The green movement feels stronger years after years with bamboo leading this beauty revolution. Do you know why bamboo is in your bathroom, in your body care and skincare too? I show you why with some of my beauty picks…
Reduce, reuse, recycle! This year 2020 wants us to be smart and eco-conscious. But this tropical produce makes cosmetic production less invasive and kinder to planet Earth: it’s bamboo and its green beauty.
Bamboo & beauty tools, why?
In one of my past interview, I explored the creative potential of bamboo with the duo from TheRoot Theory project and its unique bamboo storage solution. I’m happy to see bamboo expanding its beauty coverage with everyday tools after so many years after that blog. Your hair comb, your kabuki and even your toothbrush are made of bamboo wood; but also your new hair wrap, bath towel or tissues could be bamboo-based!
Bamboo & the environment: a love story
Bamboo grows fast and needs no fertiliser. Its roots expand at an incredibly fast pace, making bamboo a renewable source of fresh material. Its wood is light and flexible, yet very resistant. Moreover, bamboo aesthetic features are naturally beautiful. As a plant, bamboo is beneficial to the ecosystem. It improves air quality and protects the surrounding from land erosion and demineralisation. Trees should be green with envy for bamboo superior oxygen production (+35%).
Bamboo fibres are eco-friendly if compared with cotton. But they’re also softer and more hypoallergenic… this is why The Cheeky Panda bamboo lines – like wipes and life-saving loo rolls – expanded from wholesale and office stockists to retailers like Boots, Morrison’s and Superdrug. These pocket tissues were a recent gentle touch (£1.64 rrp at Superdrug)…
Bamboo & skincare, why?
Bamboo is in many skincare products, particularly in those from the K-beauty universe. You can find bamboo in beauty and bath products as bamboo extract, charcoal, sap and powder. Why?
Bamboo is praised for its anti-oxidant and hydrating properties. Its extracts are rich in flavonoids (anti-oxidants) and methanol, which makes bamboo a good anti-inflammatory in many anti-blemish products. The combination of charcoal and bamboo extracts is the secret of these T-Zone nose strips, a favourite of mine (£4.99 6pcs – £6.99 12 pcs rrp at Superdrug) ‘Magnetic’, purifying, and treating; these stripes get a huge portion of my nastiness out of my pores!
Bamboo extracts, its sap and powder are rich in minerals, silica in particular. Silica is bamboo’s source of suppleness and youth for the skin. In fact, silica contributes towards collagen production; hence it helps your skin feeling plump, moistured and looking younger. Some face and eye cream developed to hydrate, replenish and reduce signs of ages contain bamboo extracts for this reason.
source: Wish
I spotted bamboo in my eyecare! With my surprise, my bamboo-based eye products were meant to primarily reduce my dark circle and puffy eyes. SKINKissed gel eye patches contain bamboo charcoal (£20.95). These jelly eye mask should hydrate, de-puff and reduce fine lines while eliminating dark circles. In the post-application, I could see my dark circles just lighter than before, but I appreciated a supple and smoother skin.
Probably I’m a panda, and there’s little I can do. Nevertheless, I needed to try TONYMOLY Panda’s Dream So Cool eye stick (£13.95). Its kawaii design is not the only reason this Korean myth is featured here. Panda’s Dream So Cool eye stick is a cooling and hydrating stick with bamboo shoot extract and bamboo sap with sea and glacial waters. Its ingredients aim to de-puff and refresh tired eyes, and are a source of extra hydration. My dark circles are still greyish, but, this TONYMOLY’s dream does smooth my eye area like an iron. My very first application felt really fresh, but the later depends on the day… The combination of these two eye products compensates each other.
From dark circles to pandas, the gap is minimal. Imperial Leather Shake Your Bambootay shower gel called for my attention on the shelf (£1.99 rrp)! At a closer look, this fantasy icon gel in limited edition doesn’t contain bamboo in any form, but its aquatic scent with a juicy fruity note of watermelon makes that detail forgettable.
I’m sure, if you dig in your toiletry bag you’ll find some bamboo. You can raise up your green flag with pride. If not, now you’ve seen many good reasons to add some bamboo in your skin regime. And you are a loyal reader, I’ll show you some more bamboo for life and your daily life!
Valentina Chirico aka Valens
