MENSTRUAL CUPS AND PADS
beautyindependent.com
This one is for our ladies! For our entire lives, we've lived under the impression that "Diva Cups" are "gross", pads are for little girls, and tampons are the womanly way to go. Unfortunately, not only are pads and tampons incredibly wasteful and expensive, the wrappings cause extra waste and the chemicals in the cotton are incredibly harmful to our bodies! Not to mention the cotton in tampons is extremely drying. Menstrual cups from brands such as CORA (a supporter of providing organic feminine products to impoverished areas) and Saalt are made from medical silicone that mold to your internal shape and become lubricated as they settle in your body. These are a one-time purchase and can last you up to 10 years! Wear the cup up to 12 hours a day, dump them out, wash with gentle soap and warm water, and then re-insert! Sleep, run, drive, surf, they won't budge and they won't hurt your wallet or the environment.
Reusable Food and Beverage Containers
Using a re-usable coffee mug can help you in more ways than one. First off, in order to truly be waste-free, you have to order at the register and hand over your own cup. With all of the drive through or mobile ordering options, using your own cup with these efficient methods is no use—the company will prepare your coffee in a plastic cup, pour it into your cup upon arrival, and then toss the plastic. In this case, it's almost worse to use your own because the plastic gets wasted even faster. With this rule of thumb, it will force you to get up earlier, get ready faster, and be on time. And if you don't have time for your morning coffee, maybe it'll motivate you to save a few bucks and make your own at home!
Zero-Waste Beauty Tips
It's time again to break the conventions of hygiene. A majority of our soaps and cosmetics are not only held in plastic containers, but they also contain products that have either been tested on animals or even made out of animals. Many lotions contain sheep fat, while other cosmetics do the same. In going waste-free, many of these products go hand-in-hand with being cruelty-free/vegan. A win-win! You can make many cheap swaps such as going from hand/body soap to soap bars, shampoo/conditioner bars, and using DIY methods for toothpaste, deodorant, and body scrubs. These natural items will have longer shelf lives, will give you peace of mind to know what exactly you're putting on your body, and they won't hurt the animals or the environment. Simple Truth is a great soap bar brand that has recyclable cardboard packaging. Toothpaste and deodorant can be made out of baking soda, essential oils, and 1-2 other ingredients. Check out reusable cloth makeup pads too—they work as cotton rounds to be paired with makeup removers and toners and can be machine washed and used again!
These small tricks will make an incredible impact on the planet!
