Taking on this challenge I knew that at some point I will need to get some shampoo, cosmetics and cleaning products. Researching more into it, there are tonnes and tonnes of resources out there which, if you are more into zero waste, provide you with recipes on DIY cleaning and beauty products.

I have prepared myself with some basic first step plastic free beauty products that are absolutely amazing and don’t contain any or a little plastic.

Soap

So a lot of us are use to using disposable hand soaps in dispensers and body washes in disposable plastic containers. Why buy the plastic versions where many shops offer so many different options of traditional hand made soap bars in paper packaging, that are easily recyclable and works just as good and last even longer.

I have bought the Faith in Nature hand soap in Lavender which I found was a bit pricey at £2.25 for only one bar at Boots. Then I have found some awesome hand made soaps at T.K.Maxx in gift section at reduced price. There were so many different verities and most of them were packaged in card or paper packaging. I have bought the CRATE 61 3 pack of Avocado and Grapefruit soaps for £4.99, and I have been using them for a while. They smell absolutely divine and there are many other scent available. These soaps are made of all natural ingredients and are Vegan approved.

I definitely would advise to check out T.K.Maxx if you live in UK.

Toothbrush and Toothpaste

So, I still have my electronic toothbrush which I use on regular bases, but when travelling I really prefer using just a single use one. The bamboo toothbrushes are always a great single use and I will add links to some to the bottom of this post. They are all very good as they are biodegrade and don’t harm the environment. For toothpaste you can easily make your own from coconut oil, baking soda and some essential oils. I have bought my travel tooth powder some time ago now from LUSH. What I love about LUSH is that you can take your old pots you have bought from them with you back to the shop and they will recycle it and use it future production. LUSH is also made of all natural ingredients and it’s Vegan which I love.

To find out more information on LUSH recycling practice click here. 

Shampoo and Conditioner

This is another awesome replacement which I have been suing for quit some time while travelling. Soap shampoos and conditioners are easily stored, they don’t take much space, and they last such a long time. You really don’t need much to get you going, but you will also never accidentally use too much in one go which is easily done with normal shampoos in plastic bottles. I have got my shampoo and conditioner from LUSH again, and the little pots are amazing to store them in. I also use these pots to store my body soaps while travelling.

Creams and other body moisturisers

There are many different options out there for facial and bode care products, but all you see in shops is great products in plastic containers. I am currently using the same creams I have been for a while which are SUKIN day and night face moisturisers, and they are just brilliant. The jars are made from glass but the lids are all plastic unfortunately.

All of their products are made with natural ingredient, and they are Vegan too.

Others

Small things like cotton pads with facial cleanser can easily we swapped for small facial cotton towels with either some soap or even DIY cleansers.

Cotton buds in most shops are now all cotton without the plastic straw, but they are normally stored in plastic packaging.  These are available for all in craft or paper packaging in many drug stores or even online. 

Cleaning items like sponges, brushes and scrubbers all have eco friendly plastic-free versions available all around. You can see on one great example below, Clean Kilo which is the Zero Waste shop in Birmingham, display of all their cleaning products made from FSC wood, tampico bristles, natural fibres, natural sponges and chemicals that don’t contain harmful plastic particles. It’s also good to highlight that these shops normally offer you refills on things like shampoos, conditioners, washing liquids, cleaning liquids etc. All you need to do is bring your own bottle and refill whatever you need. This is a great way to avoid buying more single use plastic.

I think by buying a single item every now and then, that’s made of natural biodegradable materials to replace your standard plastic version, you will slowly find that yes maybe it’s more expensive, but you will generally do your best to use it for as long as you can to make your moneys worth. Plastic is just so cheap that we end using things to not its’ full potential, and then we replace it with something fresh creating more and more waste.

Here are some interesting stats on plastic pollution we are facing now:

• 40 percent of plastic produced is packaging, used just once and then discarded
  • Packaging Industry produces 161 million tonnes of plastic every year
    • Most Nearly 30% of plastic packaging is produced in China and 21% in rest of Asia.
  • Less then 1/5 of plastic is recycled global

• Around 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into the oceans every year

For more information check the source here.

Other Links

• Bamboo Toothbrushes 
• Toothpaste recipe
• Sustainable cleaning products Green Scents
• 10 shocking facts about Plastic Pollution
• UK and Plastic Pollution 
• In partnership with Charles Bentley & Son– MCS Plastic challenge and shop here