Self care and a zero waste lifestyle are both very important to me. I love taking care of myself, even if it’s the small things like washing my hair with a fragrant hair care product or putting a hydrating balm on my lips. However, with using beauty products comes the problem of figuring out what to do with the packaging once it’s finished. Most of the time, it’s hard to find places that will accept your beauty product empties to recycle. If you have struggled with these same problems, here are a few solutions to help reduce your waste:
1. Solid Shampoo
Solid hair care products are a must for any zero waster! Hair care plastic bottles are usually harder to recycle and end up in landfills or our oceans. Using solid shampoo eliminates the need for shampoo in plastic containers. I love using Lush Cosmetics solid shampoos because they lather like a normal shampoo, thoroughly clean my hair, and smell divine! I also recommend Jr Liggett’s Tea Tree and Hemp solid shampoo, as it’s an affordable option and gets the job done just as well.
2. Refillable Conditioner
Personally, I hate solid conditioner. Out of the ones I’ve tried, they leave my hair stringy and unmoisturized. Therefore, I would recommend using a refillable conditioner. You get the best of both worlds in reducing waste and having moisturized hair. I like Package Free Shop’s natural, refillable conditioner because it comes in an aluminum container and its formulation is great for dead ends. To refill it, all you have to do is request a refill from Plaine Products!
3. Refillable Makeup
For those of you who wear makeup but have trouble recycling the packaging, refillable makeup is a sustainable alternative. Kjaer Weis offers lipsticks, blushes, and foundations that can be refilled when finished. They sell the makeup without the packaging on their website, so once you finish your makeup, you can purchase the pan of makeup and insert it into your makeup container. By using refillable makeup, you could lower the amount of waste you produce from beauty products. Plus, look at how stunning and minimal their packaging is! Too Faced who?
4. Compostable Lip Balm
Lip balm is essential for our dry, cracked lips. However, most lip balms come in plastic packaging which can be hard to recycle. An alternative would be using a compostable lip balm so that when you finish your tube, you can leave it to decompose in your compost bin! I would recommend Meow Meow’s vegan lip balm. Not only is it compostable, but it also comes in an array of fun scents like sweet orange and coconut.
5. Bamboo Hair Brush
Instead of using a plastic hair brush, you should make the switch to bamboo. Bamboo is biodegradable, making it much better for the environment. I got mine from Whole Foods, but you can find them just about anywhere! Think of all the plastic brushes you could save from ending up in a landfill!
I hope these tips help whoever is reading this to switch from their regular packaged beauty products to refillable, solid, or compostable options! It doesn’t take much effort to make the change, but it will make all the difference in reducing the amount of waste you produce.
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