WHAT'S IN MY BAG
Ever thought about what's in your bag?
Let's face it: When it comes to personal care, disposables are everywhere. From toothbrushes and razors to makeup containers and shampoo bottles, a lot of the products we use on a daily basis are designed to be disposed of after a matter of days, weeks, or sometimes months. The main issue is that many of these products – and the packaging they come in – are made out of non-recyclable AND non-biodegradable materials. So not only do they go straight to the landfill, but they'll also stay there for many years to come.
Over the past few months, I've been slowly swapping out some of my everyday personal care products with alternatives that are more eco-friendly – and in my opinion – much prettier to look at. As tempting as it was to toss out the old stuff right off the bat (being the purger that I am), I decided to wait until each item reached the end of its life... Because otherwise, it kind of defeats the process of producing less waste.
The first personal care items to go? My razor, toothbrush, and hair comb.
#1| RAZOR
According to the EPA, roughly 2 billion disposable razors are thrown out each year. A simple solution? Switch to safety razors. While safety razors may seem a bit scary at first, I can assure you that they are completely safe and easy to use ... even for us ladies. I've had my safety razor for about five months now, and have only nicked myself a handful of times, if that. In addition to being more environmentally-friendly, switching to a safety razor will also save you money in the long run. The initial investment is a little more, but the follow up expenses are far less than having to buy a new pack of razors every month or so. If taken care of properly, the handle can easily last you a lifetime, and double edge blades can be recycled when you're done using them. Store old blades in a tin can to prevent risk of injury, and take the can to your local recycling facility when it's full.
#2| TOOTHBRUSH
Plastic toothbrushes are notorious for polluting the environment. Every year, more than 4.7 billion plastic toothbrushes are tossed into landfills and oceans around the world, often ending up in the stomachs of sea life and birds. For the past few years, I used an electric toothbrush, which isn't quite as bad as standard toothbrushes. However, I was ready to take it a step further and try out bamboo toothbrushes, which can be composted after use. To my pleasant surprise, one of the hotels we stayed at during out honeymoon actually offered free bamboo toothbrushes, so of course I brought one home with me. I still have my electric toothbrush stored away because it works just fine, but for now I'm enjoying my bamboo one.
#3| HAIR COMB
For several years, I used the same plastic comb to keep my hair detangled. While combs are not as widely "unpopular" as disposable razors and toothbrushes, they can pose just as much of a problem if made from synthetic materials. I recently stumbled upon bamboo hair combs, which not only look nicer, but are also healthier for your hair. They're gentler and naturally condition as you brush, resulting in less breakage and softer hair. Let's just say ... I've been seeing a lot less hair on my comb lately.
Constructed out of Oeko-tex certified linen and GOTS certified organic cotton poplin, this sustainably-made makeup bag from Veryan has been perfect for storing some of my zero waste personal care essentials on-the-go. Its relatively compact size allows it to easily slide into a purse or small travel bag, making it simpler to travel with less. Veryan also offers a slightly larger travel bag for those needing a bit more room for storing larger items like shampoo or lotion. You can learn more about Veryan's line of sustainable clothing and accessories in this interview I recently hosted.
WHAT ITEMS HAVE YOU SWAPPED OUT FOR MORE ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES?
Big thanks to Veryan for partnering on today's post! This post also contains affiliate links, which lead to products that I purchased myself at no discount and use every day. As always, all opinions are my own.