Personal care regime is an essential part of our everyday lives and we spend a lot of money on beauty products that make up that routine. Usually, we give no much thought into the way these products are manufactured. The amount of non-biodegradable waste and pollution that industries generate take a heavy toll on environment. Therefore, it's time we begin a revolution in our personal care routine to make it more environment-friendly.
Here are some environment-friendly alternatives that do the job just as effectively, if not, better:
Electric Shavers/ Epilators/ Safety Razors
All three of these products are made for long-term use unlike the disposable plastic razors that many rely on. The long-term options cost more initially but end up being much more cost-effective in the long run whereas the disposable ones have a very low initial cost but the price adds up as you constantly have to buy refills or new razors. Thus, making the shift in this case is not just environment-friendly, but also saves you a lot of money.
Organic cotton pads and buds
Cotton buds and cotton pads are very versatile and have become daily essentials in our beauty regime. Unfortunately, they create some problems for environment. Cotton plants require a lot of water to grow and conventional methods of producing cotton involve the use of harmful chemicals that can pollute rivers and damage wildlife. The plastic stems of cotton buds are also not environment-friendly.
Alternatives for cotton pads include organic cotton pads or reusable organic ones. Instead of using cotton buds with plastic stems, use organic cotton buds which have a rolled paper stem.
Bamboo toothbrush
Bamboo toothbrushes feature a bio-degradable bamboo handle and nylon bristles that have to be removed before you dispose the handle. Although these brushes are not 100% biodegradable, they do reduce the volume of waste that goes into a landfill.
Biodegradable packaging and ingredients
When you buy your products, try to buy ones that come in bio-degradable packaging. Examples of bio-degradable packaging include paper, paperboard, cardboard, etc. Instead of buying products in plastic containers, buy them in glass jars or containers which are not made of plastic. Additionally, while buying products in glass containers, check whether the particular brand has a return policy which allows you to send the container back for recycling.
Experiment with new products and methods
Instead of using non-biodegradable wipes to take off make-up, use micellar water with a reusable cotton pad or use the oil cleansing method which uses oils like olive, avocado, jojoba or castor to clean the face. The cleansing method using oil was popularized by the Korean beauty industry and it has proved to be an effective and gentle method for facial cleansing. You can also experiment with other forms of cleansing such as clay masks and gram flour scrubs.
Switching to environment-friendly alternatives is not a hard decision to make, especially when you are aware about ingredients, methods of production and your skin care needs. This means that you can identify the products that will really benefit you and the environment and make your choices accordingly.