4 Sustainable Hygiene Products for Daily use

When I have asked people, what comes to their mind when they think about sustainable ways of living, they often say reducing the amount we waste, using less electricity, walking more instead of getting the car and eating less meat. These amongst other things are in fact good ways we can reduce the negative impact on our environment. However, as humans we often overlook small things that we can do to take care of our environment, that if we all did collectively would have a huge impact. For example, we can buy products that we use on a day-to-day basis that are made from more sustainable and recyclable materials. I have therefore listed 4 Hygiene products below that we can swap with our original ones that will ditch the plastic and other harmful materials, such as cotton.

One of the most unstainable and harmful substances on earth is man-made plastic. Plastic is made from unsustainable materials that can take up to 1000 years to decompose. Not only this, but when they are left to degrade, they are known to produce harmful toxins and micro plastics which leach out into the environment, causing harm to the wildlife. The products listed below are usually made from high quantities of plastic, but I have replaced them with their sustainable versions, which I believe are worth investing in.

1. Wooden Toothbrush

Brushing our teeth twice a day for a minimum of 2 minutes is
recommended in order to prevent gum disease and tooth decay, removing stains and maintaining a fresh breath. It is also recommended by experts that we replace our tooth brush every 3 months, meaning as individuals using 4 a year. If we take account the population of the UK alone, this could result in a potential of 266.6 million plastic toothbrushes being thrown away every year. I am currently using the Bamboo toothbrush which can be found in stores, such as boots, Superdrug, and online stores such as Peace with the Wild. Bamboo is fast growing tree that can grow up to four feet in one day. It is known to be naturally renewable and requires no pesticides and little water compared to other crops.

2. Shampoo bars:

Switching to shampoo and conditioner bars appears to be an increasing trend currently. Making this switch is not only beneficial to the environment by reducing plastic, but they are also proven to be better for your heath, hair and finances. Just when you thought it could not get any better, they also last between 2-3 times longer than bottled shampoo. It a no brainer really.

Unlike some of their bottled friends who are made from approximately 80% water and harsh
chemicals, shampoo bars are made of concentrated natural ingredients that are softer and kinder on the head and hair.

From my personal use and reviews I have read online I would recommend the following bars

– Koha Beauty shampoo bar, Berry & Bergamot.

– Faith in Nature – Lavender & Geranium.

– Ethique – Mintasy. Buy at Holland and Barrett in store or online. 

– Earth Kind – Bergamot & sage – Buy at Holland and Barret both online and in store

3. Sustainable Sanitary products –

500 million sanitary products end up in landfill every month. Now can you guess what sanitary
products are made from? Just like toothbrushes they are made from plastic, 90% to be precise. To try and reduce our carbon footprint, there are several sanitary products that we can replace with ones that are highly packaged and plastic made. Most woman would have heard of the moon cup, which is a soft menstrual cup that is reusable. The initial price is high at approximately £22 per cup; however, they last about 10 years which equates to spending just £2.20 a year, not bad right?

However, if you are not a fan of moon cups and does not want the extra hassle that comes with them, don’t worry because there are also other sustainable alternatives. For example, The Flo Natural Bamboo Day & Night Pads that are made with 100% organic bamboo and are all individually wrapped in biodegradable plant-based wrappers. This company also sells 100% organic, biodegradable cotton Tampons which come with an applicator that is 95% plant-based and 100% recyclable.

4. Reusable Cotton Pads

Asides from Plastic another material we should be mindful of is single use cotton.  Cotton is a versatile material made from fibres from the cotton plant. You therefore might question how it can be bad for the planet, after all you cannot get more natural than a plant right? However, even though cotton in its natural form is not bad, the process of growing it requires dousing it with pesticides, meaning it is no longer biodegradable. Not only this, but the amount of water needed to produce cotton is alarming, with a basic white cotton T-shirt needing the same amount of water one person would drink over 3 years. Shocking right?

I would therefore advise you all to ditch using single use cotton in your daily beauty and cleansing routines. One product we can start with is cotton pads. There are now reusable cotton pads on the market, some of which are made from 100% organic cotton which has not been chemically treated. There are also alternative pads on the market which are made from other types of eco-friendly materials.  I have listed some shops and websites that sell these.

Shops: Boots, Superdrug, M&S and Holland and Barret.

Online Stores: Wild & Stone, LastSwab and Lookfantastic.

If you have been eco conscious enough to read this blog, you will see that there are many products us as humans use in our daily routines that are made from unstainable materials and involve harmful production processes. The products listed above are only a small fraction of environmentally friendly products out there and there are many more household good goods asides from Hygiene products that we should be mindful of.  It is important that us as humans start to make positive changes, such as buying sustainable and reusable materials, otherwise the impact to our environment in years to come could be detrimental and irreversible.  You do not need to go to huge lengths to do this either as most of these products can be purchased in well-known stores both online and in stores, without spending a fortune.

– Simran Kaur