As any other girl (or boy, I don't judge;) I work hard to maintain a physical appearance from which I will feel confident and beautiful. Makeup, hair gel, bath bombs, and moisturizers are products which we use every day without really considering their impact on anything other than the image they help us create in the mirror. But look a little closer, and we might find that our favourite beauty products, routines and treatments might be adding more to our Eco-footprint than we may have ever imagined!
Here are a few simple tips and steps to help make your morning beauty routine more sustainable for the environment!
1.) Turn off that tap!
To be honest, we all do it without even thinking. While brushing your teeth in the morning, you might (in your only semi-sentient "I need to get to work in 23 minutes" haze) not always realize that during that minute you spend brushing your teeth, you are wasting tons of precious water! Not only does leaving the tap on rack up your own hydro bill (oops) but it means wasting a possible 8 (THAT'S RIGHT -8) gallons of water a day!
Easy fix: While brushing your teeth, washing your hands, doing the dishes, lathering up your hair- Just turn off the tap! You'll be doing a world of good, both for the environment, and your wallet!
2.) Go Natural!
There are TONS (and I mean tons) of up-and-coming natural cosmetic lines popping up all over the world. Companies (and consumers alike) are realizing that "natural" and "organic" are not only words used to describe your crazy "I indulged a little too much in the 60's" Aunt Mildred anymore, and are beginning to create products which tailor to customers who want to "green" up their beauty routine. Everything from face cleansers to toothpaste comes with a "natural" or "organic" alternative, so do your research and invest in a couple natural products.
A few suggestions- Burt's Bees, Marie Veronique Organics, LUSH, Weleda, Dr Hauschka, and JASON Natural Cosmetics are a few reliable companies which put sustainable beauty in the forefront!
3.) Raid your Cupboards!
Many of us might have rather horrific memories of our mothers', and grandmothers' "natural remedies" for common ailments. I for one remember a particularily traumatic oatmeal bath which, to a itchy, chicken-pox ridden 8 year old was hard to justify. But as much as we hate to admit it, our mother's are often right. Home-made beauty products are not only easy on the wallet, but generally much more sustainable for the environment, and can provide just as much of a "healthy-glow" as anything bought in a store! Oatmeal, brown sugar, and olive oil can be combined for an awesome body scrub! While plain yoghurt, honey, and lemon juice can make for an excellent toning and soothing face mask.
Here is a great website which lists some awesome recipes for homemade face scrubs on a budget!
4.) Unplug that Blow-Dryer.
Okay okay, so mornings when your hair is looking a bit more "Russel Brand woke up on the wrong side of a 6 day coke bender" than Kim Kardashian's luscious locks are total justification for using a little bit of heat-styling, blow-drying your hair EVERY DAY is not only bad for your hair, but also for the environment. Making the switch to "no-heat" hairstyling is an easy way to lessen your eco-footprint, and even improve the texture and quality of your hair!
Easy fix: cut down your heat-styling to once a week, or better yet, stop entirely!
Try: Spraying your hair with a mixture of water and sea salt for a low-maintinence, beach-y look that is much more environmentally sustainable!
5.) Ditch the Deoderant.
I can imagine upon first reading that sentence many of you might have raised an eyebrow, while others perhaps jumped out of their chairs with a cry of "DEAR GOD, THE INSANITY." For the 5 or so percent who didn't experience heart attack-like symptoms upon reading my statement, please keep in mind that I offer a good alternative to conventional deoderant which does not require smelling like a 13 year old after a particularly rousing game of dodgeball in High School P.E.
Crystal Deoderants, also known as salt deoderants, are just that. SALT. A big ol' stick o' salt that you rub under dampened armpits to protect against that nasty mid-day stank. I'm sure the mechanics of crystal deoderants are much more advanced than I outlined, but the nitty-gritty of it is that salt stick deoderants are a great natural way to protect against B.O.
Recently many studies have revealed to us that the Aluminum in conventional deoderants may contribute to an increase in possibility of breast cancer amongst women. Not only this, but chemical deoderants are harmful for the environment, and can be irritating for our own skin. Crystal deoderant is dirt cheap (or should I say "salt-cheap" bahaha) and last literally forever. They can be bought in almost any drugstore, chemist, or health food store, and are sold universally around the world.
....and hey, I hear they're big in Europe. ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment