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This reusable exfoliating mitt changed my fake tanning game forever

Gamechangers: This Earth Day, say goodbye to tiger-bread skin with a sustainable beauty buy

Ellie Fry
Friday 23 April 2021 16:49 BST
<p>The mitt can be washed and reused up to 200 times</p>

The mitt can be washed and reused up to 200 times

As a beauty obsessive, I’m often guilty of not making a product’s sustainable credentials a priority, particularly if it’s something I use constantly and have struggled to find a more eco-friendly solution for.

The industry has a huge amount of work to do to reduce plastic waste, eliminate animal testing and swap single-use materials for more sustainable options. But one brand that has created planet-friendly alternatives that are genuinely practical is Face Halo, as its reusable make-up remover pads have helped many of us ditch the dreaded face wipes, which are not biodegradable and can take up to 100 years to break down.

There are plenty of dupes out there, but none of them can compete with the brand’s microfibre technology that removes every trace of make-up using just water, without any tugging or irritation. Since its launch in 2017, Face Halo has saved one billion make-up wipes from going to landfill.

The tiny fibres found on the pads are 100 times finer than human hair and work to trap and remove make-up from the pores – not just removing surface-level product, as a wipe does. As a heavy make-up wearer, I was sceptical of these unassuming face pads to begin with, but I’m now a total convert as they really do remove everything, from waterproof mascara to full-coverage foundation. Plus, they are a total money-saver, as each pad equates to 500 face wipes and is easily washable.

Chances are you’re already familiar with the brand’s face products, but in my opinion, its body mitt is a completely underrated gem, particularly for fake tan lovers. Essentially a giant version of the brand’s classic face pads, this is an absolute must-have in my shower routine and is a far more sustainable option than traditional exfoliating mitts that only last a few uses. Read on to find out how this humble mitt changed my tanning game for good.

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Face Halo body

face halo body double sided mitt .jpg

Buy now £12.60, Feelunique.com

Whether you’re an avid fake tanner or merely like to use it for special occasions, one of the main bugbears can be when it starts to fade and become patchy. Rather than the glowy goddess you had pictured in your head, your skin can end up resembling a loaf of tiger bread – particularly if you suffer from dry skin to begin with.

When it comes to false tanning, it’s all about the prep, but Face Halo’s body mitt takes all the effort out of exfoliation and is the only product that manages to scrub off my tan (and I’ve tried literally everything under the sun, from body brushes to gritty scrubs and gloves).

The generously sized mitt has two sides: one packed full of those tiny microfibres that gently scrubs away dead skin, and another, softer, polishing side for reaching into the pores to cleanse. The mitt is comfortable to hold and use, and, given its size, it takes far less time to exfoliate the whole body than exfoliating gloves, for example, as you’re reaching more surface area with each stroke.

The magic of this is how effectively it exfoliates without any irritation – if you’re struggling to remove that pesky patch of tan on your elbows, wrists, or other areas where it notoriously builds up, this will buff it away with ease. As someone who fake tans weekly (sometimes twice a week, don’t judge) and who has dry skin, the struggle is real. I usually get a lot of product build-up on the skin, but this is my holy grail for removal that never lets me down.

Just like with the face pads, you don’t need to use any other products with this mitt to exfoliate, which again saves you money on extra scrubs. And unlike many other products, it doesn’t leave me sore or irritated, and instead gives me glowing skin that’s free of patchy tan: the perfect base for the next layer. I’ve also noticed fewer breakouts on my chest and back when using this regularly, as it offers a deeper clean than other body care tools.

The mitt can be washed and reused up to 200 times, making it a far more sustainable option than those cheap exfoliating gloves that you throw away after just a few uses. Just like the face pads, it’s easily washable and doesn’t stay soggy after use: simply wring out and hang over the side of the bath or on your radiator to try.

As well as being more reusable than other mitts, Face Halo also offers an upcycling scheme where customers can send in old face pads or body mitts to get transformed into clothing, which the brand sells on its website. If you’re based in the UK, you can send your product and packaging to an upcycling centre in Glasgow and they’ll take care of the rest, making this an even more planet-friendly buy. The mitt arrives in recyclable plastic packaging, but the brand has assured me that it is working towards removing this in order to become plastic-free.

The Face Halo body mitt is my ultimate gamechanger as it has solved a problem that no other bodycare product could – I could never be without it now, and if you struggle to scrub off your fake tan, I’d put money on you loving it too. As a brand, it also takes its responsibility towards the planet seriously and helps prevent landfill waste, making it a feel-good buy as well as a practical one. Currently reduced from £18 down to £12.60, you can’t go wrong.

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