This includes bathing and skin-care, mostly.
Tips
- Use less shampoo. For example, focus on shampooing your scalp rather than the length of your hair.
- Shampoo less often. If you shampoo every day, try every other day, then every third day. You’ll find that you can go a whole week with no shampoo!.
- Buy shampoo that comes in a returnable, refillable, or glass bottle.
- Buy your shampoo in bulk (and bring your own container) if you have a extensive bulk store nearby.
- Make your own shampoo. This can be as simple as using bar soap or liquid soap on your hair, or you could make really fancy concoctions.
- Go low or no ‘poo. There are many alternative haircare routines that generate less (plastic) waste, are cheaper, and are better for you.
- Take navy showers. Only have the water on to get yourself wet and to rinse.
- Make your own exfoliating scrub. A classic is sugar and/or baking soda in oil. Commercial scrubs often contain plastic microbeads, which aren’t removed in the water treatment process and end up polluting the environment.
- Use a washcloth, bath brush, natural loofah (compostable) in place of plastic loofahs (those mesh scrubby things).
- Use less soap on your body. Soap up less often. The oils you’re taking off keep your skin moisturized.
- Use bar soap for washing your hands and body in place of body wash and liquid soap. Bar soap can be bought loose (no packaging) or in paper, which can be easily recycled.
- Use oil as lotion. But if you’re using it on your face, make sure to check comeodogenic ratings first. These tell you how likely an ingredient is to cause acne. The lower the number, the better.
- Use a menstrual cup and cloth menstrual pads (or use prescription birth control to get rid of your period).
- Use a straight razor of double-edge razor instead of a disposable razor or razor with disposable heads. Here’s help to get you started!
- As always, don’t use disposables. Question if you really need that disposable item. If you do, then see if you can find a reusable replacement.
It’s been so long since I de-wastified my shower and skincare routines that it’s hard for me to think of suggestions for this. If you have any questions, like what to replace a particular product with, just ask!