TRANSFORMING THE BATHROOM
I am on the pursuit for low waste, creative alternatives that I use in my everyday life. I am loving making and creating different things. It reminds me of the potions I used to make as my younger self and it is also beneficial not just to myself but also to the environment. All my recipes use things that I would normally have in the house and are alternatives to buying products that are usually packaged in plastic.
It is almost five months since Parliament proposed a ban on single-use plastic items, a good time as ever to make some sustainable changes and swaps in the house!
My top bathroom recipes:
Tooth paste – Coconut oil based toothpaste
Coconut oil has been the buzz word for a while now, I have been lathering myself in it, cooking with it, adding it to my coffees and now using it for my teeth! Talk about versatile! This is my quick, simple recipe for a tooth paste or/and a tooth wash. Although this concoction is not scientifically proven it has worked for me and if you search it up also for other low waste lovers out there!
Ingredients:
A scoop of coconut oil
A few drops of Peppermint essentials oil (depending on minty strength)
A teaspoon of Baking soda
Mix the ingredients together to the desired consistency
(You can also use the same recipe as a tooth wash to compliment your tooth brushing regime – using the method of oil pulling as you swill the mixture around your mouth like any other mouth wash)
Put the ingredients together in an air tight container and leave to distil in a dark place for a week or so!
Facemask - Turmeric face mask
Turmeric is not just great in a curry, it is also high in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties excellent for acne prone skin.
Ingredients:
A teaspoon of Turmeric – Powder or root form grated
A teaspoon of coconut oil
A splash of apple cider vinegar
Mix to a sticky consistency. (Be careful turmeric is great but it does have a habit of staining)
I applied it with a makeup brush and left it on for 15 minutes and put the left overs in the fridge for my next use (keep for up to 2 weeks).
Cleaner – Vinegar, citrus cleaner
Using white wine vinegar as a cleaning agent has been around for years, I was recently introduced into this practice and have been spicing up the vinegar with citrus fruit skins to give a more pleasant smell! Its great alternative to cleaning products which usually come covered head to toe in plastics and full of chemical nastys!
Ingredients:
White wine vinegar /
Citrus peels /& essential oil drops
If you are not quite feeling up to making your own recipes from scratch there is a growing industry of wonderful alternative companies doing amazing things to transform our plastic ridden bathrooms and beauty routines! Here are some of my tried and tested favourites that I would recommend to a friend:
My recommended bathroom products
My advice with transforming your bathroom into a plastic free, more environmentally friendly space is to do it in stages. The first thing many of us will need to do is use up our hoard of plastic contained products that have been forgotten about under the sink and in the depths of our cupboards. Then we can start choosing our products carefully with first investigating the brands’ ethos and practices. We are looking for transparency in their supply chains and that their values represent what we want to support. Then we can start transforming our spaces and homes into refreshing, environmentally conscious places!
Georganics Toothpaste – The natural spearmint
Georganics bamboo toothbrush – I am currently using my first Georganics tooth paste with my bamboo toothbrush! Both have lasted me ages and are still going very strong! The taste took me a few goes to get completely used too and now I am loving it!
An English based company that creates all naturally sourced, vegan and cruelty-free products. The great thing about the cute little jar the toothpaste comes in is that it can be the store for your home-made toothpaste after use and is a travel friendly size. A win, win, win!
The Natural Deodorant Company - This completely natural, free from palm oil, cruelty-free and vegan tub of anti-sweat goodness is a great alternative to the standard deodorant market products, yipeeee
4. Biodegradable Bamboo Cotton Buds
This is a wonderful alternative product to the plastic common cotton buds, with no plastic! They are 100% biodegradable and use organic cotton.
5. Shampoo bar - Head Cave, Primal Suds
The concept of a bar shampoo was a little strange the first time I tried it, but I am a convert! It is as simple as using a bar of soap – you wet it, lather it and apply it to your hair in the same way you would with a liquid shampoo. It is not only plastic free but it lasts a lot longer than conventional shampoo, and is perfect for travelling with. The headcave FENUGEEK has become my new favourite, after trying a few different brands. The smell and clean feeling post wash is something to revel in! It comes in a cardboard funky box and lasts such a long time!
This business started as off as making shampoo bars for personal use and then with a great product expanded into a business – all the ingredients is vegan, natural and cruelty free.
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This post was contributed by @sustain.create. “My writing is inspired by my crazy love affair with the ocean and my want to make changes to improve/sustain the sea’s health and its beautiful inhabitants.”