Eco Friendly Beauty Swaps

We are the first generation to know that our planet is in danger and we are the last generation that can do anything about it. The idea of becoming more eco-friendly can sometimes be quite daunting because it is hard to know where to start or what aspect of our lives need changing. So, I have put together a few easy changes you can make to your beauty routine that the planet will thank you for. 

Bar Soaps

Using bar soaps instead of liquid soaps in plastic bottles is one of the best ways to reduce your waste in the bathroom. In addition to body soaps, many companies now offer shampoo and conditioner in bar form to help us cut down on our plastic use. 

Bamboo Toothbrushes

Plastic toothbrushes are one of the most wasteful products we have in out bathroom. On average, we change our toothbrushes every three months and in the UK that equates to about 200 million toothbrushes a year. Research has shown that they can take up to 400 years to degrade. Switching to bamboo toothbrushes is an easy way to cut down on unnecessary plastic and they don’t break the bank.

Refillable Products

Many perfumes now have refill stations in their supplier stores to cut down on wasting bottles; it is also cheaper when you choose to refill rather than buying a new bottle! Companies are also now offering refillable deodorants to reduce waste. Many makeup companies offer refills of products such as lipsticks which will again save you money in the long run whilst cutting down on your carbon footprint.

Menstrual Cups

Another option in your journey to a more eco-friendly lifestyle is ditching single use tampons and sanitary pads for reusable menstrual cups. As well as the large amount of single use plastic used in the packaging of sanitary products, every year around 1.5-2 billion period products are flushed down the toilet in Britain alone! You can buy menstrual cups suited to your flow and this small change can make a massive difference to reduce the amount of plastic waste ending up in our environment. 

Reusable Cotton Pads

In addition to the plastic packaging of single use cotton pads, they also do not biodigradge due to the amount of bleaching used in their production. Switching to reusable cotton or bamboo pads can significantly reduce your waste and environmental impact as they can be frequently reused. This will also save money in the long term as they will not run out quickly unlike regular cotton pads.

Obviously, some of these changes aren’t accessible to everyone but they are just a few ideas of how to cut down on waste. Also, remember to use up what you have before you make any of these changes!

by Claudia Birchenough (Staff Fashion & Beauty Writer)

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