Sustainable September 2017 - Day Twenty Four

SEPTEMBER 24 (SUNDAY)

FASHION & BEAUTY - PLASTIC FREE SHAMPOOS

Welcome to the final week of Sustainable Septemeber 2017. Where we are looking at making life a little kinder for our planet and all those who live here. This week is all about Fashion and Beauty. How can we make our daily Fashion and Beauty choices more sustainable? Start small and build up. Today is a simple idea,

Sustainable September Day Twenty Four: Reduce the amount of waste from Shampoo and Conditioners by using more sustainable Options.

There are several options that can reduce the amount of waste from Shampoos and conditioners. For examples there are Shampoo Bars, Dry Shampoo, No-Poo, Hair treatments that are home made and package free. Just to name a few.

Depending on the level of committment you are prepared to make to the environment. Here are a few options. Buy in Bulk. This means less packaging for the same amount of product you would usually buy. It is still producing waste, but not as regularly therefore not as much. This is a transitional stage for when you are looking to reduce your waste but not sure about where to start.

As always there is a simple switch that can be made. Instead of buying a whole new plastic bottle everytime you need more shampoo or conditioner you could take the containers to be refilled at a bulk store, which for me is the Wasteless Pantry. It is all about REUSING. I know the Wasteless Pantry have the ability to refill your already existing bottles of shampoo and conditioner. However it wont be the same brand you have already. It will be the next best thing. Just check out the closes bulk supply store you can. Hopefully it wont be too far away from you, wherever you are.

Then there is also using a home made or bulk dry shampoo option. I recommend making it because that reduces the amount of waste that goes in the bin. You can check out the one from Going Zero Waste. I use a little bit of Tapioca/Arrowroot flour and a little brush that i sprinkle on and then sort of sweep through my fair. I use my fingers and massage it into my scalp then too. It is not perfect but i dont feel that my hair is super oily. From the things that the Going Zero Waste link talks about... i might give that recipe a go next time. Using Dry Shampoo probably reduces the amount of waste i have by delaying my hair washing to once a week instead of two or three times a week. SO thats pretty awesome. It means that i am doubling the time it takes for me to go through the same size shampoo bottles i have (and yes i still use liquid shampoo and conditioner... for now).

THe next level of reducing waste is to use a Shampoo bar and Conditioning Bar. These are plastic free, come in a million different flavours and sizes, and are apparently really great to use. I have put in an order for some which sadly didn't arrive in time for me to share my experiences... but hopefully next year they will be. Shampoo and Conditioning Bars are like soap bars for your hair.

I am looking for one that is great for allergies and helps get rid of things like Psoriasis in the hair. I have Psoriasis (an autoimmune disease where you skin produces a lot more skin cells in certain areas) which is often pretty bad. Mind you at the moment with my diet and health improvements my psoriasis is almost unnoticable. A couple of my friends have recommended one for people with bad dandruff and psoraisis... it is called the Bee Beauty Beer Shampoo bar. Yes you read that right... it is a BEER flavoured Shampoo bar. and apparently it is the best. They are an Australian brand - from Tasmania. This particular shampoo bar is apparently just as good for all hair types. So that is awesome and I can't wait to give it a go*. Its about $12.50 AUD per bar.

In the meantime my sister has ordered me some other shampoo bars to see if they work, from her Bulk Buying Group. They bought in bulk from a supplier which significantly reduced the amount of money per bar that they had to pay. So they are due to come in the next few weeks. Hopefully before i have to buy some more of my Coal Tar Shampoo (which is the traditional treatment/ Shampoo for Psoriasis). Its costing me about $4 AUD per bar (Cheapest option).

I have also see a whole lot in Lush, the soap shop. They have waste free soap, shampoo and conditioner bars available. (Its about $15 AUD per bar depending on which ones you get.). Or even the Wasteless Pantry has some (at about $20 per bar). So shop around for the best price and the best option for your body/skin/hair type.

Then there is No-Poo. When i first heard about it i have to admit... i laughed. A lot. at the name mostly. When you live with two kids/teens (one of whom is a boy), fart and poo jokes are everywhere! heheh. But then i heard the premise about it. Basically it is using baking soda and apple cider vinegar to wash your hair less and almost detox your hair and the chemicals that are often in mainstream shampoos and conditioners. A friend of mine is currently giving this a go. There is a detox period (she is currently struggling through this period). But she led me to a blog about it (which if i find again i will post tomorrow).

But if you want a really balanced opinion before giving No Poo a go... check out this link from Google. It gives you the facts when it comes to No Poo so you can make your own choices.

ACTIVITY: Make your own Shampoo.
There are also a lot of other recipes for Shampoo and Conditioner Bars available on my Pinterest Board Eco and Environment ideas.

I hopeyou enjoy the first of this last weeks theme of Fashion and Beauty.

*NOTE: I do not get any money for any of the sites or products I mention. I just thought other people might like to hear about the ones I know (from my friends showing me) work.