Waterless Wonders

We’re told to hydrate constantly, but when it comes to beauty products, removing water may be the key to unlocking their full power

 Stone’s Throw

The Kate McLeod Daily Stone Deep Moisturizing Lotion Bar ($45 for starter kit) is a cocoa butter concentrate comprising beneficial fatty acids. The brand’s original formulation—a combination of rose, frankincense, and neroli known as The Daily—delivers a light and warm scent as you glide the stone across your body and then massage the oils into your skin. (katemcleod.com)

Bead It

The Seadrop Hydrating Seafoam Cleansing Beads ($52 for starter kit) are packed with clean, plant-based, whole ingredients, like reviving papaya enzyme and antioxidant-rich blue butterfly pea flower. With a few drops of water, each bead transforms into a purifying, makeup-removing cleanser that also strengthens your skin’s natural barrier for long-term hydration. (seadropskincare.com)

Smarter Scrubbing 

Recognized as one of Time’s “Best Inventions,” The Body Wash Concentrate ($24) by Everist is a plant-based cream body wash that comes in 100-percent recycled and recyclable aluminum tubes. Activated by water, this hydrating body wash is gentle for all skin types and features an herbal-citrus scent derived from the brand’s signature essential oil blend. (helloeverist.com)

Lather, Rinse, Repeat 

Boasting up to 10 times more concentrated active ingredients than liquid shampoo and conditioner and lasting for the equivalent of eight bottles, Ethique’s Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner Bars ($34 for both) boast biotin, caffeine, and orange oil to support healthier, fuller-looking hair. Directly massage the bar onto your wet scalp to achieve a lather and add volume and bounce to your locks. (ethique.com)

Here Comes the Sun 

A pea-size amount of Skinnies Sungel ($108 for a family pack of three products) can cover your face, neck, and ears. The spreadable gel rubs in clear and contains no water, parabens, preservatives, or fragrances. (gotskinnies.com)

Why Waterless? 

Fewer Preservatives
Water can encourage bacterial and microbe growth, which necessitates preservatives to prevent contamination. Waterless products need fewer or no preservatives, meaning they are gentler on the skin.

Concentrated Formulas
Removing water means a higher concentration of active ingredients in your beauty products. Translation? More bang for your buck.

Sustainability
Waterless products reduce water consumption and typically have a lower shipping weight and size, which means lower carbon emissions and more eco-friendly packaging.