Clean Living - The Plastic-Free Cosmetics Starter Pack

It's time to get squeaky clean and change up your cosmetics routine. We use so much plastic to clean ourselves up, a lot of which we don't even consider to recycle or just can't be recycled. So, this blog is about 5 little changes you can make to reduce the plastic and start feeling better about your cosmetics routine. I'm covering what many people would class as "essential" parts of your routine, but am likely to do a follow up post with changes you can make to the fancier stuff you may use. Also, bear in mind that a lot of the products I currently use are from Lush as I'm working through my huge stash, but there are plenty of places that do ethical products for you to easily research and buy; these are just my current preferences. 

1) Soap

This is such an easy change. Give up the pressy dispenser bottles and just buy some solid soap. Lush supply their soaps in big bars which can be cut to size for your personal preference and don't come wrapped in plastic. PLUS you can choose some really great smells and beautiful designs, so you can feel really cool and clean at the same time (https://uk.lush.com/products/soaps). Obviously, there are loads of places that sell soaps, just remember not to defeat the point of buying a solid soap and buy one wrapped in plastic. As a side note, there is nothing stopping you from using soap instead of shower gel (totally mind-blowing, I know).

2) Shaver

I moved all the way up to Scotland and didn't bring a shaver with me. The reason being, I don't care enough about body hair to commit a significant portion of my life to removing it. Not only that, but I've gotten quite attached to my little underarm tufts. However, to those of you who do want to shave, you can make a change to stop the chain of disposable plastic razors or razor heads going in the bin. Here's a revolutionary device: THE SAFETY RAZOR. Known for terrifying people and making shaving look more classy, this can change your whole hairless lifestyle. A safety razor is a traditional metal razor, which often has two blades and gives a very close shave. The blades can be replaced easily and much more cheaply than the plastic alternative, and they can be recycled. Making this change, although it costs more to invest in at first, will save your money

and improve your eco-friendliness.

If you have some time, check out this video that tells all about safety razors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcZRRxP_2vY . It's a really useful video that talks about how to use them safely, how they work, and how they can be recycled! You can buy a safety razor that is similar to the one she talks about in the video  here: https://www.amazon.co.uk. I'm going to buy and review this razor at some point a bit further down the line, when I feel like I want to shave again! Remember to buy your blades separately (https://www.amazon.co.uk) and to BE SAFE.

3) Shampoo

I use a solid shampoo bar to wash my locks, and they work a treat. Just lather them up in your hands and then use like a standard shampoo. The only thing I would warn about is keeping them out of the shower when you are not using them. They need to have air and dry or you will end up with a slimy gloop, and no-one wants to wash their hair with a slimy gloop. The easy way to do this is by investing in a little soap dish and to just take that out of the bathroom when you aren't using it. This plastic free blog (http://www.pfree.co.uk/tag/shampoo-bars/) gives some great recommendations for where to get them from so definitely check that out.  As I use a solid shower gel also, I keep them in the same dish, which means they don't get lonely.

My solid shampoo (Seanik) and shower gel (Rose Jam), both from Lush

4) Toothbrush

I switched to using a bamboo toothbrush almost a year ago and I will never go back to using a plastic one. The thought that all the toothbrushes I have used in my lifetime, including the novelty Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga singing toothbrushes, are still around is really horrifying. If you are equally horrified, you can get a bamboo toothbrush from Surfers Against Sewage here (https://www.sas.org.uk/shop/eco-living/adult-bamboo-toothbrush/), or search elsewhere online - just make sure to do a little research first to avoid hidden plastics and synthetics. It's important that you keep your teeth and gums healthy, so really take some time to investigate this one and maybe talk to your dentist if you have teeth that are prone to problems. Hopefully some day soon we will be able to get bamboo toothbrushes in supermarkets.

5) Deodorant

It's time to talk deogreant (100% waiting for the Shrek franchise to adopt this phrase). Another step in the cosmetics routine, another product where the packaging does not get recycled! I use solid deodorant from Lush called T'eo (https://uk.lush.com/products/teo), but they sell a range of deodorants that are better for the environment than your typical roll-on or aerosol. With the solid deodorant, you literally just rub it on your pits and go. I've found I don't get that damp underarm feeling and I smell lovely and fresh, plus of course it is animal cruelty free. I haven't used it, but this solid deodorant is an alternative you can try, as different deodorants work better for different people: https://www.babipur.co.uk/lamazuna-solid-deodorant-bar.html .You can also make your own deodorant using ingredients including shea butter, coconut oil and baking soda, but I find sourcing the ingredients plastic free difficult, so will just be sticking to my T'eo for now.

To summarise all these points and to have some laughs, check out this video from my favourite video makers, Ladylike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp9No4o5Zbg. In this video you can see people who have a "normal" beauty regime trying out zero waste routines instead, which is very entertaining. 

As always, I hope you have found this useful and I welcome any suggestions you can give me on how to improve my cosmetics routine, or any products that are really good!

Thanks for reading,

Liv

P.S. If any of you are on twitter and want to follow me, I share my blog and articles about plastic pollution/solutions on there (https://twitter.com/LivCooper23)