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Switch to shampoo/conditioner bars
Making the switch to a shampoo bar and/or conditioner bar is a great place to start in making your personal care routine more environmentally friendly. If you’re not sure where to start then I did a review of the Alberto Balsam Shampoo Bars last year and I’m currently trying out the Eco Warrior Deeply Nourishing Shampoo Bar with Pink Clay and a blend of Pure Orange and Ginger Essential Oils. It comes in a nicely presented box and the one I chose smells lovely, it’s citrusy but not in an overpowering way. I’ve only used it once so far but my hair seems to look and feel clean with no build-up in my roots. A shampoo bar usually lasts longer than a standard bottle of shampoo which not only makes it cheaper but it obviously cuts back on your plastic waste.
Pick up some metal tube squeezer keys
I talked about picking up some metal tube squeezers in my most recent Beauty and Lifestyle Haul and they’ve come in really handy and have definitely stopped me wasting leftover product. You’d honestly be surprised at how much product tends to be left in products such as toothpaste, cleanser and foundation tubes when you think they’re already empty.
Use the Too Good To Go app
Too Good To Go is a free-to-use app in which you put in your location and you can reserve a Surprise bag from local shops that are trying to reduce their end-of-the-day waste. So in my local area, there are quite a few places that use the app including Costa, Morrisons, a local independent coffee shop, Aldi and even Toby Carvery and they offer surprise bags and/or hot meals. It also says on the app what you can expect to see in the bag which is handy. It can be anything from cooked meats, sandwiches, hot meals, fruit and veg, cakes etc. In my local area, they’re usually around £3-4 and the app also tells you what the contents inside will be roughly worth if you were paying full price.
Grow your own fruit and veg
You could also try to grow your own fruit and veg. You could pick up a Grow Your Own kit which will help guide you along the way, or if you feel more confident, you could pick up some grow bags and get planting. I’m not super clued on growing fruit and veg but I’ve noticed that Wilko offer a variety of affordable grow kits and they also sell reusable grow bags as well. It’d also be a nice little hobby either for yourself or something nice to do with the family if you have children.
Switch to biodegrade face wipes and reusable bamboo pads
Opting for biodegradable face wipes and/or baby wipes and also switching from cotton pads to reusable bamboo cotton facial pads for your skincare routine is another simple and affordable switch you could make. My favourite biodegradable wipes are the Boots Biodegradable Cucumber Cleansing Wipes which are only £1 and my go-to reusable bamboo cotton face pads are the ASPACES 20 Pack RRP £8.99 from Amazon.
Try reusable or biodegradable period products
If you get periods then you could opt for a more environmentally friendly way to deal with them by using Daye tampons which start from £5.64 for 12 (Mix and Match to suit your needs) or the World's First Flushable Pads by Fluus starting from £5 per month for 15. However, if you want to go down the reusable route then I still highly recommend Modibodi Period Underwear (for light/medium flow periods) but I know other places such as M&S and Primark have also started to sell period underwear which seem to be cheaper than Modibodi but I’ve not tried them out myself as I rarely get periods anymore so I just stick to what I know. Other options include reusable menstrual cups and also reusable cotton pads.
Remember to take tote bags when you go shopping
Always try to remember to take your own bag(s) with you when you go shopping instead of having to buy shop-bought plastic bags.
Repairing clothes before you throw them out
Repairing clothes helps to slow down climate change so before you decide to throw clothes out, you could try and mend whatever it is, depending on the area that needs repairing and how confident you feel with doing repairs. If it’s just a seam or a small hole that needs sewing up then that’s pretty easy to do and there are loads of YouTube tutorials you can follow if you’re unsure. Also, another tip I have is that if you have any cardigans or jumpers that are well loved and have bobbly bits you should buy a bobble remover machine, they not only work really well and give your cardigans and jumpers a new lease of life but they’re really satisfying to use.
Do clothes swaps with family/friends
If you know a couple of people who are the same or similar size to you then you could do a clothes swap party which is an easy way to add some new pieces to your wardrobe for free. Each person brings a certain amount of clothing items that they no longer want but are still in good condition and then you can see if there’s anything the other people have that you like and vice versa.
Use a reusable water bottle/coffee cup
Lastly is to always try to use a reusable water bottle and/or reusable coffee cup where possible. It’s just better for the environment as it means you cut back on your plastic waste. I also always drink more water when I use my own water bottle with it being a 1 litre bottle.
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