is introduced as a base or first ingredient in skincare products, it creates a welcoming environment for yeast, mold, bacteria, and (bad) microbes to eventually find their way into your skincare products. This means that the product needs a preservative added to keep things shelf-stable.
While those preservatives are busy trying to keep your products from spoiling, they often result in irritation when applied, especially for those with sensitive skin. You might notice a sudden change in your skin in the form of a new breakout or even patches of dryness or redness when using products containing preservatives.
3. Longer Shelf Life
Without the introduction of preservatives, you might be curious to know where that leaves the shelf life of your waterless skincare products. Generally, water-based skincare can last anywhere from 6-9 months once opened. However, when stored correctly, tallow-based skincare products can last anywhere from 12-15 months. When skincare is formulated with fats and oils, the products are less likely to separate and less likely to grow (bad) microbes, leaving you with a longer-lasting product.
4. Less Waste
The best skincare products have a longer shelf life, which means less waste! You don’t have to swap out half-used jars of product and begin a constant cycle of buying new jars just to avoid the growth of bacteria and eventual breakouts. It’s a win for your wallet and your skin!
5. Supports a Natural Lifestyle
If your go-to cleaning products at home are white vinegar, baking soda, and a steam cleaner, we’re going to guess that you’re already a fan of living a natural lifestyle. Living a low-tox lifestyle extends to your skincare routine, too. Choosing products with clean tallow and real ingredients will support your love for living a natural lifestyle.
Waterless Skincare is Formulated for The Most Delicate Skin Types
Waterless skincare has a higher concentration of natural ingredients like tallow, oils, and other nutrient-rich moisturizers. But, is a higher amount of active ingredients good for the skin barrier on even the most delicate skin types?
A lower or non-existent amount of water, fillers, and preservatives is exactly what sensitive skin needs to stay hydrated, nourished, and brightened.
Also, depending on where you live, whether you experience frigid winters or summers so hot you can barely get outdoors, waterless skincare is made to withstand the climate, so you won’t have to worry about products freezing or evaporating.
Read More: Adjusting Your Skincare Routine: How to Protect Your Skin Through Seasonal Shifts
Waterless Skincare – Decoding The Label
If you want to choose the best skincare products and get started with going waterless, the first place to begin is by reading the label.
The list of ingredients on any skincare product will tell you everything you need to know about how a product is formulated.
Active ingredients are listed in order of concentration, so the further down an ingredient is on the list, the fewer benefits you’ll receive from it with each use.
Here are a few tips to help you decode the label on your skincare products:
- Water or aqua should not be listed first or at the top of the ingredient list (ideally not listed at all).
- Preservatives, if any, should be kept to a minimum. Search the label for parabens, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, and benzyl alcohol, which are only used to prevent the growth of mold and promote shelf life.
- Your ingredient list should include tallow, oils, butters, and other easily recognizable natural ingredients.
- Skip anything that lists fragrance or other synthetic ingredients.
- Pay attention to transparency and sourcing. Does the product reference grass-fed tallow or tout organic ingredients? If so, it’s a yes!
How Grass Fed Skin Embodies Waterless Skincare through Natural Ingredients
We love low-tox, ancestral wellness, and getting hyped over rubbing animal fat on our faces!
As licensed health practitioners, these principles helped us create the best skincare products, with formulations that include real ingredients.
The Grass Fed Skin Philosophy
- Tallow-Based – Our skincare products nourish and hydrate even the most delicate skin types, with nutrient and vitamin-rich grass-fed tallow as a base.
- Natural Skincare – We love clean skincare with easily recognizable ingredients that support a low-tox lifestyle and are safe for use on the whole family. This means skipping the hard-to-pronounce ingredients and toxic chemicals.
- Highly Concentrated – Higher concentrations of richer ingredients work to protect, hydrate, and nourish your skin barrier without redness or irritation.
- No Toxic Chemicals – Lack of water means no added toxic chemicals required for preventing the growth of yeast, mold, or bacteria.
Getting Started With Waterless Skincare
Though waterless skincare might seem like a new trend, it’s been around for a long time. You can read all about how tallow skincare was inspired by ancient traditions on our blog: Ancestral Cosmetics – The Benefits of Using Natural Ingredients in Skincare Products.
Today, it’s really an active choice to select products for your skin that are low-tox and contain real, easy-to-pronounce ingredients.
Waterless skincare supports a natural lifestyle through the use of products that brighten and hydrate your skin, without the need for chemicals and preservatives.
Grass Fed Skin stands behind highly concentrated, tallow-based natural skincare that honors ancestral methods.
If you’re ready to get started with waterless skincare, simple swaps like our Vitamin C Cleanser and Face & Body Whip are a great place to start!
Ready to dive in? Explore our full tallow collection for face, body and hair.
