Waste(less)

As most of you trying to lead a greener life know, the bathroom is one of those places that produces the most amount of waste and garbage. From bottled shampoo, conditioner, body wash, to plastic toothbrushes, toothpaste, you name it. Every little thing comes in some sort of container and it's such a huge waste. When I first noticed this, and when I first began realizing I had to do something to create less waste, there were a few things I switched immediately, and there are some I'm still trying to conquer. I thought I'd write this post so I could share my accomplishments and failures and also try to inspire others to look into their own bathrooms and make a few changes.

My very first step was switching from hand wash and body wash to soap bars, this seemed like the easiest switch, and I honestly haven't missed the bottled stuff at all. Once the soap becomes too small and brittle to keep in the shower, I simply press it into the one I have by my sink and let them blend. If you'd rather not do that, you can keep the soap in a little soap bag such as this one by Made by Tyng, not only does it keep you soap but you can use it to gently scrub. This one is made from bamboo terry and woven cotton, which is great for you and for the planet, and you're supporting a very talented artist when you buy it. Regarding soap bars, you should buy your favourite, I like to buy a locally made one that comes wrapped in paper, and if you have such an option, you should definitely take it.

Next on the agenda, I hit a big gun: conditioner. This one was a big one to actually change because my hair desperately needs moisture to keep the curls looking nice, but it also dreads anything that will make it oilier. I decided to try an ACV rinse, which you can read all about right here. I've had a few bad days with it, used too much for too long and got my hair incredibly oily, and I've even used conditioner when visiting other people because I simply forgot to bring my ACV rinse, but otherwise, I've had nothing but nice things to say about it.

Once my regular plastic toothbrush was absolutely used to death, I made the decision to never buy one again, and so I turned my attention to bamboo toothbrushes. Plastic toothbrushes are one of the biggest problems we're currently facing when it comes to pollution as only one small part of them actually gets recycled, with the rest ending up in landfills and our oceans. Luckily, there are now plenty of brands that make better options. The one I use and love is from The Bam & Boo, a wonderful Portuguese brand that offers the chance to have a new toothbrush delivered right to your door every 1/2/3 or 4 months, without all the hassle of having to remember to buy a new one and with much less plastic. Each toothbrush costs just under €5 and shipping is free, worldwide. Additionally, they all come in recycled and recyclable paper packaging and a biodegradable PLA protection bag. The actual toothbrush is made out of bamboo (for the handle) and nylon 6 bpa free bristles. How amazing is that? If you'd like to know more about this amazing brand, just follow this link. I've also managed to influence my brother and his girlfriend to get some too, it's all about the little steps guys.

Still on oral hygiene, next came dental floss. As I was already familiar with The Bam & Boo, I decided to try theirs. The Bam & Boo Dental Floss is made with 100% natural products, such as bamboo charcoal fibre and candelilla wax, which means it's vegan and plastic free. It also comes flavoured with peppermint oil which just makes it feel fresher, which I love. Plus, it doesn't fray or get caught in your teeth, amazing!!

Lastly, cotton buds. Yet another product that seems to find its way more into our oceans than it does to recycling centers. Plastic cotton buds, as much of an enemy as plastic toothbrushes, can't be recycled after they're used, so they either end up in the regular trash or go down the toilet, eventually ending up in our oceans. The Bam & Boo have their own bamboo cotton buds, 100% biodegradable, zero waste and vegan and, because I already used their products, buying these was a no brainer. Sure, I could have gone with a stainless steel ear cleaner, and I still think I will, but that wouldn't really help me when I'm trying to fix my makeup, and sometimes you just want something you're already familiar and comfortable with. 

Sure, I've already changed a few more things besides these, such as buying a loofah sponge, like this one from Mind The Trash, instead of using a plastic one, I've stopped using disposable makeup removers and started using cotton towels instead, and I've also stopped using plastic tampon applicators, which you can read more about here: Let's Talk Periods & D. Reusable Tampon Applicator Review, but I think these 5 were the ones with the most impact in my life so far.

(picture by Daria)

As to those I'm still aiming to change, I think my next step will be toothpaste and mouthwash. If you're at all into the zero waste subject, you must have heard of Georganics, their goal is to create "a full natural oral care range which is 100% cruelty-free, plastic-free and environmentally sustainable", what more could you ask for? They sell everything from natural toothpastes, oil pulling mouthwash, whitening powders, eco toothbrushes, natural floss, and so much more. I'm really curious about their Activated Charcoal Toothpaste and their English Peppermint Oil Pulling Mouthwash. Their toothpastes and mouthwashes are free from fluoride, SLS & glycerin, promote remineralisation, are PETA cruelty-free & vegan, and come in recyclable glass jar, aluminium lid and compostable box, so many things to love.

