We at ViaBuff love designing affordable yet ultra-effective products for our clients, whether it’s our dermatologist-tested and cruelty-free Exfoliating Buffs to our Medical Applicator. But even we know that there are certain tricks and tips that we can follow to stretch the life of our exfoliating buffs and skin care products. We wanted to share some tips about extending the life of your skin care products that will benefit both your skin and your wallet.
1. Leave Your Soap Out to Harden
Have you ever noticed that when you open a fresh bar of soap, it seems to be whittled down to a nub just a week later? That’s probably because your bar is being “melted” or worn down by excessive exposure to water. To slow down your soap’s rate of being whittled down, you should unwrap each bar of soap and leave it in dry air (such as in a drawer or closet) to harden for several weeks. Allowing your bar of soap to cure further also allows excess water to evaporate from the bar (Birchbox). Using a washcloth, buff, or loofah can extend the life of your bar of soap, as can placing your bar of soap on a grated ledge (so that it cannot melt in a pool of water) (PopSugar).
2. (VERY Carefully) Cut Open Your Skin Care Bottles
Have you ever noticed that the last few squirts of your favorite lotions and exfoliating serums tend to remain forever stuck in the bottle, no matter how much you squeeze them? A study by ConsumerReports.org found that on average, 17 – 25% of a skin care formulation’s original contents remain within bottles deemed to be used or empty. For those looking to extract the very last contents of their skin care products, you may want to consider mixing a few tablespoons of water in with your formulation so as to loosen it. You may also want to carefully and cautiously cut open the bottle and then scrap away the leftover lotion and serum within the bottle (ConsumerReports.org).
3. Store Your Exfoliating Buff in a Cool, Dry Place
Bacteria love warm and wet places (especially certain harmful bacteria) – and the crevices of an exfoliating buff used in the shower provide a welcoming home for bacteria to reproduce. To prevent bacterial colonization, you should rinse and dry your loofahs and buffs after each use, make sure to cleanse them weekly, and store them in a dry space, such as a closet or drawer. We suggest trying one of the ViaBuff Exfoliating Buffs, whose special design limits water retention and which lasts three times longer than your standard exfoliating buff. Even better, our buffs can be customized to meet the needs of 10 different skin types and have over 60% more usable surface area than your typical exfoliating puff.
Bottom Line
When it comes to skin care, there are numerous tips and tricks that you can employ in order to stretch the life and utility of your products. For example, leaving soap bars out to dry for several weeks often prevents them from melting too quickly in water, whereas cutting open skin care product bottles allows you to extract the very last remnants of your lotions and serums. Finally, regularly cleansing and drying your exfoliating buff can extend its life, especially when using one of the Viabuff Exfoliating Buffs.