Minimize Water Waste Like Kristen Bell With This Essential Face-Washing Technique

Cleansing skin while saving rivers, lake, and streams

By Erika Stalder Apr 02, 2015 8:32 PMTags
Kristen BellJon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Can you go without washing your face for an entire week? Kristen Bell is doing it. (Cue the sounds of a thousand dermatologists shrieking in horror.)

But before you do the same, think about this: As we blast water pressure to run faucets while ridding our skin of pollutants, makeup and dirt, the stats on H20 reserves remain frighteningly low. According to the US General Accounting Office, freshwater shortages are expected in 40 of 50 states in the next 10 years.

This week, Bell, a spokesperson for Neutrogena, will be swapping out her regular water-accompanied cleansing routine for one that usesNeutrogena Naturals Makeup Remover Wipes, Allure reported. For every person that joins her, the brand will contribute $1 to aid The Nature Conservancy's water conservation efforts.

While we're on board with conserving water and raising money for a good cause, we also feel a bit iffy about cutting our skin-care regimens short. Still, this week's mandate to cut water use by 25 percent in California, finds many of us in the Golden State with a desperate need to revamp our skin-cleansing plans.

Thinking about the water shortage and all the gunk that lands on our faces—deeply pigmented makeup, airborne pollutants, like volatile organic compounds (VOCS) and grime from our fingers (we know, we know—we really should stop touching our face)—has us dreaming up low-water ways to keep pores unplugged by sweeping away excess oil and dead skin cells, while still achieving that deep clean feeling we relish at day's end.

Here's our strategy for conserving water, without skimping on skin care.

De-gunk with oil: Use a pre-cleanse oil stocked like Cosmedix Purity Solution Nourishing Deep Cleansing Oil, which has the power to attract and lift makeup and dirt, but doesn't leave skin feeling greasy. Dispense a nickel-sized amount onto a cotton pad and sweep across anywhere on the face where makeup and sunscreen have been applied.

Employ a cream and cloth: Use a cream cleanser and muslin cloth to clean skin more deeply. Aurelia Miracle Cleanser is made with probiotics, something researchers believe may help sideline acne and tame rosacea. After massaging the botanically-infused cream into your skin, use a spell of water to dampen the included cleansing cloth, which is sheer and made from an antibacterial bamboo muslin. Wipe away the cleanser for a carefully-cleaned face that requires just a few drops of water.

Cosmedix Purity Solution Nourishing Deep Cleansing Oil, $35; Aurelia Miracle Cleanser, $50