Reduce Plastic Use: Buy Better Shampoo
A simple way you can help change the world and improve your haircare today! Reduce plastic pollution and energy use while avoiding microplastics at home and on your skin: The simple act of purchasing your shampoo can contribute either negatively or positively both to your personal and planetary health.
These three options are discussed below:
Option 1: Purchase shampoo bars sold in cardboard boxes instead of plastic.
Option 2: Purchase the ingredients and make your own shampoo.
Option 3: Go ‘No Poo’ and wash your hair using simple wholefood ingredients at home.
Option 1: Purchase Shampoo Bars
This is currently my preferred option. I’ve tested the Ethique brand shampoo and conditioner bars recently and much prefer them to my normal shampoo.
You can purchase these at Holland & Barret (in the UK) or on Amazon (affiliate links). I use the conditioner bar as a leave-in conditioner also and it seems to be working better for me than any other.
Option 2: Make Your Own
Purchase the raw ingredients and make your own shampoo and conditioner.
While I have not yet found time to try this option, there are many recipes available online.
These also make great presents for your friends and family because to buy such pure and high-quality haircare products ready-made can be quite expensive, while you can buy the raw ingredients in bulk much more cost-effectively.
You can add 100% natural organic essential oils to replace any chemical fragrancies — just check their suitability for use in haircare first, especially since some of them can burn or sting your skin.
If you store the products in the fridge you may be able to avoid preservatives altogether. Alternatively you can experiment with using various minerals, vitamin C or other antioxidants as preservatives.
While this option does require research, effort, time and commitment, once you get your recipe right you will have the purest and highest quality shampoo possible.
Option 3: Go ‘No Poo’
Depending on your hairtype, it may be possible to wash your hair using wholefood ingredients, such as lemon juice, bicarbonate soda and apple cider vinegar, as well as other substances. This can be quite challenging for many people, however, and probably works better part of the time rather than all of the time.
The name ‘no poo’ refers to ‘no shampoo’ but also to ‘no toxic ingredients’. I’m quite convinced that soon someone will develop the perfect recipe which allows you to put the shampoo ingredients together just before washing your hair, without having to prepare the shampoo in advance. This could possibly involve using a combination of soap, oils, perhaps very small quantities of citric acid to eliminate limescale residue, etc.
Dr. Bronner’s haircare product ingredients could possibly provide a good starting point for a shampoo and conditioner recipes.
Conclusion
The above three are all great options for reducing plastic use and the energy needed to produce commercial products and ship them around. Some of the options are more challenging to realise than others, and while many of us are too busy to try, we can always opt for the shampoo bar option. Many different types for different hair types are available.
If none of the options above work for you then opting out for brands that allow for refills or recycling your shampoo bottles are the fall-back options. If you can, opt for products that are EWG (Environmental Working Group) certified, so as to reduce harmful chemicals for yourself and for the air quality at home. Remember that we vote for the companies we like to see succeed and grow with every purchase!
Let me know in the comments if you have tried or are planning to try the above methods. If you are aware of similar products, alternative methods or good non-toxic haircare recipes then please share as well.
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