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5 mag 2020

The Road to Zero-Waste Beauty (ENG)

Here are some alternatives to minimise beauty-related waste. Since our focus is minimising waste, if you already have stocks of some of the items that I suggest to stop using, I would recommend finishing them before buying any substitutes. 




Makeup remover pads:


Traditional makeup remover pads are a disaster for the environment. Cotton production is often linked to the use of pesticides, fertilisers and a whole lot of water. Moreover, traditional makeup remover pads usually come in plastic packaging.

These are all reasons why cotton shouldn’t be considered to be disposable and should instead be used multiple times.

Fortunately, there are some alternatives to traditional makeup remover pads and wipes: reusable pads. These can easily be washed in your laundry machine, considerably reducing waste.


The ones I tried and loved:


Shampoo, soap and face soap:


Using shampoo and soap bars is the perfect way to skip plastic packaging. Plus, they last way longer than their liquid counterparts (shampoo bars can last up to 100 washes!)

These solid versions are also ideal for those who travel a lot. Shampoo and soap bars are super light and can help ease the stress related to having liquids in our hand luggage. If you intend using them when you travel, I would suggest buying a small box to carry them around.


The ones I tried and loved:

- NAE Naturale Antica Erboristeria (face soap bar, also available on Amazon) https://www.nae-erboristeria.com/en/solid-bars/gentle-face-bar/purezza-purifying-gentle-face-bar.html


Cotton swabs:


Every day, nearly 1.5 billion cotton swabs are produced and thrown away after only one use. A truly zero-waste alternative to traditional cotton swabs is LastSwab, which replaces up to 1000 traditional cotton swabs and their packaging, thus reducing the CO2 emissions generated in production and transportation. This innovative cotton swab can easily be cleaned with water and soap. There are two types of LastSwab: the basic one for your ears and the one for makeup.


The one I tried and loved:



Razor:


Billions of plastic razors are thrown away every year. These razors can’t be recycled because the metal is embedded in plastic and they are very difficult to separate, which means that the plastic gets burned or ends up in nature, destroying the environment.

The safety razor is the ideal solution to this problem, both for men and women. It includes a stainless steel blade, which is easily removable so that it can be replaced.


The one I tried and loved:


Sanitary pads:


Every year, hundreds of billions of disposable sanitary pads and tampons are thrown away, and so is all the plastic they include, which goes far beyond the applicators: many of them even have a thin layer of plastic in the absorbent part, beside all the plastic wrapping and the plastic strings.

Fortunately, there are several reusable alternatives to traditional pads and tampons, like: 

- Compostable sanitary pads: Fiordiluna and NatraCare are both great;

- Bio-degradable tampons: Hello Serena sells them online (https://hello-serena.com);

- Reusable pads: you can wash them in your laundry machine (https://www.bambaw.com/products/reusable-sanitary-pads);

- Menstrual cups: these are particularly handy in the summer time and they last a very long time: OrganiCup sells them on Amazon (https://www.organicup.com/it/);

- Period underwear (these might seem a little extreme but trust me, they are the real game changers): Thinx sells them online (https://www.shethinx.com).


DIY alternatives:


If you want to stop buying makeup removers (and their plastic packaging), you can use coconut oil instead, rubbing it on your face and using a wet towel to remove your makeup, thus eliminating the need for makeup remover pads or wipes. Coconut oil is also great as a hair mask.

We will soon be posting some instructions for making your own deodorant, scrub and bath salt. Stay tuned!




Sources: 

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