Plastic Free Beauty - Guest Blog - Ella De la Cour
Self care is an important part of our day to day life, making us feel good on the inside and out. But when you look into your bathroom cabinet or your make up bag - what does it contain?? Are a majority of the products plastic? How many of the products are essential? Where have they come from and how are they made? The beauty industry has led us to believe we NEED to buy endless new products to add to our beauty routine however what impact is this consumerism having on our planet?
Plastic Free Beauty Day aims to highlight the beauty industry’s contribution to the plastic crisis and we want to give you some tools on how to make some simple changes to minimise the impact your beauty routine could have on our planet.
The UN has predicted that if the rate of waste production continues, by 2050 our oceans will carry more plastic than fish. This statistic alone is alarming so here are a few ways you can look at your beauty routine to reduce the impact it is having on our planet.
First of all, streamline your beauty routine.
Go through your daily beauty routine to work out what you actually use and need. Keep that list in mind and don't get sucked in by the latest fad on how a particular product will change your life! Never ending consumerism is destroying our planet.
Then when you need to purchase a new item always ask the following questions before purchasing:
Is it made from natural materials?
Packaging - is it recyclable? Is it compostable? Or even better, is it reusable? Can I refill it?
Ingredients - are they sustainably and ethically sourced?
Here is my list of easy swaps and local shops that you can try out today:
Make up
As with all beauty products, make up comes with ALOT of excess plastic that we have become desensitised to over time. Every single item has silly plastic wrap to ‘protect it’. If you take some time to look at your products there are many alternative options out there bth from your local stores and the bigger high street brands. Check out our PuraVida blog for their alternatives.
Face Wipes
One of the major plastic polluters from the health and beauty industry is wipes. Makeup wipes are usually made up of a cotton-like fabric woven together with plastic resins meaning they aren’t biodegradable. They are a very common find on beach cleans and a shocking statistic is that the Marine Conservation Society recorded an average of 12 wipes per 100 meters of coastline in 2018.
Disposing of wipes is where the pollution occurs. When face wipes are flushed and get caught in sewage, they often form build ups in the sewage system called fat bergs. If the title doesn’t put you off enough…google it! The wipes can also end up on land, or in the sea, where they exist for over a hundred years.
Not only are face wipes bad for the planet, but they aren’t great for your skin either! This is because they often contain strong, drying chemicals that strip the skin of its natural oils, altering the delicate pH of your acid mantle, which can cause inflammation and irritation.
The good news is, they’re completely unnecessary and there is a completely plastic free alternative which is better for your skin, and your planet; simply swap to a reusable fabric flannel. There are lots of alternatives on the market nowadays including the old skool flannel!
Toothbrushes
Switching from a plastic toothbrush is a really easy swap. No DIYs, no learning curve, no risks! Simply, 2 alternatives:
* Natural, Compostable Toothbrushes (made from bamboo or beechwood)
* Toothbrushes Made From Recycled Materials (like aluminum or BPA-free plastic)
The most popular eco alternative to plastic toothbrushes is the bamboo toothbrush.
Bamboo is one of the fastest renewing plants in the world, naturally pest resistant (meaning it doesn’t require any pesticides to grow) and it’s compostable at the end of its life! So once you’ve finished with it, snap off the head, pop it in your compost bin and use it to help grow that wildflower meadow! Why wouldn’t you make the swap?
Another way to reduce the plastic waste from toothbrushes is to choose brushes made from recycled materials. While not completely zero waste, many of these toothbrushes offer replaceable heads so that you can keep using the same toothbrush handle for many years.
Soap
Soap is probably the easiest change to make for a plastic free self-care routine. Although many shower gel bottles are recyclable, they’re completely unnecessary! Soap bars are not only plastic free, in that they usually come in recyclable cardboard packaging, but often they last longer! Soap bars aren’t just an alternative to body washing, you can get shampoo, conditioner and face wash bars too! If I haven't convinced you how great they are enough, what if I told you you can even make your own? https://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-soap/
Razors
Shaving is a completely personal decision, but if it’s for you have a think about where that disposable razor ends up. They are single use items and there are more sustainable options out there once you start looking. Check out your local refill store and have a look at this link as a start https://www.beeco.green/best-sustainable-razors/
Understandably, some changes can be quite hard to make but, aim to make small and sustainable changes in your beauty routine over time and between us all we will tackle plastic pollution.
So, where do we source these plastic free alternatives from?
There are a variety of small local businesses in northern Devon who sell plastic free beauty products. I am sure there are a lot more than we have listed so let us know of any more.
Go and check them out.