Sustainable Self Care
In 2019, I made a resolution to use less single-use plastic. I actually did pretty well for a while, switching to cloth produce bags, bringing my own Tupperware for takeout, my own thermos for coffee shops, and saying no to plastic utensils. Then in 2020, the pandemic hit. We were no longer allowed to bring reusable bags into the grocery store or our own mugs to coffee shops, bulk sections at the market were shut down, and everything came wrapped in more plastic for sanitary purposes. It’s been disheartening, especially after reading this article from NPR about how hard it actually is to recycle plastic and how most of up gets thrown away.
But with a little research, I found some ways to still make sustainable choices this year. A huge area I’ve been meaning to invest more in is sustainable grooming products. I read this article on how powdered products are more sustainable than gels and liquids because they’re lighter, which means less CO2 used in shipping. It’s still the same effective product, but you just add the water yourself. It also means longer shelf life, so products are wasted by being thrown away unused. That and looking for non-plastic packaging is how I’ve used my spending power to support more sustainable brands like these.
I’ve actually been using natural deodorant for several years now, but I’m not going to lie—they haven’t worked as well as the drugstore brands. But Mineralized kindly sent me their deodorant powder to try, and I’m happy to report I don’t stink! I love the sandalwood scent (comes in pink grapefruit, lavender, and unscented too), the aluminum free formula, and the plastic-free packaging. It comes with an applicator sponge and is surprisingly no-mess (though I do have years of experience applying makeup powders, so I’ve learned a few things). Mineralized also has refills that come in paper tubes, so you can reuse the original tin it comes in.
My friend Victoria turned me on to the brand Cocokind, which makes a really great powdered chlorophyll mask and seamoss exfoliator. I just tap a small amount into my hand, add a few drops of water, and mix into a paste. Plus, they come in glass packaging for less plastic consumption.
I finally tried the drybrushing trend this year, and while I’m not quite seeing anything different yet, I have to say it’s never a bad idea to add another step to your self care routine. This brush from Ecotools is made with recycled plastic and bamboo.
I know everything is a subscription these days, but toilet paper is actually one that makes sense. Plus, it’s the only way I can find TP without plastic packaging. How We Roll uses all paper packaging and offers bamboo or recycled paper options.
I hope this helps you make some sustainable switches in your life. I know I’ll never be plastic free (I’m writing this on a plastic keyboard, for example) but any step in the right direction is worth it.
