They say that a change is good, yet many of us are notoriously stubborn when it comes to changing our carefully curated beauty routine.

After all, we’re creatures of habit and once you’ve got used to a certain pace or set of products, switching them out can be like saying goodbye to an old friend. 

But with fresh routines come fresh possibility and there’s loads of simple swaps you could make that might make your routine more streamlined, kinder to the planet or even just straight-up better for your skin.

Whether it’s ditching the nasties like silicones and sulfates or streamlining that blockbuster-length nighttime skin routine, we’ve asked a handful of experts about the best beauty swaps they’ve ever made.

At the end of a trying day, there’s nothing quite like a deep cleanse before you hit the hay - both for your skin’s sake, and your pillowcase’s. 

Sure, we all want it over and done quickly, but everyone’s best friend after a late one (we’re talking make-up wipes not your chatty Uber driver) might not be so great after all.

Stylist’s junior beauty writer Ava Welsing-Kitcher swapped out wipes for that very reason.

“I used to use face wipes but I switched to a make-up removing cloth a few months ago and I’ve never gone back,” she explains.

“It removes even the most stubborn waterproof mascara using just water, and you can wash and re-use it up to a hundred times.”

That’s a big old no to non-biodegradable wipes, and a big old yes to saving money and the planet then.

Think you need the toughest chemicals to combat the sun’s rays? Think again.

“The biggest swap I’ve made is making sure the skincare products I recommend and use contain a non-chemical sunscreen,” says bareMinerals international make-up artist SJ Froom.  

“Not only is this better for your skin but also for the environment.

Chemical sunscreen is now proven to be destroying our coral reefs and is now banned in a lot of parts of the world.

That’s why when thinking about buying an SPF it is really important to go non-chemical.”

Save yourself trying to figure it out, bareMinerals are already on the case and use non-chemical SPF 20 sun protection in the likes of their barePRO Performance Foundation. Sorted.

Many of us would rather give up our morning coffee than forgo mascara. 

It’s easy to apply, a quick way to perk up your peepers and usually the first step on the makeup ladder when you start to experiment.

Well, not for everyone. Liz Hambleton, group beauty director at Treatwell, explains that she’s switched it out completely.

“I stopped using mascara a few years ago and now have my lashes tinted and curled instead,” she says.

“I find it gives a fresh-faced, more natural look and also means that I’m one less person buying and throwing away plastic tubes of mascara.

I also avoid using cotton wool pads at all costs to remove make up and use warm flannels, loaded with cleansing oil instead.”

While ditching your mascara isn’t for everyone, small steps like making sure you fill your beauty bag with clean products that aren’t damaging to the environment (or your skin) is an easy and impactful swap.

There’s nothing like scrubbing away the pollution, stress and general nasties of the day that like to set up camp on your face.

But Sonia Hully, founder of natural nailcare brand Nailberry, made the savvy swap to natural exfoliants.

“I won’t buy products with plastic microbeads in - they’re found in some whitening toothpaste or scrubs,” she says. 

“They are small, but contribute to the plastic pollution in the oceans as they don’t disintegrate.

Instead, I use brown sugar scrubs which I love. I use it for all over my body, hands and feet. Plus, If I spot anything derivative from animals I won’t buy.”

Hear, hear. 

Attempting to follow all the different skincare rules can be confusing and disorientating. 

Is it cleanse, tone, moisturise? Is it essence, serum then night cream? It’s truly a minefield. 

Luckily, making sure you stay protected from the sun doesn’t have to be another extra step. Instead, make like Stylist’s beauty editor Lucy Partington.

“I swapped a basic daily moisturiser for a moisturising SPF,” she explains.

“It doesn’t sound like much, but UV rays account for 90% of skin ageing, so using sun protection all year round is genuinely one of the best things you can do.

I was bored of hearing it and reading about it, too, but it does work, and making such a simple step can – and does – make all the difference.

A moisturiser with sun protection isn’t always enough, so choose something that is primarily an SPF and has hydrating properties – there’s so many clever new formulas that sit well under makeup, don’t leave a white cast or make skin feel greasy.”

Look after lips and the planet and swap to bareMinerals BarePro Lipsticks. They’re 100% vegan and formulated without parabens or sulfates - just long-wearing, comfortable colour.