Something else I've been eyeing up is switching from regular shampoo to shampoo bars, I've mentioned this before in another post, and I've yet to make the change, simply because of convenience, which I'm sad to admit. My first excuse was "if I'm truly aiming for a low waste life, is ordering a shampoo bar online really the best idea?" but now, I've run out of excuses, I found a handmade shampoo bar sold right in my city, 10 minutes away from my house, made with 100% natural products and by someone who actually knows what they're doing. As I'm growing more and more into the idea of helping smaller commerce, this seems like the perfect opportunity to do two things at once and so, as soon as I get my paycheck, that will be my very first purchase. I'll let you know how it goes. 

While we're on the subject of hair: hair brushes! I don't think I've ever really thought about them as waste, not until I grew up and started taking care of mine. They simply were there when I needed them and replaced when they're weren't doing their job, which I think is the reality for many things we use, and the reason why we use so much. Now that I know better, I'm seeking a better option as well. My first thought were these wooden combs I remember having when I was young, and I can't seem to understand why those ever went out of fashion, not only are they cute but they also are much better for your hair (read more about that here). I'm currently looking into getting one like this one from Mind The Trash, but I'll try to find a local option before I resort into buying something online, no matter how much I trust the store itself.

And there we go, a few changes I've managed to make and few more still to go. What changes have you made to turn your bathroom into a greener place? Much as I mentioned on my Zero Waste Swaps: Bathroom post, reducing is the most important step and consuming sustainable products is still consuming. Don't simply throw away all your things and buy sustainable ones to replace them, you’ve still put your plastic into the environment and it hasn’t been used to it’s full potential, given that it’s already been produced, which means you're still polluting. 

Let's talk periods. Over half the people on the planet have them and it seems people aren't talking about it enough, especially about their impact on our environment. Thousands and thousands of pads and tampons are thrown away by people with periods during their lifetime, and if we think about how much plastic and other toxic things go into making them, it really is unsettling and disconcerting to know that they can't be recycled and will just go into landfills, taking decades, sometimes centuries, to decompose.

The hard and cold truth is: our periods are anything but sustainable. And even though I know this, I have yet to make a complete switch from regular old pads to eco-friendlier options (although I have made other changes). But that doesn't have to be the reality, there is a whole world of sustainable menstrual products out there, and you only need to choose the one that is better suited for you. To some, it may seem like a hassle to try and find alternatives to something you already have, use and are somewhat comfortable with, but the truth is, spending a little extra (time and money) to make your period even a little bit more sustainable will result in less waste and it'll also save you money in the long run.

Before I began trying completely different products I started with something smaller and easier to achieve, I made the change to go from regular tampons to organic cotton ones. That might seem like an infinetly small change but organic cotton is also infinetly better than regular cotton, if you'd like to know more about what makes them different, read this Organic Cotton vs Regular Cotton post by The Sleep Sherpa. To save you a great deal of research, because not all eco-friendly period products are exactly the same, I thought I'd tell you about some of the options available and my own experiences with some of them.

Go Organic
Let's start with some familiar faces, if all you can change for now is going from regular pads and tampons to organic ones, then that's the change you make, as awareness grows around the environmental impact of disposable products, so does the availability of different options so finding these new and improved versions of the products you already know and love won't be too hard, simply search for organic pads & tampons in your country and you'll find they're widely more available than you previously thought. Natracare seems to be the brand I find the most, so you'll probably find it where you live too, here's where you can find them. Not only is this brand using organic cotton but their products are also plastic-free, hypoallergenic, free of GMO, perfumes, dyes and chlorine, vegan, biodegradable and compostable, what else do you need?

Reusable Pads
Another option are reusable pads, which are a sort of throwback to what our mums and grandmas wore, but made better. These reusable pads by GladRags are one of these options, available in different sizes (day, night/postpartum, and pantyliners), these are "a healthy alternative to disposable products we're used to, made of premium quality certified organic cotton flannel and terry cloth, they offer protection and comfort, lasting for over 5 years". This means that not only are they environmentally friendly, using minimal resources, but they're also easy on your wallet. Also, you can customise them to fit your needs, depending on how heavy or light your flow is. I'm currently eyeing up some of these beautiful handmade ones by Made by Tyng, who also sells other great handmade products to help you live a more sustainable life. If you're in Portugal, Pegada Verde, Mind The Trash and Maria Granel also have these available, so go show them some much deserved support.




