Week 5: 8 Weeks to a Greener Life & a Bluer Sea - New 'Poo for Your 'Do
So how did last week go? Did you take some time to think about how you're consuming resources? Take a break from some shopping? Enjoy living with what you already have?
And are you feeling like a luscious earth-child yet with all of this green-living?? I sure hope so. I've been running around the house singing the new Mamma Mia soundtrack like I'm Lily James herself, and it's got me buzzing on life. This good mood has me determined to keep forging ahead on the green path with renewed vigor and extra voluminous hair.
Let's Talk About Your Hair, Hun
This week I want to talk about hair. Specifically, how we wash it, and how we purchase shampoo. There is so much plastic in our bathrooms, it's not even funny. Not even remotely. It's annoying as hell. Those bottles tumble off the shelves and ledges when we bump into them. Then the flippy lids break and render them useless. Their production is horrible for the environment. And once you squeeze every little last drop out of the bottle, you have to get rid of it and buy another. Where does the empty go? Rubbish? Recycling? Do you get confused and just chuck it? "Oh well, someone else's problem now." (Please don't think like that.)
Plastic...not a necessity when it comes to beauty products
I've done plenty of beach-cleans where I've picked up empty shampoo bottles that were strewn along the sand. Breaks my wee heart. At least these bottles were in a place where I could pick them up; what about the millions of tons of plastic that are bobbing around in the giant garbage patches in the middle of the Pacific Ocean? Who's picking those up?
What sort of dangerous ingredients are in your hair products?
And what about all the chemicals in that goop? Do you read your labels? What does sulfate do to the environment? What about alcohols in your products, or polyehtylene glycols? What even is that? Why is the shampoo purple and shimmery? Weird...
Even if you try and choose "organic" or "natural" and "paraben-free" shampoos, does the negative fact that it's packaged in plastic outweigh the positives of having better ingredients?
What if you didn't have to choose? You could forget about ALL of the confusion. Why not just put simple stuff on your body and in your hair - stuff that works, works well, and doesn't contain any scary plastic packaging? Where, WHERE does this magical stuff come from, you ask?
The cleverness of shampoo bars - pack them up in their own little tins and they're perfect for travel.
#giveupthebottle with Ethique's Clever Shampoo Bars
Ethique! This brand strives to create "plastic-free beauty in a clever little bar." It's nourishing for your hair, and they've already prevented 500,000 plastic bottles from being made and disposed of. Look how cute they are! #giveupthebottle
One of the best bits is that Ethique has an assortment of shampoo bars for you to choose from based on your hair needs, or whichever one you think smells best :) They've got Sweet & Spicy, Frizz Wrangler, Damage Control (this is the one I use for my salty-ass hair), Heali Kiwi (a throwback to their Kiwi roots in Christchurch, New Zealand), and several others. They even make conditioner bars!
Two passionate shampoo bar users!
Shampoo Bars are Great for Travel
Does it sound too good to be true? Trust me, it's not! It's real, and they're incredible. Traveling with them is also a real joy, because you don't need to stress about taking them out of your carry-on - they aren't liquid, so the TSA won't be making you feel like a criminal! Not to mention, they last ages longer than your "normal" bottle of shampoo. Just tuck your little bar into a tin or jar and you're good to go.
Get back to the basics. Ditch plastic packaging. The ocean thanks you for it, and your hair will be vibrant because of it! Cruise on over and check out Ethique's website to learn more and place an order.