This month is 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆, a time to think about how much plastic you use daily & where swaps can be made.
Throughout July, the Plastic Free Foundation challenges everyone to swap one plastic item, from there many will follow. Check out their website for how to get involved https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/
We will share some tips & swaps on reducing single-use plastic in your home & go beyond water bottles and coffee cups!
Don't go throwing perfectly good things away but as & when they are finished, research some alternatives. Plastic Freedom & Peace With the Wild are two great plastic-free one-stop shops where you can find alternatives for most household & beauty items!
Let us start with the bathroom, hair & make-up!
The most simple swap is to solid bar soap. This can save hundreds of bottles of liquid soap or body wash a year.
Now you have a soap bar, swap to a shampoo bar. As with the hundreds of shampoos in plastic bottles, finding one that works for your hair can be a bit of trial & error.
Bar conditioners are not so great, so look for powders or metal bottles that can be refilled.
Many hair ties are made of plastic, so as soon as you lose one in the street or the sea, you have created plastic pollution. There are a few brands that do plastic-free hair ties, & the quality is really good!
There is an excellent choice of plastic-free (or reduced) deodorants, some come in metal pots & go on like a cream, & some come with a reusable dispenser that acts more like a traditional roll-on.
Make-up is a tough swap, but brands are starting to do refills, although they do tend to be plastic for hygiene reasons. Zao comes in lovely wooden reusable pots, & then refills can be purchased.
Don't forget sunscreen - again, a hard swap but look for sugarcane packaging, which degrades easier than plastic. And make sure it's reef safe!
With many of these swaps, the ingredients will be more natural, so you will also be cutting out chemicals on your skin, so a win all around!
What's your favourite beauty swap, & what do you pledge to change this month?