Reusable Tampon Applicator
For a little twist on another product most of us use, we have the D. the reusable tampon applicator by Dame. If you're interested in a full on review on it, you can read mine right here D. The Reusable Tampon Applicator Review, spoiler alert: I love it. In short, what D is is exactly what the title says, a reusable tampon applicator you can use with whichever size or brand of tampons you prefer (hint: combine this with organic cotton tampons and the environment will thank you!). Not only is it easy to do, but it doesn't require boiling in hot water to make sure it's safe to use, like most reusable period products do, which only makes it easier to keep and make last. Much like menstrual cups, they're made to last years, and if it breaks or gets damaged in any way, Dame will replace it for you for free. Once you no longer need it, you can just send it back and they'll dispose of it properly. 

THINX has also recently released a reusable tampon applicator called re.t.a, made with medical-grade materials and can be used with most applicator-free tampons, if you'd like to know more simply follow the link, as it is such a new product there aren't many reviews out yet, but the internet is a nice place and will surely help us all with that.

Menstrual Cups
On a similar note, let's talk about the product most of you have already heard of: menstrual cups. Even though their design was patented in the 30's, it has taken until nowadays for the menstrual cup to go mainstream, which means I really don't need to go into much detail about it because, most likely, you've all heard and read about it plenty. Whether you're you've heard of Lunette, OrganiCup or Mooncup, they all do the same job. As Lunette explains the "menstrual cup is a bell-shaped cup that gives you a comfortable, safe, odorless and eco-friendly period for up to 12 hours a day. It’s also reusable and lasts several years meaning less time, money and stress!" All the brands previously mentioned have different sizes to choose from depending on your flow and whether you've been pregnant before or not. They also have a lot of helpful tips on how to use it, how to pick the right size, how to clean it, how to fold it and other general questions you may have. These cups are "made of soft medical grade silicone and are BPA free. This means no yeast, bacteria or odor" they are vegan and environmentally friendly and you can use them for up to 10 years. As with anything, there are people who love it and swear by it and other people who won't go near it, so it's up to you to pick whichever is your ideal product, no one else. My own personal experience wasn't really that great, I bought it, tried it or rather tried to try it and failed as I couldn't actually put it in, then tried it again, successfully put it in the right place and then had to remove it less than 5 minutes later because I found it so uncomfortable. If that's the case with you, don't be too scared, with most brands you can return it if it's not for you, no one is forcing you to keep something you can't use, but I'd totally advise you to try it before you make up your mind.

Period Panties
On the matter of items you've heard of before, let's talk about period panties. Along with reusable pads, these are the ones next on my list of period products to try, simply because they sound both amazing and non-invasive, which is all I want. There are quite a few brands already available, such as Lunapads, Dear Kate, Wuka and, the already famous, THINX* (by following this link you will get €9 off your order and I will get €9 too, what a treat), an amazing brand breaking all period taboos and making us feel sexy even when we're on our period. THINKX basically (very very basically, but here's more info on their amazing work) makes period panties, which means you can wear them all by themselves and be done with it or use them as back up, imagine you're wearing a cup, or a tampon but you have a super heavy flow, THINKX will be your lil helper and keep you nice and tidy. According to them their "period-proof undies can replace pads, liners, and tampons, or be worn with tampons and cups for extra protection. Like regular underwear, but so much better". You can build your own set of period undies and save a few bucks or you can buy them on their own, there are plenty of cuts to choose from, such as the hiphugger, their most famous cut, which holds around 2 tampons worth; sport, for medium days; cheeky, for light days; boyshort, for heavy days; hi-waist, a very sexy pair of panties for heavy days; thong, for the lightest days and many more. If you're curious to try them simply head on over to THINKX, place your order, try them on and decide for yourself if these are your cup of tea or not. With a 60 day money-back guarantee and free returns, there's no reason not to try something that may change your life, and our planet's too!

And there we go, just a few of the most popular options to replace our old and eco-unfriendly period products. I know there's a lot of pressure nowadays to go green overnight, I feel it too, but reality is, becoming fully sustainable will never happen like that, it takes research, time and commitment, and every little step counts and helps, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Do your best, keep trying to do better, but never at the cost of straining yourself.

Let me know below some of your favourite products when it comes to sustainability while you're on your period, I'd love to learn more.